‘Anyadin…’ set for seven-day theatrical run from July 11

After two years of delays and a prolonged censorship battle at the the Censor Board (now Certification Board), "Anyadin…", the second film in filmmaker Kamar Ahmad Simon's acclaimed "Water Trilogy", is finally set to hit theatres across Bangladesh on July 11. The film will run for seven consecutive days.

"Anyadin…", produced by Sara Afreen, remained banned in Bangladesh due to its perceived political undertones. In a press statement, Simon described the film as being "prophetic" during the previous political regime, which he believes contributed to the censorship. 

"To make a film disappear is to make a filmmaker disappear," said Simon. "'Anyadin…' was banned before July 2024. I had almost decided to stop making films altogether. But this year's July turned everything around."

Following a political transition last year, the interim government formed the Bangladesh Film Certification Board on September 22, 2024, replacing the previous board. In March this year, the film received its certification.

It had been withheld from local release, despite major international acclaim. "Anyadin…" was part of the Cinefondation selection at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. In 2016, Kamar became the first Bangladeshi filmmaker to receive the Featured Director honour at Locarno's Piazza Grande, and also won the Arte International Prize from France.

In 2021, the film had its world premiere at the Tuschinski Theatre in Amsterdam, in the main competition of IDFA—one of the leading global documentary festivals. 

In 2022, it won several awards including the Harrell Award for Best Feature at the Camden International Film Festival in North America.

Ahead of its public release, a special screening of was held on June 24 at Star Cineplex in Shimanto Shambhar, Dhaka. The event drew a diverse group of invitees from Bangladesh's cultural and political spheres, including Farida Akhter, adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock; Human rights activists Hameeda Hossain and Shireen Huq; poet Farhad Mazhar, photographer Shahidul Alam; barrister Sara Hossain; actor Azmeri Haque Badhan, theatre personality Jamil Ahmed, filmmaker Humaira Bilkis and many others.

"Anyadin…" follows Simon's debut film "Shunte Ki Pao! (Are You Listening!)" — the first in his "Water Trilogy" — which previously won the Grand Prix at Cinéma du Réel in Paris, the Golden Conch at the Mumbai International Film Festival, and the National Film Award in Bangladesh.