Chemistry On and off the Screen Ananta and Barsha

How does the chemistry of the power-duo work? 

Our love for each other now solely revolves around our son, Ariz. We had a minor misunderstanding between us recently which has now been completely solved. The misunderstanding has become an inside joke for us now, due to its trivial nature. We have never been happier. Although both of us have matters we need to attend to, returning home to our son is the only thing we look forward to. We are both very responsible towards each other and towards family issues, and that is what defines our love. 

When did you meet each other in front of the camera for the first time? How did it feel?

We first starred together in "Khoj: The Search". It was amazing and we both truly enjoyed it. We were both having issues relating certain sequences, so we helped each other out. We were not married back then, but we had amazing chemistry. 

"Khoj: The Search" has brought a positive change in the movie industry of Bangladesh. Crystal clear resolution, variety in shooting locations, top-notch sound, lights, action and graphics have definitely changed the way people feel about watching movies in Bangladesh.

What inspired you, Ananta, to bring about this change in this industry?

One of the main reasons behind starting this journey is because, back when we were dating, Barsha told me about her dreams regarding the betterment of the film industry. I felt exactly the same way and this match truly inspired me. Another important reason is that the viewership was very low in Bangladeshi movies; the younger generations especially lacked the interest or the appeal towards Bengali movies. The reason for this is that Bengali films typically do not have high budgets, and as a result, the production quality is not as good as Hollywood or Bollywood movies. The youth consider it to be a frame of reference in terms of movie quality. So I decided to change the game, and started making "Khoj: The Search" with state-of-the-art technologies to capture the attention of this crowd, as well as the mass audience as an initiative to increase viewership. The movie received positive responses in both Bangladesh and abroad. The thing about my movies is that everyone can watch them. From ministers to corporates and college-going students, everyone enjoys my films equally and this has inspired me to put in more effort in my endeavours. 

There have been some criticisms regarding foreign singers predominantly singing in your movies. What are your thoughts on this?

Ananta: There is not a single movie where I have not used at least one song by a Bangladeshi artist. There has always been a healthy ratio in the distribution of the number of songs performed; a 50-50 ratio between Bangladeshi and foreign singers. 

There have been rumours that some of the stories of your movies are direct copies of Tamil and Hindi movies. What do you have to say about this?

Ananta: I have not based a single movie on any Tamil or Hindi movie. I detest copying stories. There could be similar sequences that might trigger the audience to think that my movies are copied. I have always made movies based on different perspectives in Bangladesh. "The Speed" for instance, is based on the corruption of entrepreneurs. "Most Welcome" is based on money laundering. Each of my productions focus on a very different and unique storyline. 

From "Khoj: The Search" to "Most Welcome 2": Which are your favourites throughout this journey?

Ananta: Our personal favourite is "Nisshartho Bhalobasha." This is because the movie portrays the journey that Barsha had to go through, and the obstacles she had faced in order to make it in the industry. It is based on a true story, and Barsha has performed her best in my opinion.

When are you going to start working on your next film "The Spy"? Tell us something about this film.

We will start working this year hopefully. We are done with writing the script and we hope to finish the remaining work very soon.  The audience will witness numerous stars in this film, including us as a couple. The movie will also emphasize on production quality as always, making sure that this movie surpasses all our previous attempts to be the best.

Interviewed by Zahid Akbar

Narrated by Syed Ahnaf Sadeed