Channel 4 is set to showcase eight films from four countries in its South Asian film season starting on Sunday. This year's lineup features films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, covering genres like drama, thriller, documentary, and social realism. The films explore themes such as class, race, politics, and gender issues.
Among the selected films, two are directed by Bangladeshi filmmakers. Leesa Gazi's Barir Naam Shahana(A House Named Shahana) tells the story of Dipa, an independent Muslim woman forced into marriage with a Bengali widower living in the UK. Once in Britain, Dipa struggles with the expectations to conform to a traditional lifestyle, which goes against her instincts. She eventually returns to Bangladesh, where she faces societal and familial pressures. The film premiered at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival last year and won the Gender Sensitivity Award.
Another featured film, Something Like An Autobiography by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, follows the real-life couple Farooki and Nusrat Imrose Tisha, playing the roles of Farhan and Tithi. The couple, after a decade of childless marriage, decides to try for a baby through IVF. However, a visit to their noisy neighbors one night leads to unexpected changes in their lives.
This season’s selection reflects the rich diversity and storytelling of South Asian cinema, highlighting personal, social, and cultural challenges faced by individuals in the region.
