‘Ice Cream’ on Chorki: Razz and Tushi look back on their first film

Sariful Razz and Nazifa Tushi made their film debuts with ‘Ice Cream’. Directed by Redoan Rony, the film was released in cinemas on 29 April 2016. A decade later, their debut film has arrived on OTT platform Chorki. Ice Cream has been available on the platform since midnight on Monday.

On 16 October, Chorki’s verified Facebook page published the film’s thematic poster. The following day, Sunday, it announced the release date, writing, “The temperature is rising, and the ice of anticipation is melting! In just two days, we’ll find out who melts and who freezes! Redoan Rony’s Chorki-exclusive film Ice Cream arrives on 20 October.”

The announcement sparked discussion among viewers. When Rony shared the poster, the comments reflected both their eagerness to watch the film and their fond memories of it.

The feelings of the film’s director and three actors echoed those of the audience. Ahead of its OTT release, they looked back on the excitement of making their first film, their experiences on set, their friendship and their dream of creating a film featuring a host of new faces.

For Sariful Razz, Ice Cream laid the foundation of his acting career. “There must be some differences between the Razz of 10 years ago and the Razz of today. But Ice Cream is the foundation of my life that helped me reach where I am today,” the actor said.

For Nazifa Tushi, Ice Cream was not only her first film but also her first job in the entertainment industry. She went straight into cinema without having acted in television dramas or advertisements. Looking back on the experience, she is amazed by how it all happened.

“I stepped onto the canvas of cinema without understanding or knowing that it was such a vast canvas. Back then, I knew nothing about the industry and did not understand how it worked. I simply had a desire to act. From that perspective, I was young and thought I could do a film,” Tushi said.

She learnt a great deal while working on her debut film. The actor, who also starred in Hawa, said, “I understood many things after making Ice Cream. It feels good that audiences will be able to watch the film again.”

“I said back then that everyone should watch it, even if only once, and I am saying the same thing now. But it is truly amazing to think about how we made the film and that 10 years have already passed,” she added.

Ice Cream was Redoan Rony’s second feature film. He directed it and also wrote its story, screenplay and dialogue. He said the decision to cast newcomers was driven by the demands of the story. As the film reaches audiences again after a decade, the director has also been reminded of the dreams and hard work that went into its making.

Reflecting on the film’s arrival on Chorki, Rony said, “Ten years ago, when we made Ice Cream, it was driven by the tireless efforts and fresh dreams of a group of young people, a host of new faces and boundless emotion.”

“Although the equations of life change with time, some feelings and realities never fade. As the film returns to Chorki’s screen, I feel that its subject matter remains highly relevant. It is as if that old dream is returning in a new form,” he added.

The director is also delighted that the film can now reach audiences both at home and abroad. He said those who missed it in cinemas or were living outside the country can now watch Ice Cream on Chorki from anywhere in Bangladesh or around the world.

The film’s songs may also bring back memories for old-time viewers and listeners. Songs including Boka Chand and Poth feature vocals by Arnob, Armeen Musa, Sharmin Sultana Sumi and Minar Rahman.

Alongside Razz, Tushi and Uday, the cast includes ATM Shamsuzzaman, Diti, Omar Sani, Sayem Sadat and Nadia Khanam.