From roadside markets and small-town streets to coastal villages, France’s everyday landscapes are becoming the backdrop for a Bangladeshi film that aims to look beyond the country’s familiar tourist attractions.
Directed by Swapan Ahmed, ‘The Orange’, also known by its Bengali title ‘Pother Bondhu’, is being shot across 25 French cities, with Tauquir Ahmed playing the central character.
The Bangladesh–France co-production stars Tauquir alongside Faizul Yamin and Swarnali Choity. Rather than building studio sets, the director is filming in real locations, allowing the changing landscapes and communities to become part of the story.
The production moves from one location to another, with scenes filmed on roadsides, beside rivers, in markets, in small towns and along the coast.
Swapan has deliberately avoided presenting France as a postcard destination. The film will not even feature the Eiffel Tower, as the director wants to capture the country through the everyday lives of its people.
The frequent travel brings logistical challenges, but Swapan said support from local authorities, city administrations and police has helped the crew manage the demanding schedule. Shooting is taking place outside Paris as well as in other parts of France.
At the heart of ‘Pother Bondhu’ is Nasir, a Bangladeshi migrant who struggles to make a living in France by selling toys.
Although he lives in Paris, his work often takes him 200 to 300 kilometres away from the city. Faizul plays his assistant, Shaibal, while Swarnali portrays a woman named Nodi.
The story begins in the 1990s in Kurigram, where river erosion destroys a family’s village. Twelve years later, Nasir returns to Bangladesh and finds that circumstances have changed.
Later, he unexpectedly encounters Nodi on a street in Paris. The revelation that she is his daughter forms one of the film’s central mysteries.
For Tauquir, the role presents an opportunity to move beyond the image audiences have developed of him through his previous performances.
“Viewers have seen me in different ways, and an actor gradually develops an image that can become restrictive. Breaking away from that image and taking on a good character is certainly challenging,” he said, emphasising the importance of understanding a character’s inner life rather than focusing only on outward appearance.
The actor has previously appeared in distinctive films such as ‘Jalal’s Story’, ‘Komola Rocket’ and ‘Rupkothar Golpo’.
Working with European crew members on the latest project has also given him a new professional experience.
For Faizul, ‘Pother Bondhu’ is his third feature film, following ‘Pressure Cooker’, directed by Raihan Rafi, and ‘Tajmahal’, directed by Wahid Anam.
He said filming in different French locations has felt partly like travelling through the country, while Swapan’s collaborative approach has allowed the actors to discuss their characters and scenes.
Swarnali, meanwhile, is working abroad for the first time on a film. ‘Pother Bondhu’ is her fifth feature, following ‘Antorkhola’, ‘Kurkab’, ‘Sakhi Rongomala’ and ‘Andhar’.
She said the support of the film’s female executive producer, Maliha Ahmed, has helped her feel close to home despite being far from Bangladesh.
Swapan previously directed ‘Lal Tip’ and ‘Porobashini’. With his third feature, he wants to move away from the commercial approach of his earlier films and focus on the realities of migrant life, personal struggles and human relationships.
The team plans to complete filming by 2 November before submitting the film to international festivals. The makers then hope to release it in cinemas in Bangladesh and other countries.
