Swapnabhumi (The Promised Land) is a 2007 Bangladeshi documentary film by Tanvir Mokammel.[1] The film tells the plight of Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh, who are also identified as Biharis.[2]
Plot
The film highlights the current stateless status of Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh, otherwise known as Biharis. The story of six decades, three countries- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and statelessness of about more than 150,000 people from the Urdu-speaking community people who originally emigrated from India to Bangladesh.[2] It highlights the violence against Biharis and their despair of not being able to settle in Pakistan, which the Biharis see as a betrayal.[3]
Music
Background score by Syed Shabab Ali Arzoo with sound by Nahid Masud, the film used tracks used before in popular culture.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lagta Nehe Ye Dil Mera" | Bahdur Shah Zafar | |||
| 2. | "Mujhe Gale Se Laga Lo" (from film Aaj Aur Kal (1963)) | Sahir Ludhianvi | Kamal Ahmed | ||
| 3. | "Berahem Aasman Meri Manzil Bata" (from film Bahana (1960)) | Madan Mohan | Talat Mehmood |
Reception
The film premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in 2007.[3] It was screened at the Bahrain International Film Festival in 2009, where it received critical praise.[4] In 2009, the film won second best documentary film award at the Film South Asia Film Festival at Kathmandu.[5]
References
- ^ Alexander, Joya & Jalais 2015, pp. 93.
- ^ a b Fenwick, Andrew (14 September 2008). "FILM: Swapnabhumi: The Promised Land". Metro. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Swapnabhumi". The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^ Bhattacharya, Pallab (7 May 2009). "Swapnabhumi lauded in Bahrain festival". The Daily Star. The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- ^ Bhattacharya, Pallab (19 November 2009). "Film Fest Explores Documentaries from South Asia". New Delhi: outlookindia. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- Sources
- Alexander, Claire; Joya, Chatterji; Jalais, Annu (2015). The Bengal Diaspora: Rethinking Muslim migration. Routledge. ISBN 9781317335931.
External links
- The Promised Land on Tanvir Mokammel site
- Swapnabhumi at IMDb
- Swapnabhumi at Letterboxd
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