Shyamalchhaya and Joyjatra

Humayun Faridee (C) and co-artistes in Shyamalchhaya

There seems to be a number of similarities between the two films: Firstly, the themes of both the movies are based on our Liberation War; and secondly, the films depict the plights and experiences of groups of refugees who are fleeing from their villages after raids by Pakistani army. Most of the action in both the films take place on boats as the refugees undertake the journey by boats.

Humayun Ahmed's Shyamalchhaya is a touching story of a few people onboard a large boat, hired by a middle-aged man. His daughter-in-law (the son and the grandson having been killed by the Pakistani military) accompanies him. The boat also accommodates a Hindu youth, his father and grandmother, a newly wed Hindu couple--Gouranga and Ashalata, a young man from the city who has recently returned from abroad and whose entire family has been killed by the Pakistani army. There are a pious moulana travelling with his expecting wife and the two boatmen.

One night a group of Razakars invades the boat. The Razakar commander tries to take away Ashalata. The moulana protests and eventually the passengers arrest Razakar commander. One day, a group of freedom fighters in disguise of a troupe of singers get on the boat with a mission. They destroy a boat of Pakistani military but Ahsalata gets wounded in the encounter. Finally, the refugees reach a liberated area where the flag of the independent country is seen flying.

The serious story of Shyamalchhaya is occasionally intervened by comic elements mainly arising from eccentricities of different characters, a characteristic feature of Humayun Ahmed's writing. What is important is that the comedy does not jeopardise the seriousness of the story.

Humayun's use of an engine-run boat, however, seems a little confusing--was it really available at the time of the Liberation War? Humayun also presents the Razakar commander rather kindheartedly. Maybe, a number of Razakars were not as brutal as they have come to be known in general. But isn't that general activity sufficient enough to deprive them of all kind of kindness for them?

Except a minor character or two, all the characters have been given almost similar importance in the story. And the whole cast of the film has performed well in their roles. Especially, Riaz has excelled his previous level of acting in this film. His role of a pious moulana, his humane approach to all including the Razakars, and his final decision to join Muktibahini arise a natural liking for him. Other actors like Humayun Faridee, Swadhin Khasru, Ahmed Rubel, Syed Aktar Ali, Tania, Ejajul Islam, Faruk Ahmed, Shimul have also played their roles well.

Tauquir Ahmed's Joyjatra is important because through this film the actor emerges in the role of a film-director. Based on a story of renowned actor-filmmaker Amjad Hossain and scripted by Tauquir himself, the film depicts the journey of a group of refugees at the end of which they meet the victory.

The story of Joyjatra has a happy village, which is under attack of the Pakistani military. The commander asks the Imam of the village mosque about the whereabouts of the freedom fighters which the Imam denies to tell. The Pakistani officer kills the Imam and orders to burn the whole village. A group of people boards a boat and flees from the village for safety. The film depicts the incidents and experiences of the passengers on that journey.

The cinematography of the film is admirable. The scene of the burning village from several angles portrays the horror of the incident quite effectively. In fact, the technical aspects of the movie are very rich. Actors Abul Hayat, Humayun Faridee, Tarique Anam, Bipasha Hayat, Azizul Hakim, Mahfuz Ahmed, Shahed have also played their roles well.