to face up to the masculine grand narrative of a nation and nationalism in broad-spectrum, Meherjaan is a women’s “feminine” re-visiting of Bangladesh’s independence war with Pakistan in 1971.
official trailer 30 sec
official trailer 1 min
Full-length Feature Film / Narrative-Drama / 119min / Bengali-English-Urdu / English Subtitled / 35mm / color / Bangladesh / 2011
“Kudos to Rubaiyat Hossain who had the courage to showcase such a wonderful and inspiring love story, standing at a time when we are facing cross border terrorism. Violence is the backdrop and had a presence throughout the film. But you see nothing violent on screen,” says (Monika) Roy.
Hindustan Times
“Bangladeshi war film Meherjaan rekindles old enmities”
BBC news
“The response to Meherjaan was a reaction to the demasculinisation that might be felt by some and is an insight into the psyche of Bangladeshi masculinity which is uncomfortable with individual expressions of female sexuality.”
Nayanika Mookherjee, Socio-cultural Anthropologist, Durham University, UK
“…soulful, romantic storyline and an honest appeal to find peaceful solutions to political conflicts.”
Times of India
Upcoming Screenings:
- Cheyenne International Film Festival, (May 17-20, 2012) [May 20, Sunday 12:30 pm (MT)] Atlas Theatre, Cheyenne, WY
- Twin River Media Festival (May 25 – June 22, 2012) [June 22 Friday 8:00 pm] Asheville, NC
- Park City Film Music Festival (May 25 – June 3, 2012) [May 26, Saturday, 7:45 pm @ Prospector 2; May 27 Sunday, 5:30 pm @ prospector 2; May 30 Wednesday, 5:30 pm @ Egyptian Theatre; June, Friday 3:15 pm @ Prospector 2], Park City, Utah
- Hoboken Internationa Film Festival, (June 1-7, 2012) [June 6, Wednesday 2:00 pm, Hudson Cinemas], Jersey City, NJ
- Hidden Gems Film Festival (June, 2012)
- Bollywood & Beyond: Mind Blowing Film Festival (June, 2012) [June 16, Saturday, 2:30pm], MELBOURNE CENTRAL Level 5, Corner Swanston & La Trobe Streets, Melbourne, Australia
- Foursite Film Festival (June 14-16, 2012) [June 15 Friday 9:00pm & June 16 Saturday 7:30 pm] Art House Cinema, Ogden, UT
- Ladakh International Film Festival (June 15-17, 2012), Ladakh, India
- 35th Philadelphia International Film Festival (June 18-23, 2012), PA
- World Music and independent Film Festival (WMIFF) (August 19-23, 2012), Wasington DC
- Cyprus International Film Festival (Oct 6-22, 2012), Cyprus
Previous Screenings:
- Festival International de Films de Fribourg, 2012, Switzerland
- Kolkata Film Festival, 2011, India
- London Asian Film Festival, 2012, UK
- Jaipur International Film Festival, 2011, India
- Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, 2011, Florida
- Arizona International film Festival, 2012, Tucson, AZ
- Buffalo Niagara Film Festival, 2012, Buffalo, NY
- Soho International Film Festival, 2012, New York, NY
- Bares Bones International Film and Music Festival, 2012, Muskogee, Ok
- Tiburon International Film Festival, 2012, Tiburon, CA
- Indie Spirit Film Festival, 2012, CO
- GreenVille International Film Festival, 2012, Greenville, SC
- Riverside International Film Festival, 2012, Riverside, CA
- Cape Fear Independent Film Festival, 2012, NC
- Awarness Film Festival, 2012, West Hollywood, CA
- International Family Film Festival, 2012 Hollywood, USA
- Nagpur International Film Festival, 2012, Maharashtra, India
- Durango Independent Film Festival, 2012, Durango, Colorado, USA
- Derby City International Film Festival, 2012, Louisville, KY
- Queens World Film Festival, 2012 Queens, NY
- Magnolia Independent Film Festival, 2012, Starkville, Mississippi
- River’s Edge International Film Festival, 2011, Paducah, KY
- Temecula Valley International Film Festival, 2011, Temecula, CA
- Moondance International Film Festival, 2011, CO, USA
- Silent River International Film Festival, 2011, Irvine, CA
- Seattle South Asian Film Festival, 2011, Seattle, WA
- South Asian Film Festival of India, 2011, Goa, India
- AOF International Film festival, 2011, Monrovia-Pasadena, CA
- New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest, 2011, Edison, NJ
