Popular filmmaker Redoan Rony, who has not made a film since directing Ice Cream, is returning to the big screen with his third feature, Daam. Now serving as the CEO of the OTT platform Chorki, Rony announced the project at a five-star hotel in Dhaka on December 23, 2023, revealing that celebrated actor Chanchal Chowdhury would star in the lead role.
Rumours recently circulated in the film industry suggesting Chanchal might no longer be attached to the project due to the country’s fluid political situation. However, both Redoan Rony and producer Shahriar Shakil confirmed to the Times of Bangladesh that Chanchal Chowdhury will indeed remain in the film.
Speaking to this correspondent, Rony said, “I announced this film quite a while ago. There has been a big gap since then, so we have to rethink everything. Many things are being changed. But I can assure you that Chanchal Chowdhury is still on board as the lead.”
He added, “We had developed a screenplay earlier. If we had proceeded back then, we might have made the film with that script. Now, given the changed circumstances, we are thinking on a much bigger scale. I can say the story is becoming richer than before.”
Daam will be based on a true story. Rony explained, “You could call it a story of survival. It has some international connections as well, which we will announce officially later. To put it another way, the film will portray the power of ordinary people.”
He noted that not only Chanchal Chowdhury, but many other talented artists will be involved in the project. There will also be more surprises, he teased. Rumours suggest that actor Afran Nisho may also be joining the cast, but Rony declined to confirm, saying only, “A surprise is a surprise — everyone will know when the time is right.”
Actor Chanchal Chowdhury commented that the producers had informed him about plans to start the project. However, he said he was not aware of any story changes or new casting decisions.
Previously, Chanchal had remarked that he had never worked on a canvas this large, and that director Rony had advised him to “take a deep breath” before diving into the role.
The film will be co-produced by Chorki and SVF Alpha i Studies, and is being targeted for release during next year’s Eid-ul-Fitr.
When asked about the shooting schedule, Shahriar Shakil, head of Alpha i, told the Times of Bangladesh, “We are making Daam, that is confirmed. But it is still too early to comment on the exact shooting dates or on the casting beyond Chanchal.”