First trailer of “Doob” is out

There has been a lot of talk, but not much to look at until now from Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's much-anticipated Bangladesh-India joint production “Doob” (“No Bed of Roses”). All that changed on Wednesday night when the film released its official trailer on YouTube, and the internet is abuzz.

“He was a curious man,” the trailer opens with a deep-voiced narration, and takes the audience through snippets of the life of Javed Hasan (played by global cinema A-lister Irrfan Khan) and his relationships with his daughter Saberi (played by Tisha), and a young (possibly second) wife Nitu (Parno Mitra of Kolkata). A strong ensemble cast including Rokeya Prachi and Nader Chowdhury are also given glimpses of, but Javed Hasan and Saberi remain the centerpieces. The cryptic narration gives just enough away to keep the audience interested, as the visuals provide an ample dramatic quotient, including a dead body being carried away, and Javed Hasan being dragged away by police.

Irrfan Khan embodies the spirit of a conflicted man going through a turbulent life, and even in the less-than-three-minute trailer exhibits his acting chops. Tisha also blends bursts of anger and hurt with moments of calm in what appears to be a nuanced character.

It is too little at hand just yet to say how good the film will be, but it is clear that “Doob” will be a sensitive yet intense family drama with entangled relationships and their consequences. The trailer also highlights the high praise that the film has got from leading international film magazines Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily, and lists an illustrious festival lineup that the film is part of.

Produced jointly by Jaaz Multimedia and Eskay Movies India, the film premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival this year in competition, and won the Kommersant Jury Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival. Farooki is currently on tour of the film festival circuit with “Doob”, where the film is being screened in competition of the inaugural edition of the El Gouna Film Festival (in Egypt), and will travel to Vancouver International Film Festival (Canada) where it is also in competition, and as an official selection at the Busan International Film Festival (South Korea). The film is also in competition at the prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards (to be held in Melbourne), and will be the closing film of the South Asian Film festival in Paris (France).

“Doob” will release simultaneously in Bangladesh and India on October 27.