New Bangladeshi film on football drawing crowds

DHAKA - “Jaago”, a Bangladeshi film based entirely on football, is attracting the crowds to the theatres. The highlight of the film is a match between the Bangladeshi soccer team and a team from northeastern India, and the local team wins the match against all odds.

The film, directed by Khizir Hayat Khan, harks back to the country’s 1971 Liberation War, when the freedom fighters fought friendly matches with their Indian comrades to gather support and funds for their cause.

The twist in the match is in keeping with Bollywood’s “De Dhana Dhan Football” that had Indians playing against the British, and “Chak De India”, the hockey saga that has the Indian women winning against the Australians.

“Jaago”, features a football match between Comilla Azad Boys, a Bangladeshi team, and Tripura Eleven from northeastern India.

“Though there has been no previous record of winning against the visiting team, the local team snatches victory through determination, hard work and team spirit,” The Daily Star said Sunday on the film’s premiere.

The story of “Jaago” is said to be inspired by the ‘Swadhin Bangla Football Dol’, which alongside the freedom fighters in 1971 “played a vital role in the jointly-fought Liberation War by raising funds and support for our war through charity matches”, the film’s makers say.

Actor Ferdous and ‘Lux-Channel I Superstar’ 2006 finalist Bindu play central roles in the film.

Khan has also done the screenplay for the film, while its producer is Adnan Karim.

Football is the most popular sport in Bangladesh and in neighbouring eastern India.

The film is replete with catchy songs, and aims at inspiring Bangladeshi football to reclaim the old passion of victory and patriotism, the newspaper said.