I had nothing to lose with ‘Nikhoj’

"Afsana Mimi was my first choice for the series," mentions Reehan. "However, every director fears being rejected by stars and I am no different. Nevertheless, their humble approach and kindness boosted my confidence."

A daughter's disparity, a son struggling with anxiety and depression, and a wife lost in the maze of shattered reality sets up the premise for Reehan Rahman's mystery series, "Nikhoj". After garnering rave reviews for productions like "Spondon", "Makorsha", "Niyoti", and "Promotion", Reehan finally returned with an intriguing story on Chorki.

"It took a good four months for me to accumulate ideas. I started writing with a lot of mental notes," shares Reehan, who had been busy crafting music videos for the past six years for his ad firm Roebuck Communications. He ended up having only ten days to finish the whole script for "Nikhoj".

The intensive research aided Reehan's script development momentously.  "The process of how your characters start dictating their narratives in your story is what my research had in store for me," he mentions.

With an amazing star cast, featuring legends like Afsana Mini, Shatabdi Wadud, and popular faces like Shamol Mawla, Khairul Basar, Deepanwita Martin, Intekhab Dinar, and Orchita Sporshia, among others, "Nikhoj" displays one story from different perspectives.

Director Reehan Rahman. Photos: Courtesy

"Afsana Mimi was my first choice for the series," mentions Reehan. "However, every director fears being rejected by stars and I am no different. Nevertheless, their humble approach and kindness boosted my confidence."

Reehan wanted to present "Nikhoj" in a non-melodramatic style. "Maintaining the subtlety of the story while portraying complex characters was the most challenging part for my performers," he adds.

Each actor added something new to the production from their own treasury of experience. "Intekhab Dinar's calmness, Shatabdi Wadud's helpful attitude, Afsana Mimi's down-to-earth nature, Orchita Sporshia's range, Shamol Mawla's devotion, Deepanwita Martin's resilience, and Khairul Basar's simplicity all aided the production process," shares the director.

The character of Faruk Ahmed was the most challenging one to craft. "I had to showcase two sides of the same face, one dominant office boss and a very loving, soft-spoken father," he asserts.

"Faruk Ahmed's transition was not instant. Rather, we had to design layers for the audience to peel off," asserts Reehan. "Known for projecting negative characters marvellously on-screen, Shatabdi bhai has a very different image. Yet, he played Faruk Ahmed quite fascinatingly."

Reehan was deeply concerned with aligning the setting and atmosphere to the tone of the series. "Atmospheric treatment to story representation, having a background that aids the narrative tone and depicting varying perspectives was intriguing," shares an excited Reehan.

"Nikhoj" brought about praises for this young director, and set a lot of things in motion for him. "I had nothing to lose with 'Nikhoj'. That's what empowered and liberated me from anxieties that would have held me back otherwise," he concludes.