Ora Egaro Jon
Ora Egaro Jon (Bengali: ওরা ১১ জন) is a 1972 Bengali historical drama film written by Al Masood and directed by Chashi Nazrul Islam, based on the Bangladesh Liberation War. Director Islam and lead actor Khosru Noman were both members of Mukti Bahini (liberation army).[1]
| Ora Egaro Jon | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Chashi Nazrul Islam |
| Written by | Al Masood |
| Produced by | Iftekharul Alam Kislu |
| Starring | |
| Edited by | Bashir Hossain |
| Music by | Khandaker Nurul Alam |
Production company | Star Film Corporation Ltd. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | Bangladesh |
| Language | Bengali |
| Budget | ৳500,000 (US$4,700) |
It was the first movie of Bangladesh after independence. It has been selected for preservation by the Bangladesh Film Archive.[2]
Background
The film 'Ora Egaro Jon' directed by Chashi Nazrul Islam was produced by freedom fighter and then Chhatra League leader Md. Masood Parvez, popularly known as hero Sohel Rana. Famous freedom fighter Kamrul Alam Khan Khosru played the lead role in the film. He was the guerrilla commander of Dhaka region during the liberation war.
The other 10 freedom fighters who acted with him are Manju, Aleen, Helal, Abu, Ata, Nantu, Baby, Murad, Altaf and Feroze. Apart from this, Razzak, Shabana and Nuton played significant roles in the film. Actress Rawshan Jamil, Mirana Zaman, Sumita Debi, talented actor Mehfuz, Syed Hasan Imam, Khalil, Raj and others acted in this film. ATM Shamsuzzaman played the role of Razakar in the film.
All those who acted in this film along with the hero Khusru were brave freedom fighters who had returned from the battlefield. A few days before the shooting of the film, those who return from the battlefield lay down their arms and return to normal life. Some were also praised by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After Bangladesh won their independence, this was the first film about their liberation war. [3]
Plot
Khosru (Khosru) and his sister Mita (Shabana) studied at their maternal home in Dhaka. Khosru's marriage with neighbor Sheela (Nuton) is fixed. On the other hand, Sheela's engineer brother Parvez (Razzak) has a relationship with Mita, a medical college student. Everything was going on normally but suddenly the war started. Khosru went to war.
Formed a guerilla force with ten more companions. Khosru led the force. Parvez was captured by the Pakistan army for helping the freedom fighters. Pak forces killed Parvez's mother and younger brother in front of him as he could not find out the news of the freedom fighters.
Sister Sheela was tortured who died later. Mita joined the medical team there to serve the wounded freedom fighters in Bikrampur. One day she was also tortured by Pakistani soldiers. The war ended with the surrender of the enemy and the victory of the freedom fighters.
After the war, many returned home. For some, family members look out for the way. But they never came back. Some come back but couldn’t found their family.
Production
Development
The plan to make the film was taken on December 19, 1971 after the independence of Bangladesh. This was Chashi Nazrul Islam's first film as a director. Before that he was working as an assistant director. The 11 of them wanted to make the film at that time famous director Mustafiz without remuneration, but the film producer Sohel Rana politely replied him negatively and said, he promised his friend Chashi Nazrul Islam. A five-year contract was signed with Star Films.
Filming
The film was shot for 4 months starting from February 21, 1972 at various locations including Joydebpur, Gazipur Cantonment and Bangladesh Film Development Organization.
Casting
The film also featured real freedom fighters. However, as many scenes as there are acting, the actors have done them. Although the movie was planned to be made only with freedom fighters, but later stars like Abdur Razzak, Shabana of were added to the movie as advice of Star Films. It is said that the investment money of the movie came from the advance money from the owners before the release.
