Matritta sees the light of day

An expressive Humayun Faridee in the film (top) & Moushumi portrays desperation in a scene

According to the director, "I submitted a print to the Censor Board in February 2004. The board objected to three scenes: scenes that show the Pakistani flag, two characters discussing how Pakistanis and Bangalees are Muslim brothers and that should put a stop to all the disputes, and a mother breastfeeding a child. After some scuffles, the Censor Board finally gave us the green signal on October, 2004. Additional delay transpired, as we had to find distributors and producers."

A synopsis of the movie: Sakina is a naïve village belle, who like other average rural women dreams of a comfortable home, a loving husband and children. But she is not that fortunate; her husband Jabbar is a petty thief who's rarely home and she has to work as a maid at the matbor (head of the village) household to support herself.

Sakina craves motherhood. Other village women taunt her, calling her 'barren'. One day, her dream to become a mother comes true, as she realises she's pregnant. Although Sakina is ecstatic at first, despair soon takes over when the matbor's wife lays her off from the job. Sakina has to figure out how she and her unborn child will survive. Jabbar's mischief and unwillingness to earn an honest living through manual labour only make matters worse. Jabbar doesn't take Sakina's pregnancy too kindly, as the child would only be "an extra mouth to feed". Jabbar feeds Sakina a herbal medicine mixed in pickle which eventually causes her to have a miscarriage.

A distraught Sakina breastfeeds others' babies to appease her motherly instincts. Jabbar sees an opportunity to make some easy money in this and convinces Sakina to start charging for feeding babies. He tells her that the money will enable him to buy a cow and start working in the paddy fields. Sakina falls for Jabbar's schemes and Jabbar starts charging a quarter in return for Sakina's services. However, Sakina doesn't give up on her desire of becoming a mother and eventually she conceives again. But will her dreams come true?

Zahid Hossain has done a commendable job at scriptwriting and direction. The film becomes slow at points but it recovers before the audience gives up. The plot of the movie seems simple enough but it presents some burning issues like gender violence, manipulation and exploitation of women. Asked why he has set the storyline in the pre-Independence period, the director says, "The character of Sakina is also a metaphor. It's a metaphor for our country; for a country is like one's mother. During the 'Pakistan period' our country has been exploited and abused. I've just tried to point that out."

Moushumi has so far been recognised predominantly as a commercially viable actor. This movie highlights a side of her that is refreshing and encouraging. Clad in rags and au natural as Sakina, she has never looked better. Her histrionics and silent expressions were effective. Humayun Faridee is perfect as Jabbar. But then again, that should not come as a surprise. Veteran actor Nasima Khan as the village midwife is credible. The songs used in the film did not seem out of place. A couple of the songs by singer Kanak Champa and Moushumi herself, are easy to the ear.

The film is currently running at Star Cineplex, Bashundhara City.