‘Mukh O Mukhosh’ marks 70 years, celebrates birth of Bangladeshi cinema

Bangladesh’s film industry marked a historic milestone on Sunday as Mukh O Mukhosh, the country’s first Bengali-language full-length feature film, completed 70 years since its release.

Directed by Abdul Jabbar Khan, the film premiered on August 3, 1956, at Roopmahal Cinema Hall in Dhaka, becoming the first feature-length Bengali film produced in the then East Pakistan. Widely regarded as the foundation of Bangladesh’s film industry, Mukh O Mukhosh proved that locally made Bengali-language films could succeed despite limited resources and infrastructure.

Adapted from Abdul Jabbar Khan’s stage play Dakat, the film was produced under challenging circumstances, with an inexperienced cast and crew and without modern filmmaking facilities. Much of the post-production work was completed in Lahore due to the absence of a film laboratory in East Pakistan.

To mark the anniversary, Channel i and Impress Telefilm organised a poster exhibition celebrating the history of Bangladeshi cinema. Filmmakers, producers and cultural figures attending the event praised the pioneers of Mukh O Mukhosh while expressing concern over the shrinking number of cinema halls and the industry’s continued struggle for quality storytelling.

Speakers said the future of Bangladeshi cinema depends on strong scripts, talented filmmakers and continued investment in modern exhibition facilities, while expressing optimism that quality films can still draw audiences back to theatres.