''Meherjaan'' () is the feature-length début film of Bangladeshi director

Rubaiyat Hossain Rubaiyat Hossain is a Bangladeshi film director, writer, and producer. She made the films '' Meherjaan'' (2011), '' Under Construction'' (2015) and '' Made in Bangladesh'' (2019). In 2023, she became the second female director to win a Banglade ...

. The film was pulled from theatres due to the hostile response of some segments of the audience after its release in January 2011. Meherjaan claims to be a women's "feminine" re-visiting of the Bangladesh Independence War with Pakistan in 1971, while many feel discomfort with the deconstructive representation of the '71 conflict.

Cast

Jaya Bachchan Jaya Bachchan (''née'' Bhaduri; born 9 April 1948) is an Indian actress and politician. She is regarded as one of the greatest actresses of Hindi cinema. She is serving as member of the parliament in the Rajya Sabha from the Samajwadi Party ...

as Meher *

Victor Banerjee Victor Banerjee (born 15 October 1946) is an Indian actor who appears in English, Hindi, Bengali and Assamese language films. He has worked with directors such as Roman Polanski, James Ivory, Sir David Lean, Jerry London, Ronald Neame, Saty ...

as Khwaja Saheb (Grandfather) * Omar Rahim as Wasim Khan (Pakistani Soldier) *

Shaina Amin Mahmuda Amin Shaina (born February 26, 1991) popularly known as Shaina Amin is a former Bangladeshi television and Bangladeshi film actress and also a model. She began her career as a model appearing in commercials in 2005. In 2006 she made her d ...

as Young Meher * Reetu A Sattar as Neela (Birangona/Freedom fighter) * Azad Abul Kalam as Shumon (Communist Party worker) *

Humayun Faridi Humayun Kamrul Islam, better known as Humayun Faridi (; 29 May 1952 – 13 February 2012) was a Bangladeshi actor. He worked in television dramas, movies and theatre plays. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor for his lead ...

as Khonker (Razakar) *

Sharmili Ahmed Sharmili Ahmed (8 May 1947 – 8 July 2022) was a Bangladeshi television and film actress. Early life Majeda Mullick was born on 8 May 1947 in Belur Chok village, Murshidabad. She passed matriculation examination from Rajshahi PN Girls High Sc ...

as Meher's Mother * Khairul Alam Sabuj as Meher's Father *

Monira Mithu Monira Akter Mithu is a Bangladeshi television and film actress. Career Mithu debuted her acting career in the television drama ''"Openty Bioscope"'' directed by Humayun Ahmed. Works Television dramas * ''Openty Bioscope'' (2001) * ''Nil Towal ...

as Meher's Aunt * Nasima Selim as Sarah (Warchild) *

as Salma * Ashique Mostafa as Shimul (Freedom fighter) *

Shatabdi Wadud Shatabdi Wadud is a Bangladeshi film and television actor. He won Bangladesh National Film Award in Best Actor in a Negative Role for his role in the film Guerrilla (2011). Career In 1985 Wadud joined a drama club ''Artonad''. He joined theatre ...

as Khalil * Iqbal Sultan as Major Baset (Pakistani Major) * Rifat Chowdhury as Arup * Arup Rahee as Rahee * Rajeev Ahmed as Sami * Tansina Shawan as Joba (Freedom Fighter)

Festivals and awards

Meherjaan has been participated in many film festivals including

Kolkata Film Festival The Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is an annual film festival held in Kolkata, India. Founded in 1995, it is the third oldest international film festival in India. The festival is organized by the West Bengal Film Centre under the W ...

, Festival International de Films de Fribourg,

Festival de Cine de Bogotá A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival constitutes ...

, Festival Cinematográfico Internacional del Uruguay,

London Asian Film Festival The UK Asian Film Festival, previously known as the London Asian Film Festival, is a British film festival organised by the not-for-profit organisation Tongues on Fire Ltd. and takes place annually in the spring in London. The festival is the long ...

, Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian & Arab Cinema. Meherjaan wins a handful of awards at International film festivals and competitions including Best Critic Award (Jaipur International Film Festival), Jury Award and Audience Award (Northampton International Film Festival), Orson Welles Award (Tiburon International Film Festival)

Suspension

The film was withdrawn from movie theatres in Bangladesh due to the objections of different groups of people. "The film Meherjaan, which was released in Dhaka in January 2011, was quickly pulled out of theatres after it created a furore among audiences. The hostile responses to the film from across generations highlight the discomfort about the portrayal of a raped woman, and its depiction of female and multiple sexualities during the

Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...

of 1971. The film's stance against nationalism also created a stir among audiences." On 3 November 2011, there was a special film event and a panel discussion at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Reviews

''Meherjaan'' has received mixed reviews.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Meherjaan 2011 films Bengali-language Bangladeshi films Bangladeshi war drama films Films set in the 1970s Films based on the Bangladesh Liberation War Political controversies in film