Capturing Poetic Moments

It is now known to many that Shamsur Rahman composed the 'twin' poems at a single sitting by the bank of a pond at his village home in Narsingdi. Kawsar's film recreates the whole process of the poems' making.

Poet Shamsur Rahman narrates the journey from Dhaka to Narsingdi by a bus with his mother in the early April of 1971. On the way the young poet witnessed the most horrifying sights caused by the brutal execution of the Pakistani Army. Dead bodies littered the way, people were fleeing to the unknown shelters from the brutality. Wherever the Pak Army could be seen on the way, Rahman's mother ducked down her son's head so that he could not be noticed.

When Rahman reached his ancestral home, he felt like being embraced by his forefathers. On April 7, he was sitting on the bank of a pond when suddenly lines happened to form in his head. He got himself some paper and scribbled the fantastic pieces of poetry that would become two of the most beautiful expressions of independence.

Kawsar's documentary contains recitation of the poems by Shamsur Rahman himself. What is very unique about the recitation is that with the rhythm of the recitation artist Mashook Helal captures the subjects and feelings of the poems in sketch. The sketches are focused on the screen like a visual collage of the poems.

Kawsar Chowdhury has recently made a name both in home and abroad for his documentary Shei Raater Kotha Bolte Eshechhi that shows the heinous massacre of the people of Bangladesh by Pakistani armed forces on March 25 night. With this documentary he has surely reminded the nation of its legacy of hard struggle and unparallelled sacrifice of the brave fighters in the Liberation War.

Tomake Paowar Jonnye has its première today on Channel-i.