Dhallywood blockbuster Priyotoma, starring Shakib Khan, has received six nominations at the inaugural New York Bangla Film Festival 2025.
The festival has also named the film’s producer, Arshad Adnan, as its Goodwill Ambassador.
The first edition of the festival will take place on 2 August at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in New York.
The event is organised with support from the American Bangladeshi Producers Association (ABPA).
The organisers said the festival will follow international film festival standards and will showcase, evaluate and honour Bangla-language films in three categories: feature films, documentaries and short films.
Produced by Arshad Adnan, Priyotoma secured nominations in six categories.
Those associated with the festival described the achievement as a significant milestone for a Bangladeshi commercial film on the international stage.
Directed by Himel Ashraf, Priyotoma was released in 2023 and emerged as one of the year’s highest-grossing Bangladeshi films.
Shakib Khan’s performance received widespread praise, with many viewers describing the film as a fresh chapter in the superstar’s career.
The film also marked the Bangladeshi cinema debut of Kolkata actor Idhika Paul, who starred opposite Shakib Khan.
Her performance earned praise from audiences in both Bangladesh and West Bengal.
The film’s soundtrack also gained wide popularity.
Its songs O Priyotoma and Ishwar attracted a large audience among Bangla-speaking listeners at home and abroad, with O Priyotoma becoming one of the most popular Bangla film songs in recent years.
Alongside the film’s nominations, the festival selected Arshad Adnan as its Goodwill Ambassador.
People associated with the film industry described the recognition as a positive acknowledgement of both the producer and Bangladesh’s film industry on the international stage.
Following the success of Priyotoma, Arshad Adnan produced Rajkumar, also starring Shakib Khan.
The film achieved both commercial success and strong audience response.
