'Hawa' (2022) was released in theatres in Bangladesh in July 2022. Directed by Mejbaur Rahman Sumon, it has been a blockbuster hit at the Bangladesh box office. The movie burst onto the scene in India when it was showcased at the 4th Bangladesh Film Festival held at Nandan, at the begging of November. The wonderful soundtrack of the film 'Shada Shada Kala Kala', composed by Hashim Mahmud, has inspired many folks to visit the theatres. Scores of cinema lovers waited in line for hours to watch the screening. The audience exited the theatre brimming with joy and excitement at having watched a film, that truly brings out the flavor of Banglades. It's a film, that resonates with all Bengali-speaking audiences and for the first time in history, the authorities in Nandan had to agree to the public demand to make preparations for the festival's second screening of Hawa.
The film has been shot on the beautiful St.Marin’s island in the Bay of Bengal. The story revolves around the lives of local fishermen in the Padma river. The entire film is shot on a ship and the surrounding waters. The fishermen in Hawa are led by Chan Majhi (Chanchal Chowdhury) in the piracy trade, siphoning off their loot from the sea into other profiteering networks without the knowledge of the ship’s Mahajan. However, there’s one who refuses to play by Chan’s leadership, Iba (Sariful Razz). He is reluctant to participate in the risky piracy of fish sales and critiques the unfair distribution of the profits. The other boatmen are in cahoots with Chan’s leadership and think of Iba as a rotten apple that must be eliminated. The cunning Chan Majhi has, however, different plans in store for Iba. In the midst of such a scenario, one day, a beautiful woman is caught in the nets, laid out by the fishermen. She does not speak and yet, has a strange aura about her. The film goes on to explore her incursion into the world of these local fishermen. Wrapped with murder, mystery, violence, and horror, the film is a treat to the eyes.
Film lovers and critics have highly praised the movie’s, color grading and cinematography by Kamrul Hasan Khosru. Through his eyes, the sea becomes a site of tragedy and mystery. His shots eagerly follow the characters through the interiors of the ship, all the way down into the engine room. Chanchal Chowdhury’s acting was thoroughly applauded, along with the soundtracks of the film. While many people called the movie a remake of the South-Korean film, Sea Fog, the director has refuted such claims.
Apart from Bangladesh and India, the film has also been screened in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the States. Want to be part of the excitement wave surrounding Hawa? Watch it for yourself once it releases in theatres near you or on your favorite OTT platforms.
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