Monpura

Monpura
Monpura film's poster
Directed by	Giasuddin Selim
Produced by	Anjan Chowdhury Pintu
Written by	Giasuddin Selim
Starring	Chanchal Chowdhury Farhana Mili Fazlur Rahman Babu Mamunur Rashid Monir Khan Shimul
Music by	Shayan Chowdhury Arnob
Cinematography	Kamrul Hasan Khasru
Edited by	Iqbal E. Kabir
Distributed by	Maasranga Production
Release date	13 February 2009 (2009-02-13) [1]
Running time	138 minutes
Country	Bangladesh
Language	Bengali

Monpura (Bengali: মনপুরা), is one of the highest grossing Bangladeshi films, directed by Giasuddin Selim ^[2] Monpura is a romantic tragedy film set in rural Bangladesh. As Selim's large-screen debut, and contemporary-folk soundtrack released ahead of screening which were an instant hit, it received a huge media hype even before its release. The shooting started in June 2007 and took place in a number of places, including Dhunat (Bogra), Kushtia and Dhaka.

Chanchal Chowdhury plays the role of Shonai. Farhana Mili plays her debut role as Pori, the daughter of a fisherman. The young couple are supported by veteran actors Mamunur Rashid and Fazlur Rahman Babu.

Casts

• Chanchal Chowdhury as Shonai, a fisherman who lives on Monpura Island. He has a little house there, talks with animals, and falls in love with Pori. He is also a fast swimmer.
• Farhana Mili as Pori, daughter of another fisherman. She falls in love with Shonai Mia but is forced to marry Shonai's foe.
• Fazlur Rahman Babu as Pori's Father, another fisherman
• Mamunur Rashid as Gazi

Crew

• Producer: Anjan Chowdhury Pintu
• Director: Giasuddin Selim
• Writer: Giasuddin Selim
• Script: Giasuddin Selim
• Dialogue: Giasuddin Selim
• Music: Iqbal E. Kabirhh
• Cinematography: Kamrul Hasan Khasru
• Editing: Iqbal E. Kabir
• Music composition: Arnob
• Sound: Ripon Nath
• Assistant music director: Adit
• Distributor: Machranga Production
• Art Director: Mohammad Shahabuddin

Technical details

• Format: 35 MM (Color)
• Running Time: 138 Minutes
• Original Language: Bengali
• Country of Origin: Bangladesh
• Date of Theatrical Release: 13 February 2009
• Year of the Product: 2008
• Technical Support: Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC)

Production

Development

Monpura made a huge media hype before its release. "A heart breaking story," as called by popular actor and director Afjal Hossain, its unusual songs and rural setting set the background of an artistic romance film. Monpura, unlike many other popular Bangla films, uses the rural settings of Bangladesh, something Selim says audiences have a strong attachment to.^[3]

But the picturisation, the setting of the island named Monpura is what has made the movie unique. Moreover, it is not only a love story; there is a hidden satire in it.^[4]

— Jackie Kabir, Star Weekend Magazine

Shooting

The shooting started in June 2007. The shooting unit faced problems due to Bangladesh's rainy season and demands to shoot through such weather; several outdoor sequences were shot in the rain.^[5]

Reception

Monpura initially released in four theaters in Dhaka and Rajshahi, but it quickly opened in theaters in Chittagong, Mymensingh, Bogra, Rangpur, and Sirajganj.^[6]

Within three weeks of its release, Monpura broke the 45-year record of ticket sales in the Dhaka box office with over 50,000 tickets sold, surpassing the first Bangla language film made in Bangladesh, Mukh O Mukhosh.^[7]

On May 22, 2009, Monpura completed its 100 days of glory in the box office. Star Cineplex and Bolaka (Bolaka-1 & Bolaka-2), the busiest theaters in the capital, ran this film for 100 days consecutively. After 100 days, the movie kept running in about 50 theaters across the country.

The film ran at Star Cineplex for nine months, Bolaka for six months, and Monihar for eight weeks. Theaters in Pabna, Khulna, and other districts in Bangladesh ran the film for six to seven weeks. Outside Bangladesh, the film was first released in Sydney on August 8, 2009,^[8] and then in other cities, including New York City, Toronto, Montreal, and Brussels.^[9]

Remake

West Bengal filmmaker Anjan Das made the Indian Bengali film, Achin Pakhi (2010), based on Monpura.^[10]

Awards

National Film Awards

Monpura won in five categories at the National Film Awards, including Best Film.^[11]

• Winner Best Film: Anjan Chowduhry Pintu
• Winner Best Actor: Chanchal Chowdhury (Shared with Ferdous for Gongajatra)
• Winner Best Villain Character: Mamunur Rashid
• Winner Best Screenplay: Giasuddin Selim
• Winner Best Singer: Chondona Mazumder and Kazi Krishnokoli Islam

Meril-Prothom Alo Awards

• Winner Best Film Actor: Mamunur Rashid^[12]

Music

	Nithuaa Pathare sample music A 1 minute 39 second sample of one of the most popular songs of the film.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Bangla films rarely come under the spotlight by their music. It was thought that the music from Monpura was collected from Bangladeshi folk music, but almost all are original songs. The album has been noted for its depth, creative thought, and trend-breaking effort.^[13]

"Shonai Hai Haire," written by director Giasuddin Selim, tells the story of a daughter's death, whose funeral is attended by her father and father-in-law. "Aage Jodi Jantam," lyrics and music by Krishnokoli Islam, also tells the story of a broken heart - leaving the house of a girl and her life of regret. "Shonar Moyna Pakhi," lyrics and music by Osman Khan and sung by Arnob, expresses the desire to see a loved one at any cost, even if it comes before one's death.

The song will bring new dimension on making Bengali movie in recent time. Its making will also create huge impact among the movie lovers. It will touch the heart of them.^[14]

— Giasuddin Selim

Tracks

Marketing

The rhythmic music helped the film gain a lot of publicity before its release. It was heavily advertised in cable and satellite television networks.

Home media

The DVD and VCD of the film were released in December 2009 by the major label Laser Vision.

References

External links

• Monpura on IMDb
• Monpura at the Rotten Tomatoes