The film ‘Kathgolap’, directed by Sajjad Khan, has been officially banned from exhibition across Bangladesh, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on October 22.
The notice stated, “The film is considered uncertified due to the rejection of its appeal application. If the film is screened anywhere, legal action will be taken against those involved, including confiscation. The film Kathgolap has been rejected as the appeal was filed in violation of sub-section 12(1) of the Bangladesh Film Certification Act, 2023.”
The directive was signed by Sharmin Akhtar, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on behalf of the President.
When contacted, S.M. Abdur Rahman, Vice Chairman of the Certification Board, confirmed that Kathgolap had indeed been banned but declined to elaborate on the reasons, saying he was in a meeting and would provide details later.
According to director Sazzad Khan, Kathgolap is “a different kind of love story” that explores the emotional stagnation and crises in people’s lives. He claimed the film was banned for addressing relationship issues in an unconventional way.
As per him, the film reflects how people like the character Kathgolap, despite being helpful to everyone, often face an unspoken crisis in relationships; something rarely portrayed on screen.
Sazzad believes that this is what drew objections from the certification board. Elaborating, he said, “There’s nothing in this film that warrants a ban. It’s a truly bizarre decision. And honestly, what purpose does the certification board even serve for us? Can they really ban a film outright?”
The film was produced by Md Farman Ali under the banner of Dreamland Entertainment. He said, “We submitted the film to the Censor Board on 21 September 2023 and it was screened on the 24th. All board members initially agreed to pass the film without cuts, but the then-Vice Chairman, Md Saifullah, objected.”
Farman explained that the objection concerned the film’s subject matter.
“We met him twice. He asked us to provide an expert medical opinion on whether the condition portrayed in the film actually exists. We submitted a statement from Dr Alauddin Khan, a skin and sexual health specialist at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). We also shared international films and research documentaries on similar subjects.”
Despite this, the board sought a separate expert opinion from the Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU, though the response to that inquiry remains unknown.
Following the abolition of the Censor Board and the formation of the Film Certification Board in late 2024, the producers were informed that the film could not be certified. They subsequently appealed the decision.
Under current regulations, producers may reapply for certification after submitting a revised version of their film.
Shaheen Suman, President of the Film Directors’ Association and a member of the board, said, “As far as I know, the appeal board discussed this matter extensively a few months ago. Some of the film’s content was deemed sensitive in the context of Bangladesh. I believe that if the producers make a few corrections and resubmit, it may be approved.”
Asked whether he would reapply, Md Farman Ali replied, “I haven’t received any official letter from the appeal board yet. I’ve been in Kurigram for the past five days. Once I return to Dhaka and read the letter, I’ll decide whether to resubmit the film or take legal action.”
Kathgolap features Dilruba Doel, Keya and Meghla Mukta in the lead roles, portraying a housewife, a corporate employee and a teacher.
The story and screenplay were written by Aopurno Rubel, with additional performances from Rashed Apu, A.K. Azad, Jamshed Shamim, Kuntal Buki, Shilpi Sarkar Apu and Sujan Habib.
