Eid movies divide masala bonanza and the intellectual treat!

Shakib Khan’s action-packed Borbaad and the cerebral thriller Chokkor 302 define two extremes of Eid film choices

Here are two contrasting scenes from the Eid celluloid treat, 2025:

Scene one: In an underground parking lot, the debonair protagonist, Ariyan Mirza smells danger as he is about to get inside his Rolls Royce with the lady in question.

Soon, surrounded by thugs, the hero puts the girl inside the car and unleashes hell on the villains, shooting, maiming, breaking bones and using the hand held axe snatched from one of the assailants to inflict terrible injuries.

As a dozen men lay groaning or dead, the man of the moment sits atop his car bonnet, shushing everyone to be silent.

The crowd goes wild, the clapping is accompanied by cheers.

The King of commercial films Shakib Khan has come back with another blockbuster called Borbaad.

Death, destruction, dance and drinks have the audience intoxicated!

Scene two: A teenager with multiple stab wounds lay dead in a pool of blood in a city apartment, police have cordoned off the crime scene while a bevy of media cameras and reporters wait outside, waiting to get a comment.

On the way is detective inspector Moinul.

Pot-bellied, unassuming and wearing simple clothes, his outdated motorbike refuses the start but Moinul is persistent.

While trying desperately to kick start the machine, his sidekick, a young sub-inspector, comes in on a swanky bike.

In the end, no miracles happen and the inspector leaves his machine behind, taking a ride with his partner to the crime scene, holding a packet of nuts.

The only thing giving away his identity is the side arm, firmly placed inside the holster.

At the scene, the blood does not bother him and neither does he make any extravagant promises to nab the criminal.

Methodically, he tries to look for clues or something out of the ordinary, gazing intently at the cigarette butts, where one half smoked stick is different than the others.

People at the Cineplex get ready for an intellectually stimulating thriller in Chokkor 302.

CELLULOID ESCAPISM SANS REASON

Two completely different scenes introducing two main characters.

Both films illustrate the celluloid dichotomy this Eid-ul-Fitr.

Understandably, when several movies are released simultaneously, there is always competition to be the top.

During Eid, this race becomes intense as millions of people all over Bangladesh now go to cinema halls and swanky Cineplex theatres to relax, unwind and enjoy.

The last 10 years have seen a marked surge in movie going, especially during religious holidays.

The main pull factor has been the modern Cineplex theatres with food courts, playing area and other entertainment.

The traditional dinner and a movie has metamorphosed somewhat to become the “film and a pizza” treat.

This transformation in movie watching has brought back the educated middle class who are coming in droves for that spectacular celluloid escapism.

The trend of choosing the film tells one a lot about what people want to see.

The first scene mentioned at the top was from the currently running super hit Borbaad, starring Shakib.

Not surprising, all shows are booked for 48 hours and tickets are much in demand.

This follows a total commercial movie formula: opulent sets, posh cars, sumptuous clothes, crown maddening item songs, layered with unlimited swagger and bravado.

There is hardly any logic, reason has gone for a long holiday and inconsistencies are too many.

However, the purpose is simple: Provide a completely crowd pleasing film where reality is overtaken by fantasy.

The aim of such productions is to trigger wild excitement and a rush of post film watching euphoria.

Think about the earlier Shakib movie Toofan and all will be clear.

When asked why the Shakib starred Borbaad is seeing houseful at all shows, owner of Modhumita Cinema Hall, Ifekharuddin Naushad, said: “Over the years, a Shakib fan base has developed and this multiplied with Toofan, the commercial flick which was just as boisterous and ostentatious as the Shahrukh Khan hit Pathaan.”

He added that improvements in filmmaking techniques and the use of state of the art technology have also played a key role.

However, a young fan of Shakib has a different take on the reason for such a craze.

“Shakib Khan has become more mature in his dialogue and the romantic (effeminate) hero look is overtaken by a mean, cold expression which the young find appealing.”

He has lost weight and can now move and dance gracefully while his on screen persona has become more charismatic, added a lady admirer.

For quite sometime, Shakib has been playing the badass underground “uber cool” gangster – a trend that has struck a chord with the audience, especially the young.

Rakib Uddin, a social science expert, says: “In our sub conscious mind, there’s always a fascination about the life of gangsters and much of that idea has been formed by Western movies like Scarface, Heat, God Father, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Carlito’s Way.

That concept, although mostly driven by fiction, has seeped into films of the sub continent, blending with purely South Asian celluloid features like dance, melodrama etc.”

For extra piquancy, all gangsters in our movies must be able to deliver flamboyant dialogue aimed at rousing the crowd, no matter how silly they may seem, he adds.

SOCIAL MESSAGES IN A CRIME THRILLER

Now let’s come to our second scene from the crime thriller Chokkor 302, made with a government grant.

There have been many state-funded films in the past but this is possibly the first one, which is a thriller and not a social drama.

One of the characteristics of films made with government financing is the presence of a social message, either about the struggle of a community or the general trials and tribulations unique to a certain period of time, said Rakib.

However, the downside of plain social drama is they do not have enough material or twists to hold the attention of the audience, he adds.

“Current movie goers want to be glued to the seat either for the extravagant treat or for an intriguing plot.”

This is where Chokkor 302 delivers and scores full points.

“It’s a very intelligent move to make a crime thriller with veteran actors, deftly adding a relevant social message under its complex plot,” said Al Farhan, a film critic.

Chokkor has a gripping story, the actors, all big names from the small screen, play their respective parts with conviction and, wait, there is a poignant social message – moral decay under the veneer of urban glitz.

Young smart youths sliding into drugs for a “good time” form the first layer of this urban rot with society overtaken by mercenary ideals creating the second.

Wrapped in a spellbinding thriller plot, the film creates a contrast between decadence and simplicity.

Two lines from Chokkor provide enough fodder for thought.

The first is where Inspector Moinul, finding that a young girl who had an abortion and is nonchalant about it, asks in a shocked tone: “How can people of your generation handle so many life related upheavals and remain so calm?”

The deliberate failure of the young to grasp the ramifications or enormity of a mishap is highlighted here.

The second line is where Moinul tells his sidekick: “I am in love with my wife; once you ‘decide’ to be in love with your better half, life will be free of many unnecessary complexities.”

Can not ignore the profound message in that, right?

[Towheed Feroze is a former journalist and a film buff]