Specialty
Apart from the freedom fighters, the weapons and ammunition used in the liberation war were also used in the shooting of the movie. With the help of Major Ziaur Rahman, one of the sector commanders of the liberation war, the battle scenes were shot with the weapons and logistics left behind by the Pakistan Army. Arms and ammunition were supplied from Gazipur Cantonment for use in the film. Basically this initiative was taken to make the battle scenes more realistic. Army personnel from Gazipur cantonment also acted in the film.
The use of real weapons also entails considerable risk in film shooting. A girl will be chased and fired by Pakistani soldiers but no bullet hits the girl. Since the actual shooting, the scene becomes very risky to capture. If anyone shoot, the chances of hitting the girl are high. No one wanted to take responsibility for firing.
Even cameraman Abdus Samad refused to capture the scene. At last Khosru took responsibility of the firing. The scene started filming. The girl runs and Khosru fires 30 bullets one by one. The bullet went very close to the girl, touching a few clothes but not a single body. After successfully capturing the scene, everyone praised Khosru.
The film had a scene where Razakar was killed. For the sake of the scene, some Razakars detained in Iqbal Hall were caught and taken to the shooting. Sohel Rana said, the Razakars were asked to play death by shooting in water. Another scene also featured real Pakistani soldiers.
The scene was to kill a captured Pakistani soldier. Two Pakistani soldiers who were trapped during the liberation war were then imprisoned near the film's unit. They have not yet been handed over to the Bangladesh government. The scene is acted out with these two soldiers. They were then handed over to the cantonment authorities.
The film also featured some parts of the historic 7th march speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Cast
- Khosru Noman as Khosru, Guerrilla fighter's leader
- Murad as Murad, Guerrilla fighter
- Helal as Helal, Guerrilla fighter
- Abu as Abu, Guerrilla fighter
- Ata as Ata, Guerrilla fighter
- Monju as Monju, Guerrilla fighter
- Alin as Alin, Guerrilla fighter
- Altaf as Mijan, Guerrilla fighter
- Firoj as Firoj, Guerrilla fighter
- Siddique Jamal Nantu as Nantu, Guerrilla fighter
- Baby Zaman as Zaman, Guerrilla fighter
- Abdur Razzak as Parvez
- Shabana as Mita, Khosru's sister
- Nuton as Shila, Parvez's sister
- Mita Rahman as Keya
- Rawshan Jamil as Abu's mother
- Sumita Devi as Khosru's mother
- Sayed Hasan Imam as Doctor
- Kazi Mehfuzul Haque as Hafizur Rahman, Parvez's father
- Sabita as Paroma
- Sitara Begum as Aunt
- Mirana Zaman as Parvez's mother
- Sawpna Kazi as Baby
- Kazi Kamal as Khokon
- Hafizur Rahman Ayek as Khosru's uncle
- Suja Khondokar as Suja Afgan, Pakistani soldier
- Khalil Ullah Khan as Pakistani Major
- ATM Shamsuzzaman as Bejar Ali (Razakar)
Music
| Ora Egaro Jon | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Khandaker Nurul Alam Sabina Yasmin, Saiful Islam and others | |
| Released | 1972 |
| Genre | Film music |
| Language | Bengali |
The music of the film is directed by renowned composer Khondaker Nurul Alam.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "O Amar Desher Mati" | Rabindranath Tagore | Saiful Islam | |
| 2. | "Amay Ekti Khudiram dao" | |||
| 3. | "Ek Sagar Rokter Binimoye" | Sabina Yasmin |
Reception
The film was released on 11 August, 1972 in Dhaka. It is known that within a week of the release, the production cost of the film had recovered. The film was a commercial success as well as critical acclaim upon its release.
Awards
- National Film Award (1972)
References
- Hassan, Mainul (December 16, 2011). "Ora Egaro Jon and Chashi Nazrul Islam". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ওরা ১১ জন. Bangladesh Film Archive (in Bengali). Retrieved February 16, 2016.
- Mostafiz. চাষী নজরুল ইসলাম [Chashi Nazrul Islam]. Gunijan Trust (in Bengali). Retrieved November 5, 2014.