Plans for ambitious six-nation film venture announced

Pakistani film producer Abid Merchant has announced plans for a feature-length commercial adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's short story Shasti (Punishment), describing it as an ambitious international co-production involving Bangladesh, Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong.

Speaking about the project, Merchant said the film will be directed by Bangladeshi filmmaker Lisa Ghazi, whose previous film Barir Naam Shahana was Bangladesh's official submission to the Academy Awards. He noted that Ghazi became the first Bangladeshi woman filmmaker to reach that stage of Oscar consideration.

The new film is a contemporary reimagining of Tagore's classic story, centred on two brothers and their wives. Merchant described it as a layered narrative that blends murder mystery with courtroom drama.

"It's not an art-house project," he said. "It is a commercial venture but one that we want to release internationally."

The film will be shot in Bengali to preserve cultural authenticity. While the producers plan to dub it into Urdu for release in Pakistan, Merchant confirmed that no Pakistani actors have been cast in this first phase.

"Because it is rooted in Bangladesh's cultural context, authenticity is crucial," he explained. "If we had introduced a Pakistani character, it would have made sense to cast accordingly. But this is a Tagore story and we did not want to dilute that."

The cast includes two of Bangladesh's biggest stars Pori Moni and Chanchal Chuawdhry alongside co-writer Anand Siddiqui and Australian-Bengali actor Arka Das.

Merchant said casting has been finalised, locations in Dhaka have been selected and the crew locked. The script has completed its first and second drafts and is currently being polished, with dialogue writing underway. Budget discussions are also in their final stages.

Pre-production is scheduled to begin in September, with filming planned for October and November in Dhaka. Merchant said the timing is essential to the narrative.

"We chose October-November because the story requires two seasons monsoon and winter. That transition is essential to the film."

The production will feature three songs, including a folk-inspired track and an item number, created by different lyricists and composers. Merchant said the team is prioritising music that reflects Bangladesh's cultural roots. The film's final title has yet to be confirmed.

Merchant described the project as an opportunity to revive meaningful co-productions between Bangladesh and Pakistan, something he believes has not been fully realised in recent years.

"Our relations are improving. Visa issues have eased. This feels like the right moment," he said.

He acknowledged that both countries currently have around 100 to 125 operational cinemas, but attendance is declining. However, he pointed to a key difference between the two industries.

"Bangladesh has a strong local OTT ecosystem. Pakistan does not." Reflecting more broadly on the challenges facing Pakistani cinema, Merchant noted that despite international recognition for films such as Joyland, Kamli and Zindagi Tamasha, major global platforms have been slow to acquire Pakistani titles.

"A lot of OTT management structures are India-focused," he said. "For us, that becomes a bottleneck. If India rejects a title, it becomes difficult for it to move forward regionally."

His own film Wakhri received international attention and had a theatrical run, but remains limited in terms of global streaming exposure. Another of his productions, I'll Meet You There, starring Farhan Tahir and Kavi Khan, was banned in Pakistan.

"It was labelled anti-Islam," Merchant said. "But if it truly were anti-Islam, would the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Hollywood have honoured me for combating Islamophobia?"

He added that it was particularly disappointing that Kavi Khan was unable to see what Merchant described as his "lifetime performance" on a Pakistani big screen.

Merchant also outlined the financial challenges facing independent filmmakers in Pakistan. With exhibitors taking around 50-55% of box office revenue and distributors a further 15-20%, producers are often left with only a fraction of earnings.

"If a film costs eight crore rupees, it won't break even unless it earns 25 crores. Our market ceiling itself is around that number," he said.