The official journey of the Dhallywood film industry began in 1956, though its roots trace back to the pioneering work of Hiralal Sen. More than a century has passed since the birth of Bengali cinema, yet Bangladesh’s film industry has struggled to establish a distinct identity in world cinema and remains largely Dhaka-centric.
In contrast, India boasts multiple thriving regional industries: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bengali, producing films in over 20 languages each year.
Now, a new generation of Bangladeshi filmmakers is working to decentralise the nation’s film scene by focusing on local stories and regional production.
One such filmmaker, Mohammad Touqir Islam, has already made waves on OTT platforms with, ‘Shaaticup’ and ‘Sinpaat’, rooted in Rajshahi’s dialect, landscape and local talent. His upcoming feature film, ‘Delupi’, continues that approach, drawing its story and crew from the Deluti union of Paikgachha upazila in Khulna.
Similarly, Sukorno Shahed Dhiman’s ‘Feu’ (Chorki) explored a true story from the Sundarbans, Sajjad Khan’s ‘Shahos’ was set in Bagerhat and Khandaker Suman’s ‘Saatao’ reflected the language and culture of Rangpur.
Actor Mostafizur Noor Imran believes this shift is vital to representing the full spectrum of Bangladeshi life, “Because the industry is centralised, we keep seeing the same kind of stories. Every community has its own stories worth telling.”
Khandaker Suman, producer of Santao, agrees that authentic storytelling depends on local engagement, “If I go to Dhaka to make films about diverse regions, they’ll lose authenticity. If political and economic power can spread beyond Dhaka, the industry and the country will grow stronger.”
However, Touqir prefers to see this trend not as decentralisation, but expansion, “I wouldn’t call it decentralisation. It’s about making the industry bigger. Technology now lets us make films from anywhere and we’re embracing that freedom.”
Film educator and producer Arifur Rahman sees long-term potential in this evolution, “These films are creating new audiences. In ten to fifteen years, when these regional producers mature, no film in Bangladesh will go unseen.”
He adds that connecting with local communities is also key to global recognition, “When we tell local stories with authenticity, our films will naturally find their place in world cinema.”
With new voices emerging from every corner of the country, Bangladesh’s film industry may finally be ready to outgrow its Dhaka roots and step confidently onto the global stage.
