A group of university students have turned their dream of making a feature film into reality, funding the project with money they earned from private tuition and their own pocket money. Their film, Onnopata, will reach cinemas this Durga Puja, bringing a story of university admission struggles, young love and student life to the big screen.
More than 40 students from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), the University of Dhaka (DU) and the University of Chittagong (CU) have spent the past two years developing the film alongside their academic commitments. Produced under the banner of SJA Productions, Onnopata marks their first feature-length film.
The team began with just six members. Over time, it grew into a group of more than 40 students who worked together to bring the project to life. The film’s announcement poster, motion video and official poster have already been released. The makers say a trailer and music videos will follow soon.
Set against the backdrop of Bangladesh’s university admission season, Onnopata explores a period that often brings identity crises, family pressure, difficult reality checks and the unpredictable romances of student life.
At its centre is a boy who struggles with poverty while trying to survive the intense competition for university admission. Along the way, he finds himself drawn into a sweet love story. Director Md Shahjahan Anny, a CUET student, drew inspiration from two real-life incidents to shape the film’s narrative.
“University admission is one of the most important and challenging periods in the lives of most students in our country. It often takes us a long time to move on from that experience. Onnopata tells a sweet story of survival during that period. I tried to build the narrative around real experiences I have witnessed,” Anny said.
Running for one hour and 40 minutes, the film aims to offer a different experience from familiar storytelling conventions in Bangladeshi cinema. Rather than relying on glossy production or formula-driven plots, the makers have opted for a simple, warm narrative.
The film features six original songs, atmospheric background music, cinematic depictions of Bangladesh’s natural landscapes, including Chattogram, and language that reflects Gen Z culture.
The producers, CUET student Ankon Dey Animesh and BUET student Sams Abtahi Ismam, are optimistic about the project’s appeal across generations.
“The story of Annyapata is familiar, but the experience it offers is quite unfamiliar in Bangladesh. It carries the language and spirit of our generation, but we believe audiences of all ages will enjoy this fresh, simple and sweet story,” they said.
CU student Shahriar Shakil and Pratyasha Ghosh play the lead characters. The supporting cast includes Shaim, Noman, Animesh, Ekushi, Imran, Monon and Roben, among others.
CU student Indra Neel handled art direction, while Ibrahim Bin Ansari worked as cinematographer. Fahriyaaz Tasjim Monon composed the film’s six original songs, and Ainan created the background score.
CUET student Tanvir Jani handled the film’s post-production and colour editing. University of Dhaka student Noman Ahmed Roni served as casting director, while higher secondary student Sudipta Pal worked as line producer.
Making the film was far from easy. The students had to balance their studies with the demands of filmmaking, relying on money earned through tuition and their own savings to fund their ambition.
For the makers, the experience of bringing Onnopata to the screen has itself become a story worth telling. They say their greatest resources were their faith in themselves, their belief in cinema and their conviction that their own story deserved to be told.
