Can Bangladesh’s film industry break free from its Eid dependency?

Cinema hall owners are celebrating a successful Eid-ul-Fitr, buoyed by strong ticket sales following the release of six well-timed films. This year broke away from the chaotic trend of overcrowded Eid releases, and the results are showing.

The impact was felt beyond the box office—outside cinema halls, long queues formed and many eager filmgoers left disappointed, unable to secure the coveted tickets to their preferred shows, bdnews24 reports.

However, producers remain mostly disappointed with their earnings from screening films throughout the rest of the year.

As there is no proper 'box office' system in the country, they are also unable to get an accurate calculation of real income.

In order to sustain commercial success, they are demanding the development of the film industry, a reliable distribution system, and long-term infrastructure improvements.

On the other hand, despite doing "good business" during Eid, cinema hall owners have pointed out that such "seasonal" success cannot compensate for the losses incurred throughout the year.

Both cinema hall owners and the leadership of the exhibitors’ association have stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum of the Eid business throughout the entire year.

Six films were released in theatres during Eid.

These include "Borbaad" directed by Mehedi Hasan Hridoy, "Antoratma" by Wajed Ali Sumon, "Jongli" by M Rahim, "Daagi" directed by Shihab Shaheen, "Jinn 3" by Kamruzzaman Roman, and "Chokkor" by Sharaf Ahmed Jibon.

Borbaad and Antoratma, both starring Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan, were among the most anticipated films of the season.

Other major releases featured popular actors including Mosharraf Karim, Afran Nisho, Siam Ahmed, Tama Mirza, Shobnom Bubly, and Nusraat Faria.
Despite the initial excitement, Antoratma was pulled from Star Cineplex on the second day of Eid, reportedly due to a “lack of audience interest”.

Another film, Jinn 3, was removed from theatres just 12 days after its release following poor box office performance.

The film was not screened in any other theatres across the country.

Three films have stood out in terms of commercial performance, according to theatre owners: Shakib’s Borbaad, Nisho’s Daagi, and Siam’s Jongli.
Each has managed to stay in theatres for two weeks following Eid.

Mosharraf Karim’s Chokkor, meanwhile, continues to run exclusively at Star Cineplex.