'Every show of Rockstar is going houseful': Azman Rusho

Director Azman Rusho has defended his latest film “Rockstar” amid mixed audience reactions, saying the musical romance is drawing packed audiences to cinemas across the country.

The film, starring Shakib Khan, Sabila Nur and Tangia Methila, is currently screening in theatres nationwide.

On Saturday (March 30), Azman Rusho, Sabila Nur and Tangia Methila visited cinemas as part of the film's promotional campaign, where the director addressed criticism surrounding the Eid release.

"The film has only just been released, so give it some time. Some people will like it, some won't, and that's completely fine," Rusho said. "Let the audience decide. We never force anyone to watch our films. But at least watch it before passing judgment. You may be seeing negative comments online, but are you also seeing that every show is going houseful? Then who is watching the film?"

The director said “Rockstar” was designed to leave a lasting impression on audiences rather than serve as a forgettable viewing experience.

"This isn't the kind of film that you watch and immediately forget. The story and the songs are meant to make you think," he said. "Even the music carries philosophical layers that may not be fully understood after a single listen. This is not an action film where everything ends when the credits roll. We wanted to create a film that stays with viewers. From the first day to the second day, the response has improved, and it is performing even better on the third day."

Earlier, Sabila Nur described “Rockstar” as one of the most unconventional projects of her career.

"I think this is going to be a very different film because of the way Shakib Bhai has presented himself. It is completely different from what audiences have seen from him before," she said. "It is a musical romantic film, which is a relatively uncommon genre in Bangladesh. There was a lot of room to explore the chemistry between my character Meera and Shakib Bhai's character Agun. I am excited to see how audiences respond to it."

Tangia Methila also encouraged audiences to support diverse storytelling in Bangladeshi cinema.

"I would tell everyone who loves Bangla films to watch ‘Rockstar’. It is a musical film and introduces a genre that has rarely been explored in Bangladesh," she said. "When new kinds of films are made, the industry grows. If we want the industry to move forward, we need more films like this."