'Pushpa 2' to hit Bangladeshi screens in Hindi, Bengali version shelved

Once Bangladesh opened its doors to Indian cinema, following a decision by the Ministry of Commerce, the import of Indian films was sanctioned, with a quota of 10 releases per year. This initiative commenced with the much-anticipated release of "Pathaan", followed by a string of blockbusters including "Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan", "Jawan", "Animal", "Dunky", and "Crew". Now, following in tow, the South Indian film, "Pushpa: The Rule - Part 2", is set to release in Bangladesh.

In recent years, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada cinema have made a remarkable stride in the global market. In 2021, the highly anticipated all-India film "Pushpa: The Rise", helmed by director Sukumar, made its debut and captured the attention of audiences worldwide. Notably, the charming Allu Arjun known as "Pushparupi", has emerged as a beloved figure among Bangladeshi viewers. "Pushpa 2" is poised for a global release on August 15, backed by a substantially larger budget and more elaborate production arrangements compared to the first chapter.

In addition to Telugu, prior installments saw releases in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. This time, Bengali has been included among the languages. Meanwhile, the title track "Pushpa Pushpa" has garnered praise following its release in Bengali. Efforts are underway to ensure that Bangladesh releases the film on the same day as India.

Bangladeshi filmmaker, producer, and distributor Anonno Mamun, who is also the head of the production company Action Cut Entertainment, has finalised talks with the Indian distributor of the film. However, in an unexpected turn, the movie will hit screens in Bangladesh in Hindi instead of Bengali. This decision stems from the foreign film import policy, which restricts the release of any film dubbed in Bengali in the country. 

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Mamun affirmed, "We adhere to the law. Therefore, even if 'Pushpa 2' gets released in Bengali in India, we will have to bring the Hindi version to our audience here."

Presently, many Pan-Indian films are undergoing dubbing processes into Bengali. However, Mamun firmly stated that they can not release Bengali-dubbed versions in Bangladesh. The filmmaker further elaborated, "As an importer, I could appeal against this law, but I will not. Releasing 'Pushpa 2' in our native language may not be in the best interest of our film industry. Additionally, the budget of each South Indian film is sky-high, and it would take time and effort for local productions to compete with such high-budget ventures."

Mamun clarified that the decision against releasing the Bengali version wasn't solely due to competition from local films. "Numerous foreign series are currently accessible in Bengali dubbing, yet they seem to attract limited interest from viewers. Hypothetically, if Shah Rukh Khan's 'Pathaan' were released in Bengali, would the audience find it interesting? It's worth noting that a significant portion of our audience understands Hindi," the director remarked.