Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed is set to make her feature directorial debut with ‘Someshwari’, a film exploring environmental degradation and its impact on rural communities in northeastern Bangladesh.
Known for her work in film, television and theatre, Nawshaba has maintained an active presence on stage through productions such as Siddhartha, directed by Reza Arif and staged by Aarshinagar Dhaka. She is also the founder of the theatre troupe Together We Can, which works with children and people with special needs through creative and therapeutic arts initiatives.
Produced by Bibesh Roy, ‘Someshwari’ was filmed in Madhyanagar and surrounding areas along the Someshwari River in Sunamganj. The cast features Nawshaba alongside first-time performers and local residents from the region.
Roy previously produced the feature film ‘Dhaner Kabya’, which was also inspired by stories from the Madhyanagar area. For ‘Someshwari’, he has taken on the role of producer while a collaborative creative team developed the project.
According to the filmmakers, the film emerged through a collective process involving Nawshaba and collaborators Apan, Lata and Zahid. Rather than working from a completed screenplay, the team travelled to Madhyanagar and developed the story on location.
Speaking about the project, Nawshaba said she had not initially intended to act in the film.
However, after being unable to find a suitable performer for the central role, she decided to take on the lead character herself.
“My father often took me to villages across the country. I have a close understanding of rural life and the people who live there. That made the process easier, and the people of Madhyanagar were incredibly supportive throughout the shoot,” she said.
Nawshaba said the film examines the environmental consequences of unchecked modernisation and raises questions about the world being left behind for future generations.
‘Someshwari’ has been produced under Green Films, a banner of the International Academy of Film and Media.
