‘I will consider state support as the last resort’: Pran Roy

National Film Award–winning filmmaker Shahnewaz Kakoli has been receiving long-term medical treatment following a stroke, her husband, actor Pran Roy, revealed.

Speaking to Channel i online, Pran Roy said, “The treatment is still in a long-term phase, and it is not possible to say how long it will take for her to fully recover.”

He added, “After the stroke, she became paralysed. Treatment has been ongoing for three and a half months. Now she is once again undergoing regular therapy.”

Pran Roy described Kakoli’s current condition, stating that she is still unable to walk and cannot move her left arm or leg. She also suffers from severe pain in her hand, which doctors are working to alleviate. “She cannot even sit up on her own. However, she can now be moved a little using a stretcher or a wheelchair. That much progress has been made,” he said.

Kakoli is currently being treated at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) hospital in Mirpur, Dhaka, where she receives multiple therapies daily.

Due to the long-term nature of the treatment, expenses have been steadily increasing. Pran Roy noted that a significant amount of money is being spent on therapy and medical care each day. “Friends, well-wishers, and family—everyone has been helping together, which is how we have managed to get through this far. How much longer we can continue like this, I don’t know,” he said.

Earlier, Pran Roy told the media that he had to sell his personal car to cover his wife’s medical expenses. Since her illness, he has not been able to work regularly, leaving his income nearly halted.

“We are not materialistic people. We never thought that we needed to accumulate a lot of wealth. Whatever we earned, we spent happily, with peace of mind. Because we felt that after a certain age, even if you have the desire, you can’t really enjoy life the same way. That’s why we couldn’t save much. Now, looking back, it feels like we should have saved,” Pran Roy said.

When asked whether any organisations were providing support, he said, “Among the organisations, Actors Equity Bangladesh has provided a small amount of assistance. Besides that, they have been keeping in touch and checking on us since her hospital admission until now. But from the Directors’ Guild or the directors’ organisation at the FDC, we haven’t received that kind of help. They came at the beginning, but later they didn’t maintain any contact.”

Regarding the possibility of state support, Pran Roy said, “So far, nothing has been formally communicated to the government or the relevant authorities. Approaching the state is the last step. As long as it is possible on our own, we want to keep trying. If I reach a point where I have no other option, I will definitely go to the state. I hope the state will help.”

Kakoli’s most recent film, “From Bangladesh”, had completed shooting before her illness. Pran Roy said that the film is almost finished, though a small portion of editing remains. Due to the country’s overall situation, that work has been stalled for several months. “If this film were released, we would have received some financial support,” he added.

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Pran Roy sells his car as Kakoli’s medical costs rise

Shahnewaz Kakoli made her directorial debut in 2012 with “Uttorer Sur”, produced under the banner of Impress Telefilm. The film was praised at various festivals both domestically and internationally and won the National Film Award in four categories. In addition to Best Film, Kakoli also received the National Film Award for Best Story for the film.