Indian filmmaker and politician Bratya Basu has expressed interest in casting Bangladeshi actors Mosharraf Karim and Chanchal Chowdhury together in a future film project.
Basu previously directed Mosharraf Karim in ‘Dictionary’ and ‘Hubba’. He has now completed shooting ‘Shekhor’, which stars Chanchal Chowdhury. According to Chanchal, the director is keen to collaborate with both actors in a single film and may also appear on screen alongside them.
In a recent interview, Chanchal revealed that discussions about such a collaboration took place during the filming of Tanim Noor’s directorial ‘Bonolota Express’, where he reunited with Mosharraf Karim after a long hiatus. The duo first shared the big screen in ‘Television’, directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki.
Speaking about Basu’s plans, Chanchal said the filmmaker conveyed his wish not only to direct them but also to act in the same project.
Shekhor is based on short stories by noted Bengali author Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, including ‘Drabomoyir Kashibash’ and ‘Dadu’. The film also features Loknath Dey, Seema Biswas, Ambarish Bhattacharya, Riddhi Sen, Angana Roy and Anasuya Majumdar.
In addition to acting, Chanchal has made his playback debut in Shekhor, lending his voice to two reinterpreted Baul songs, Bijoy Sarkar’s ‘Ei Prithibi Jemon Ache Temni Thik Rob’e and Gosto Gopal Das’s ‘O Jibon Re Chhariya Na Jao More’. He revealed that it was his suggestion to incorporate the songs into the film.
Chanchal also reflected on cross-border collaborations between Bangladesh and West Bengal. While cultural exchanges had grown steadily in recent years, he noted that collaboration has slowed following political changes in 2024. He stressed the importance of joint ventures to expand the global reach of Bengali cinema.
“Bengali has a worldwide audience. To reach that audience, we should work together,” he said, adding that the Bengali content market is vast and well suited to large-scale cross-border productions.
