Anticipation has been building up for the past couple of weeks surrounding Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's latest project “Doob” (titled “No Bed of Roses” in English) among film enthusiasts and in the media, and the filmmaker fittingly responded to the hype with a glamorous 'Muhurat' (inauguration) for the film, in the capital's Le Meridien Hotel on Friday. In presence of the main cast, including the inimitable Irrfan Khan, Farooki and the producers of the film -- Jaaz Multimedia and Eskay Movies (Kolkata) – marked an auspicious start to what promises to be an epic journey.

The evening meandered along for a little while despite anchor Naveed Mahbub's attempts to liven the audience up, until it jump-started with Irrfan's arrival. Photographers and fans alike swarmed him, and it took a little while to get everyone in order for the programme to begin.

Himanshu Dhanuka, founder of Eskay Movies, said Farooki had asked him to get in touch with Irrfan Khan back in 2013, but the prolific actor had no available dates on his schedule for two years. He gave Farooki props for sticking to his big dream, and eventually making it by signing Irrfan. “We will put our heart and soul into making this movie,” he concluded. Jaaz Multimedia honcho Abdul Aziz then said his company has made an impact in the country's film industry with 30 films, before joining forces with Eskay Movies to expand their business in India through joint productions. “'Doob' will be the first truly international film from Bangladesh,” he said, while declaring that Jaaz Multimedia will enter the Bollywood market in two years, and Hollywood in five.

The main cast and the producers then formally marked the 'muhurat', clicking a clapperboard with the film's details on it.

The Q and A session was slotted next, where aside from Irrfan, actresses Nusrat Imroz Tisha, Rokeya Prachi and Parno Mitra took seats alongside Farooki. Most questions, unsurprisingly, were directed to Irrfan, who responded in his signature nonchalance at times, while missing no opportunity for a wisecrack comment. “I am not looking for control,” the actor clarified when asked if his extended investment in the film (the actor is also co-producing the film) had any connections to his artistic space in it. “I just really want to be a part of this because I really liked the story. Every film takes an actor through a unique artistic journey. I don't know yet what that will be, but I have a good feeling about it.”

More frantic selfies and photo-sessions followed in the brief period after Irrfan stuck around after the event, and only after he left did the attention shift to the dinner that awaited the guests.