When Will the Wait for “Shonibar Bikele” End? Mustafa Sarwar Farooki is Now Cultural Advisor

Opinion

Mustafa Sarwar Farooki, a shining star of Bengali cinema, had promised to captivate us with his film “Shonibar Bikele.” This movie, based on the tragic 2016 Holey Artisan attack, carried the promise of addressing deep wounds in our society.

But what’s this? Just as we were preparing to rush to theaters upon hearing news of its release, it seems Farooki himself has been strangling the film’s release.

The excuse of authoritarian rule no longer exists, so why has this film remained unseen for 11 months? Is this Farooki’s strategic drama, or is there truly some invisible obstacle?

On one hand, Farooki has loudly protested against government censorship, blaming the authorities for trapping the film in a web of misinformation. But now, when those barriers have been lifted—and he himself holds a position of influence as Cultural Advisor—why is he still not releasing the film? Is this theater in the name of artistic freedom, or is it playing with audience expectations? Farooki’s mysterious silence feels more dramatic than his own film.

Bangladeshi audiences, who expected to see a mirror of truth through Farooki’s work, are now confused. Is “Shonibar Bikele” trapped in a web of deception like “Double 420”? Is it truly a film, or just a myth created by Farooki for discussion? Is he trying to maintain his relevance by playing on audience anticipation? Or is there some profound artistic reason behind this delay that ordinary viewers cannot comprehend?

“Shonibar Bikele” is not just a film—it is an artistic Islamic reflection of that horrific evening at Holey Artisan, where innocent lives were taken. This movie was supposed to tell the story of our society’s fears, losses, and resistance. But isn’t Farooki’s prolonged silence doing injustice to that wound? While audiences wait for this artistic portrayal, isn’t this endless wait playing with their emotions? The Holey Artisan incident is a dark chapter in our national consciousness, and keeping this film unreleased only deepens that wound.

Mr. Farooki, we understand your film is not just entertainment but a statement. But if this statement never reaches theaters, won’t it remain just an elusive dream? Stop lamenting about censorship and finally release the film to audiences. Otherwise, we’ll be forced to think that “Saturday Afternoon” isn’t actually a film, but rather a prolonged prelude to Farooki’s personal drama.

So we ask, Mr. Farooki—how much longer must we wait? Release it, or we’ll say this isn’t “Shonibar Bikele” but “The Afternoon of Infinite Waiting”!

– Mrinmoy Sen

A politically aware, progressive Bengali.