By The South Asia Editorial Desk
As Bangladesh’s film industry stands at the intersection of reinvention and rediscovery, the rising anticipation around the upcoming film Taandob offers a glimpse of what might finally be a much-needed shift in both creative ambition and audience expectation.
Directed by Raihan Rafi and headlined by Shakib Khan, Taandob has already created considerable noise, with its teaser crossing 10 million views within a day of its release – a feat rarely achieved by films from Dhaka’s cinematic orbit. But it isn’t the number that matters most – it’s what this moment suggests: that audiences are hungry, not just for stars, but for stories that challenge the old formulas.
The film’s premise – a violent attack on a television station – may sound like the setup for another action thriller. But the tone and treatment teased so far feel different. The visuals are slick. The tension feels real. Shakib Khan appears not as the usual silver-screen savior, but as a mysterious figure with a monkey mask – symbolism that invites questions, not just applause.
There was a time when Bangladeshi cinema comfortably coasted on predictable narratives and star power alone. It has since faced stagnation, struggling against the rise of Indian imports, streaming platforms, and generational disinterest. But recent years have shown flickers of a creative revival—films like Poran, Hawa, and Rehana Maryam Noor have proved that thoughtful, risk-taking cinema can find both critical acclaim and audience approval.
With Taandob, there is a sense that something even bolder is taking shape: a film that’s neither entirely commercial nor strictly artistic, but rather grounded in a vision to speak to today’s Bangladesh – urban, alert, impatient for relevance.
The collaboration with India’s SVF and the involvement of OTT platform Chorki signals another turning point: the realization that co-production, digital synergy, and regional outreach are no longer luxuries – they’re necessities. If Bangladeshi cinema is to matter on the global stage, it must tell its own stories at world-class standards.
Eid-ul-Adha has long been a lucrative release window. But Taandob may carry more than box office expectations. It carries the hopes of a restless industry and the promise of a more ambitious era – one where our films aren’t just watched, but awaited. Where our stories don’t just entertain, but endure.
For that, we don’t just need films. We need Taandobs – storms that shake, stir, and signal something greater.