Swastika, Sariful Razz, and Bhabna team up for a dark thriller

Prominent actor Sariful Islam Razz is set to star alongside Tollywood actress Swastika Mukherjee and Ashna Habib Bhabna in an upcoming dark thriller titled "Altabanu Jochhona Dekheni".

Last year, it was announced that Swastika Mukherjee would appear in the Dhaka-based film directed by Himu Akram. The project, which already featured Razz, has now officially added Bhabna to its cast. On Wednesday, Bhabna signed her contract for the film and shared her excitement on Facebook, posting a photo of the signing and writing, "I can't wait to work with my favourite actress, Swastika Mukherjee."

Director Himu Akram revealed that the story of the film is built around a dark thriller narrative. The film will weave together tales from three different regions, eventually converging into a single storyline. Bhabna will portray Julekha, a young woman from the Haor region.

Swastika Mukherjee will take on the title role of Altabanu. Describing the character, Himu Akram said, "Altabanu is a middle-class girl from Old Dhaka, who is mentally unstable and often has to be restrained with iron chains. She speaks through her eyes, and Swastika's intense gaze perfectly matches the essence of the character. I knew she would be an ideal fit, and we finalised our agreement with her a year ago."'

"Sariful Razz will face a unique challenge in this film as he will portray three distinct characters—Premchand, Sujan Mia, and Muinul Hossain. "These three characters represent different facets of a single person, yet they are completely different from one another," Himu explained.

The film will also feature a strong supporting cast, including Mamunur Rashid, Partha Barua, Elora Gohor, Erfan Mridha Shiblu, and Mukit Zakaria, among others.

The director is aiming to begin shooting next month, with locations planned in Syedpur, the Sundarbans, the Sal forest of Rajendrapur, and various spots in Old Dhaka. 

However, Himu Akram expressed concerns about the current political situation in the country, which might cause delays. "We have planned for the entire shoot to take place in September and have coordinated all the actors' schedules accordingly. Our preparations are complete, and we're ready to start filming." 

"Since Swastika will be coming from Kolkata, we need to secure her work permit and visa. Given the present circumstances, this process could be challenging. We will wait and see. If Swastika's visa and work permit come through, we will proceed with the shoot. Otherwise the schedule may need to be adjusted," he added. 

"Altabanu Jochhona Dekheni" is based on a story written by Himu Akram, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Mohammad Nazim Ud Doula and Mohammad Nazim Uddin. The film is being produced by Bengal Multimedia.

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