‘Saatao’, the crowdfunded movie by director Khandaker Sumon, emerged as one of the biggest winners at the National Film Awards 2023, claiming accolades for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Soundtrack.
The ambitious project was supported by 1,559 contributors who helped bring Sumon’s vision to life.
The idea behind Saatao was unconventional from the outset. Rather than bringing hundreds of people onto the set, Sumon found a way to involve them through crowdfunding.
“Many assume the entire film was funded this way, but it wasn’t that simple,” he explained. Alongside the contributions, he took out loans and even sold his personal car to cover costs. Promotional T-shirts featuring the Saatao logo helped raise additional funds for the film’s release.
The director deliberately avoided casting stars. Lead roles went to Ainun Putul and Fazlul Haque, selected for their authenticity rather than celebrity.
“If I had cast a star, the audience would have focused on the actor rather than the story,” Sumon said. “Fazlul looked like someone who works the land, and Putul carried a natural sense of motherhood and strength that suited the role perfectly.”
Sound played a pivotal role in the film’s realism. Sujan Mahmud won the Best Sound Recorder award for Saatao, which eschewed traditional dubbing in favour of location sound. Sumon defended the choice, noting that capturing live sound is far more expensive and complicated than studio dubbing.
“It was essential to create a sense of place. Renting equipment, hiring technicians, and sometimes reshooting scenes because of sound issues increased costs, but it was worth it,” he said.
Sumon and much of his team were newcomers to feature filmmaking, having previously made only short films such as Saatao, ‘Pounopunik’ and ‘Ongoj’.
“Newcomers are often more committed,” he said. “It’s easier to get authentic performances when everyone is driven to prove themselves.”
Saatao opens with a spectacular boat race in Gaibandha, featuring thousands of participants. Filming was done discreetly with the help of Alamgir Kabir Badal, one of the race organisers, ensuring the audience remained unaware of the shoot and preserving the scene’s authenticity.
Despite the recognition, Sumon expressed frustration at the limited post-award support in Bangladesh. “In countries like France and India, award winners receive ongoing assistance. Here, the ceremony feels more like an event than a platform for growth,” he said. With government film grants offered annually, Sumon hopes his next script will be considered for funding to continue producing meaningful cinema.
Saatao’s success stands as a testament to the potential of crowdfunding, creative risk-taking, and the commitment of a passionate team, proving that independent filmmaking can still leave a lasting mark on the national stage.
