Ekattor: Operation Blitz

This month is an important one for Bangladesh's history, as the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman lies ahead. Moreover, March is also the month of independence, making it imperative that television channels and other entertainment mediums render their best narratives of our struggles of independence on screen.

March 26 will witness the release of Ekattor: Operation Blitz on Hoichoi, an on-demand streaming platform. It stars Mostofa Monwar, Iresh Zaker, Rafiath Rashid Mithila, Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Mustafizur Noor Imran and Tariq Anam Khan. Directed by Tanim Noor, the trailer highlights the story of Salim, an Old Dhaka goon, who has a gang of his own. "The character is initially of that of a carefree goon," says Monwar, who played the role. "However, he goes through a drastic transformation, after a member of his gang is killed by armed forces of West Pakistan." Nusrat Imrose Tisha plays Joyita, Salim's love interest, who is pivotal in turning his heart to the right cause.

On the other end of the spectrum, Iresh Zaker plays major Wasim, an unhinged army officer known for his cruelty. He is transferred to East Pakistan for Operation Blitz, in order to play a key role in it. Even though the actor is excellent in his villainous portrayals, this character was a different challenge altogether. "I have very little understanding of Urdu, so I had to work hard to inhabit a character from a completely different culture," he says. Parallel to his character is his wife Ruhi Butt, a Pakistani journalist who comes to East Pakistan to expose the devious plan of Operation Blitz to the media. "Portraying the ideological conflict that Ruhi goes through was important. The war not only between Bangladesh and Pakistan, but also within households in cases like this," says Mithila, who played Ruhi Butt.

"You see, not all Pakistanis were in support of the unjust killings by their army," says Tanim Noor. "We tried to weave a narrative that depicts characters, who are willing to go to extremes for their cause. Shuvabrata Barman wrote the script for this, and I must say that he deserves applause for his humane views."

As we pace rapidly towards the future, more and more artistes are inclined to make content for online platforms like Hoichoi. Ekattor: Operation Blitz promises to tell the stories of ordinary people becoming extraordinary, mirroring our freedom fighters and their great sacrifices.