When will Manna's last film be released?

SM Aslam Talukder Manna, popularly known by his stage name, Manna, was once a massive star in Dhaka's film industry, synonymous with hit after hit. He earned legions of fans across Bangladesh with a career that spanned decades. Tragically, in 2008, he passed away after a heart attack.

His final film, "Jibon Jontrona", directed by Zahid Hossain, is still awaiting release. Although plans to release the film surfaced several times, it never came to fruition. Last year, producer Khorshed Alam Khosru mentioned a release date of December 15, but it was delayed again. So, when will "Jibon Jontrona" actually hit the screens?

When asked about the delay, Khosru shared with the media, "'Jibon Jontrona' is a film about the Liberation War, and we'd like to release it on a significant day related to the war. If everything goes well, we're aiming for mid-December this year. There's still some post-production work left, which will be done abroad, and I'm confident we can complete it before December."

The film received its censor clearance in October 2021. Apart from directing, Zahid Hossain also wrote the story, dialogue, and screenplay.

Zahid Hossain explained the long delay in releasing the film, stating, "We initially began production under the name 'Leela Manthan' and submitted it to the censor board in 2011, but the process was delayed because we received objections regarding the title. Various complications kept holding us back, and then COVID set us back by two more years." 

"The film was shot on 35mm, which, as many know, requires more time. We need to take the 35mm negatives to Mumbai for conversion into telefilm format, and the colour grading is still pending, which further adds to the delay." The producer originally intended to release the film last year, but the process stalled as he couldn't travel to India. "Hopefully, we'll organise a proper release soon."

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Hossain added, "We put a lot of care into this film. Manna was the heart of 'Jibon Jontrona'. We had him for only ten days of shooting. Sadly, he passed away before we could shoot the final scene. We had to use a body double for the scene in which his character dies in a grenade attack. Manna plays the lead in all twelve stories of the film, and his portrayal is so fresh that the audience will easily recognise the magic he brought to the screen."

"Jibon Jontrona" began production under the name "Leela Manthan" in 2006 and wrapped up in 2008, after nearly three years of filming. Manna passed away before completing the last scene and dubbing. 

Later, actor Ratin partially dubbed his lines. After years of delays and complications, the film was finally submitted to the censor board in 2011, but its name caused further setbacks. It wasn't until a decade later that the film received clearance under its new name, "Jibon Jontrona".

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The film explores the struggles within brothels during the 1971 Liberation War, highlighting the conflicts among sex workers and the question of who supported or opposed the war. 

Alongside Manna, the film stars Moushumi, Popy, Misha Sawdagor, Shahnoor, Mukti, Dighi, Bapparaj, Aliraj, Anwara, and Shahidul Alam Sachchu.