Cinebuzz Films – Director Sham Islam is ready with the final shoot of his 3rd social awareness film, ‘Sundori’. This film is in line with his previous critically acclaimed films, such as Briddhashram, which dealt with elder neglect, and Pori Lost in Dhaka, a riveting take on child trafficking.
In Sundori, Islam trains his eye on the myths that swirl around epilepsy, revealing the unspeakable harm resulting from fear and medical ignorance.
A Vision for Social Change
Running for about 40 minutes, Sundori is a bracing portrait of country life in which epilepsy is often mistaken for being possessed by evil spirits. It’s a symbol of how religion-based ignorance and social pressures can destroy lives, particularly those of young women.
Sham Islam is known for addressing “untouched” and forgotten social problems. He is, and has always been, an advocate that silence is not the answer – but that issues of this nature should be openly discussed if we really want the world to change sustainably.
“The basic objective of this film is to come out against superstition and depict epilepsy as a treatable disease,” Sham said. “A little bit of empathy and proper treatment can really save a life.
Sham’s commitment to the art form is all-encompassing; he writes his scripts and theme songs, composes them, and directs each production. A champion of the team, he holds intensive workshops with both his cast and crew, including DJs and agency partners, long before the first frame is shot.
The Story: Out of Oppression, Into Enlightenment
Against the backdrop of an average village household, the film features a teenage girl named Sundori. She is labelled as “unholy” and suffers extreme sexual abuse, including ritual restraint with cords in the name of “spiritual healing”. These gritty portrayals are a sobering reminder of how ignorance can turn one’s own flesh and blood into an enemy for both sides of the conflict.
At the arrival of Neela, Sundori’s friend, the story heads toward hope. As the voice of reason and compassion, Neeladevi defies the family’s superstitions and urges them to enable medical intervention. She represents in the film how social causes start with education and compassion.
Cast and Production Details
The film boasts a committed ensemble that helps bring the movie’s sensitive subject matter into realistic focus, as follows:
Afreen Shikha Raisa: Put in a heartfelt performance as Sundori.
Sadika Maliha Sokh: Neela, who is the inspiration for Sundori’s turnaround.
Delwar Hossain Dilu and Roksana Akhter Popy: Play Sundori’s parents, holding the story’s tangled emotional history.
The shooting was wrapped on 13 and 14 December at the “Pubail Bilbila” Shooting House. The production company has announced that filming is complete, and the film is in post-production.
A Cinematic Intervention
As misinformation can shape social behaviour in parts of the world, Sundori proves to be a much-needed corrective and timely cinematic intervention. By placing human faces over academic lecturing, Sham Islam is laudably facilitating a much-needed conversation on health, personhood, and the capabilities of scientific perception.
Islam says he hopes to carry on making these socially relevant films, with the following two projects tackling subjects such as divorce, child abuse, and harassment of women in public places.