‘Doob’ up for the Oscars

Tisha and Irrfan Khan in ‘Doob’. Photo: Prothom Alo
Tisha and Irrfan Khan in ‘Doob’. Photo: Prothom Alo

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s much talked-about film ‘Doob’ is set to compete in the foreign films category of the Oscars.

Addressing a press conference, the director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki accompanied by actress Tisha and CEO of Jaaz Multimedia, Abdul Aziz confirmed this on Sunday.

‘Doob’ along with another Bangladeshi film ‘Komola Rocket’ directed by Noor Imran Mithu were submitted to the selection committee for Bangla films in the Oscars. The members of the committee viewed both the films on Saturday at the Ashirbad Kathachitra office in the capital’s Kakrail area.

Asked whether Bangladeshi films made any difference in the Oscar’s foreign films category, a film director Golam Rabbani Biplob said that other countries conducted promotional campaigns for the films selected for the category. 

“Publicity is a ‘big’ issue here. It is essential to engage agents for publicity in Los Angeles, the venue of the award programme. But the production houses in Bangladesh remain indifferent in this matter,” Golam Rabbani said.

The director mentioned of ‘Matir Moyna’, ‘Swapnodanay’ and ‘Television’ that created quite buzz at the time.

“Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies only selects the film. It is the duty of the makers to generate interest in the film for it to succeed,” Rabbani said.

‘Doob’, however, was jointly produced by Indian production house SK Movies and Irrfan Khan, also the male lead in the film. Rokeya Prachi, Tisha and Parno Mitra also acted in the film.

Two American magazines ‘Hollywood Reporter’ and ‘Variety’ published reviews of ‘Doob’ on 26 and 28 July respectively. The synopsis in the reviews says, the film is based on a popular author and film maker who falls in love with his daughter’s friend.

Praising the cinematography ‘Variety’ says, the family crisis has been depicted in a superb way with brilliant camera work.

The 91st Academy Awards will be hosted at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on 24 February next year. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is organising the Oscars.