"Rina Brown" was released on 13th February, with the overarching themes of patriotism and the Liberation War of 1971. The film is directed by Shameem Akhtar, who is known for her films "Itihaash Konna" and "Shilalipi" among many others. The film also features the likes of Barun Chanda, Mahfuz Rizvee, Proma Paboni and Shampa Reza among many others. The crew of this promising film visited us for a chat on the importance of our historical Liberation War, the viewpoint of the youth towards it and more.

While nationalism has often been overused as a theme for films in Bangladesh, Shameem Akhtar is a director with genuine passion for the subject. She is clearly intent on bringing up the significance of our struggle for independence, and she is also self-aware and knows that too much emotional input could lead to a hindrance in the quality and clarity of a film. "To be honest," said the director, "We have failed as an industry to create a benchmark in the portrayal of our liberation war. Many start with good intent, but their voice ultimately becomes muffled due to limitations and sometimes too much emotion." The veteran director also does not shy away from critiquing herself as well, "I would never say that I am satisfied with my own work. I will not be satisfied until I have a film that perfectly captures the essence of '71, which the next generation can look at as the definitive film." What she said echoed in the voice of Proma Paboni, her daughter playing the lead role in "Rina Brown". "The young generation is honestly tired of the numerous cash-grabs in the guise of patriotic films. To us, what happened in '71 is not as important as it should be. We tend to look forward to the future rather than the past and the facts being politically misused does not help either." Proma, while previously having worked in films before is making her first appearance in a lead role in a film. It will also be the first film overall for Mahfuz Rizvee, who was very hopeful for it. "It was really an exhilarating experience working with Shameem ma'am," Mahfuz said, "and I am certain that it will do well. In terms of story, it is different than most films we see today. Also, when it comes to our liberation war, I honestly think that our education system needs to instill the information on the struggles that happened at that time to make them truly appreciate it. If the child does not know about the crucial details, it is unlikely that he or she will have any sentiment for that issue whatsoever".  Even though the three individuals differed on their level of sentiment generated from 1971, they all happened to agree that proper knowledge of the events are crucial for every citizen of the country. Thus the creation of Shameem Akhtar's newest venture, "Rina Brown" legitimizes itself among the other brilliant creations of the director. Despite being a seasoned veteran, the thirst for making a "perfect" film is still imminent and Shameem Akhtar will continue trying to change the landscape of Bangladeshi filmmaking.

The name "Rina Brown" is inspired from Suchitra Sen's role in the film "Saptapadi". Suchitra plays the role of a Christian woman. The story largely consists of flashbacks, and using a color-grading process to intertwine the events of the past and the present. The titular character is a Bengali Christian girl played by Proma. It promises to be an experience that will stay with the audience with its core message, even after they leave the cinema halls.

Interviewed by Rafi Hossain and

Narrated by Sadi Mohammad Shahnewaz