Bangladesh has no shortage of detectives on screen. From Feluda’s razor-sharp deductions to Byomkesh Bakshi’s methodical investigations, the Bengali screen has long had a fascination with sleuths. And beyond Bengal, Sherlock Holmes remains the gold standard of the genre.
Now, filmmaker Tanim Noor is getting ready to add a new name to that long tradition. One he insists will not simply repeat a familiar formula.
His new film, Mojnu Enterprise, will introduce an entirely fictional detective character to the big screen, marking Tanim’s next cinematic outing after Phire Esho Behula, Utshob and Bonolota Express.
But despite its title, Tanim does not want audiences to approach the film expecting a conventional thriller.
“No, it is not a thriller. You can call it somewhat of a detective story,” he told TIMES in an exclusive interview.
The filmmaker is also taking a different route with the project. While Tanim became known to a wider audience through OTT productions such as Kaiser and Contract, the filmmaker is currently staying away from the streaming space and developing a story specifically for cinema.
According to Tanim, Bangladesh’s OTT industry, which expanded rapidly during the Covid-19 pandemic, has slowed considerably over the past two years.
“Platforms are not moving ahead with new projects as they did before. Their situation is not very good. If you look at the industry as a whole, the OTT market has been somewhat sluggish for the past two years,” he said.
Rather than wait for the market to regain momentum, Tanim has turned his attention to the big screen.
Mojnu Enterprise is his own creation, unlike his previous film Bonolota Express, which was based on a novel by Humayun Ahmed.
“It is my own original story, with original characters,” Tanim said.
At the heart of that original story is a detective who, according to the filmmaker, does not come from literature, a real-life case or any particular incident.
The character is entirely fictional and Tanim is deliberately keeping much of him, and the world around him, under wraps.
That secrecy extends to the question every detective story eventually has to answer: who is standing beside the sleuth?
Feluda has Topshe. Sherlock Holmes has Dr Watson. Byomkesh has Ajit. Whether Tanim’s detective will have a similarly inseparable companion remains a mystery for now.
Tanim is not giving that away yet. What he will say is that Mojnu Enterprise will not follow the conventional detective-story formula.
That could make the film’s eventual casting even more intriguing. Tanim’s previous projects have featured familiar and established stars, but no actors have been finalised for Mojnu Enterprise yet.
The film is still taking shape, with several writers working on its story and screenplay. As a result, Tanim is also keeping the shooting schedule open for now.
What is certain is the destination.
The new detective is being built for cinema, with a 2027 release planned.
“We will release it in 2027, so it could be at any time during the year,” Tanim said.
For now, that leaves audiences with a detective whose name, face, companion and methods are still largely hidden.
And perhaps that is exactly how Tanim wants it. After all, before a detective can solve a mystery, there has to be one.
It’s a Times exclusix interview and focuses angle should be this Bangladesh’s OTT industry, which expanded rapidly during the Covid-19 pandemic, has slowed considerably over the past two years.
“Platforms are not moving ahead with new projects as they did before. Their situation is not very good. If you look at the industry as a whole, the OTT market has been somewhat sluggish for the past two years,” he said.
You have full freedon to rerange and blen in the story but make sure not to change sip or distort any information. Make it a interesting read
