Fortified hope for Bangla entertainment

With the rest of the entertainment world riding the high wave of OTT platforms responsible for enticing and nail-biting series, Bangla entertainment has its own colours to show and already holds an exciting place in the future. Directors, being the painter of this new era and the frontrunners of storytelling, have gone beyond the point of making a name for themselves. In other words, the new rave generated by Chorki and Hoichoi has opened doors for creators like Sukorno Shahed Dhiman and Ashfaque Nipun to make binge-worthy content which leaves their viewers and fans craving for more.

After bagging the Best Director in Film and Series (both in the popular category) by Ashfaque Nipun, and the Best Director for Critic's Choice by Sukorno Shahed Dhiman in ​​the Blender's Choice-The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards 2021, the creative minds shed their thoughts and process of crafting a story in their vision in a casual chat with Star Lifestyle.

Ashfaque Nipun

Ashfaque Nipun, a creative individual who became a household name, has been in the directing game for quite some time. Despite his versatility, the director possesses an eye for stories that dwell in realism and entails the tale of characters that are hard to differentiate from life itself.

When asked about his process of writing a script and how religiously he sticks to it, the maverick creator said, "My process dwells in chaos. I never complete a script before a project. That being said, I do complete the structure of the story first. The tiny details that bring the script come alive are something I keep in a liquid state. Circumstances, ideas, and inspirations change from day to day, and I use that to my advantage."

He also added that he rarely revisits the story once he is done with it. When asked why, he responded by saying, "I rarely change my stories once I am done writing or directing them. They are like my babies. You would not want to change anything about them when they are born. In your eyes, they are perfect just the way they are!"

Despite the challenges he faces due to his process like time schedules, managing a specific time of the day, and the artists, he always pulls a trick out of his sleeves to deliver one of the best storytelling examples to date. "My colleagues, stars, and the team have always supported me. They know how to get the best possible outcome when we collaborate. However, I can be a bit demanding. By that, I expect total submission from my actors (laughs) so that I can mould their characters according to what my story requires," stated Ashfaque.

Sukorno Shahed Dhiman

On the other side of the creative spectrum, Dhiman said, "It really is an ongoing process; you keep improving the story as time progresses, and there needs to be a healthy amount of research and homework before completing a script."

Dhiman added that relatable visuals play a crucial role when it comes to making stories. "The Bunker Boy episode from Chorki's 'Jaago Bahey' series was in tune with 1971. Proper studies and preparation were made to make the set come to life. If I had the chance to change anything about it, I would make it on a bigger scale and incorporate finer details," he said. In his words, the director tries to fill up the canvas with as many details as possible.

Setting up the entire premise of the show in his mind, Dhiman goes for the realistic approach, which enables his artists to take full advantage of the script. "I try to follow 80 percent of the script. The rest, I let the circumstances make it more organic."

Breaking the norm by allocating a budget for building the world for his script is something many of his colleagues did not see coming. "Madness is needed in our line of work. In my opinion, you need to build a functioning world through pre-production for the cinematic reality," Dhiman added.

With his dedication and focus on cinematic reality, the storyteller went to great lengths to reach the creative oasis. From colour grading each frame to implementing subtle CGI effects, Dhiman could tell his story on screen in his vision.

Winning the hearts and minds of thousands upon thousands with Sukorno Shahed Dhiman's Bunker Boy episode of Jaago Bahey in Chorki, and Ashfaque Nipun's Mohanagar on Hoichoi; both these creative minds want to be here and now in this current era of entertainment, where real stories are being appreciated in their rawest form. OTT is the future, an idea both directors saw as the tell-tale sign years ago.