The Covid pandemic having delayed its shooting, India and Bangladesh now hope to release the biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by eminent filmmaker Shyam Benegal in March 2022, around the time when Bangladesh will celebrate the 102nd birth anniversary of its founding father.
During a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Hasan Mahmud in New Delhi on Tuesday, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur expressed satisfaction over the production of the film and said a major part of it has been completed, hoping that it will be over by March.
"Thakur expressed satisfaction over the production of the movie 'Bangabandhu' on the life and times of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and mentioned major part of the production has been completed," the I&B ministry said in a statement after the meeting.
"I expect the production be over by March, 2022, if the Covid situation so permits, so that the movie could be released internationally in March, 2022," the statement quoted Thakur as saying during his meeting with Mahmud.
Thakur discussed matters of mutual interest and further "the strong ties" between the two countries in areas of broadcasting and entertainment, strengthening people to people contact and exploring the potential of soft power interface between the two countries, the ministry said.
During the meeting, the two sides agreed to "fast track" the completion of "Bangabandhu" and also "pro-actively" pursue production of a documentary film on liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, the ministry added.
Discussions also took place on strengthening of ties between the two countries in the areas of digital entertainment and screening of films of each other through mutual exchange.
The two ministers discussed the celebration of 'Maitri Diwas' on December 6 for which a mutually accepted action plan would be detailed and carried out, the ministry said.
"Thakur thanked the government of Bangladesh for its active participation in 51st IFFI held in January this year and invited renewed participation in 52nd IFFI to be held in Goa in November," it said.
Both the ministers lent support to cooperation between the two countries for further strengthening of cultural and people to people ties, the ministry added.
"He (Mahmud) appreciated the pro-active steps taken by the Indian government and made special mention of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March, 2021," the ministry added.
