“Moshari:” First Bengali Film to Qualify for The Oscars

“Moshari:” First Bengali Film to Qualify for The Oscars            

By Sadia Noor Joya

Instagram @noorj.2948

“Moshari” is the first-ever Bengali film to qualify for numerous awards at The Oscars! While everyone deemed “Moshari,” translated directly to mean, “mosquito net,” as the ultimate savior to mosquitoes, Nuhash Humayun demonstrated its effective use against vampires who yearn for human blood. What’s more, “Moshari” is the first Bangladeshi film to have bagged the Oscars qualifying prizes among numerous other prestigious awards.

In “Moshari,” a global crisis lurked as vampires took charge in darkness, threatening human and animal lives. As populations got swiped away from most developed cities, Dhaka stood proudly with a few survivors. At this stage of the film, Nuhash also took the moment to give a befitting reply to the negativity people had spread about Bangladesh, in both reel and real life, by incorporating a powerful megaphone announcement.

Additionally, he has shown how Bangladesh fought with these gruesome enemies due to the one tool that turned into the weapon of self-defense. Vampires couldn’t quench their thirst when residents were shielded by a moshari, so that served as the key to protection.

In 22 minutes, Nuhash has shown the affectionate relationship between two sisters, the sheer will of Bangladeshis for mastering the tools to survival and glimpses of the ugly, ruthless monsters. Another thing that is noteworthy here is that Nuhash never reveals the name of the older sister (played by Sunehra Binte Kamal) in the film. While the younger one (played by Nuhash’s niece Nairah Onora Saif) went by the name of Ayra, Ayra referred to the older one as Apu, a respectful term meaning “older sister.”

 

This unique style of storytelling includes not only mystery, but also a sisterly bond, whereby Apu takes on the role of a guardian or motherly figure.

 

Thus, “Moshari” wasn’t just about horror/thriller and had so much to offer, which earned them the Oscar qualifications. As mentioned earlier, “Moshari” aimed to break the shackles that were put around Bangladesh based on the shortcomings the country had. For a country that existed only for 50 years, the message seems to be that Bangladesh is doing well and constantly advancing. For the people who have believed that Bangladesh can never rise up, Nuhash’s projects are a calm mind’s attack from a sword. Therefore, for the entertainment loving Bengalis, may that be in Bangladesh, West Bengal or another country that has Bengali speakers, “Moshari” was a blessing for their eyes.

“Moshari” challenged the societal norms that have always been reigning in South Asia for a long time as it was centered around a female lead who was both gentle and fierce. I’m not willing to give spoilers but there is a part of the film where Sunerah refers to feminine monthly periods in a humorous manner. This is an indication by Nuhash that periods are no taboo and absolutely not a matter of shame to talk about – something that is fairly new in the Bengali entertainment industry.

There was a rising action and tension before the vampires were introduced into the film, which also caused me to develop sweaty hands and eventually, scream my lungs out. Furthermore, horror/thriller is Nuhash’s cup of tea and it’s no surprise to me that he has been able to deliver so many masterpieces in this genre for Bengali entertainment. Srijit Mukherji, the bright star and popular film maker from West Bengal, India, has also expressed his praise towards Nuhash after having watched Nuhash’s present projects.

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