- Kandy International Film Festival, 2011, Sri Lanka
- Lums International Film Festival, 2011, Lahore, Pakistan
- CineASA Guwahati International Film Festival, 2011, India
- Dibrugarh international film fest, 2011, India
- Marbella International Film Festival, 2011, Spain
- Festival Internacional De Cine Independiente y Video Oaxaca, 2011, Mexico
- International Film Festival of World Cinema, 2011, Kent, UK
- NYIFF (Indo American Art Council), 2011, New York, NY
Meherjaan has been awarded at some film festivals including Moondance International Film Festival where it has been given Atlantis Award for the Best Music Score (Neil Mukherjee), and Gaia Award for the Best Feature Film in foreign film category, which is given to encourage and inspire contemplative, meditative, spiritual and inspirational films and scripts. The award is presented to the person who seeks to elucidate and improve the spiritual quality of all life on the planet, and contributes to the betterment of the world spirit.
Rubaiyat Hossain received ORSON WELLS AWARD for “Meherjaan” at Tiburon International Film Festival 2012. The Tiburon Film Festival gives Orson Wells Award to a new first time filmmaker to encourage the aspiring and independent filmmakers from all over the world to bring a new wave of talent and creativity to the art of cinema.
The film has also received the Bonehead awards for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Soundtrack at Bare Bones International Film festival, River Admiration Award (East) for the Best Outstanding Film and the Best Actress (Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan) at Silent River Film Festival, Best Female Film Director and Best Outstanding Debut Film at the New Jersey South Asian Independent Cinefest, Best Foreign Film(runner-up) at AOF International Film Festival, Best Foreign Film at River’s Edge Film Festival, Honorable Mention Award at LA New Wave Film Festival, Platinum Reel Award at Nevada Film Festival, Best Foreign Film at Yosemite Film Festival, Golden Palm for Best Feature Film at Mexico International film Festival, Accolade Competition Award in 9 categories including Best of Show, LA Movie Awards in 4 categories including Award of Excellence & Best Actress (Rubaiyat Hossain), California Film Award (Best Foreign Film), Oregon Film Award (Best Foreign Film), Best Feature Film at SkyFest, Global Music Award for soundtrack, Grand Goldie Award and more.
Recently the film has been highly acclaimed at Kolkata Film Festival in India to “win city’s heart” ["1971 love story wins city’s heart" - Times of India]
Meherjaan won Best Critic Award at the Jaipur International Film Festival, held in Jaipur, India.
“Meherjaan controversy: It’s not about the film, but about us and our history.”
Afsan Chowdhury, Journalist & Historian
“Hossain’s film reminds us that beyond the hegemonic narratives of the heroic tales and sacrifices of a war there always exist multiple truths.”
Bina D’Costa, eminent academic
“… bold and refreshing initiative.”
Bangladesh Chronical
“If the director’s goal was to make her audience think, to question, to re-examine, and to open up the space for a full and honest (and doubtless painful and contentious) discourse of 1971, then she succeeded magnificently.”
Zafar Sobhan, Sunday Guardian
Special screening at Karachi Literature Festival 2012 on Feb. 11th & 12th [Febr 11, Saturday, 2:00 pm and Feb 12, Sunday, 2:00 pm at Carlton Hotel Karachi.]
Screenings at the Universities:
[Along with the screening and panel discussion Rubaiyat Hossain director of the film has been invited to some Universities in USA to speak about the underlined issues of the film.]
Meet The Director of “Meherjaan” (with a screening of the film)
Hosted by South Asian Studies Program Initiative Friday, November 18, 2011, 12pm – 2:30pm East Room (AFC), 2nd Floor, Bobst Library, New York University, New York Free and Open to all members of the NYU community. Rubaiyat Hossain, director of Meherjaan, will be at this screening for a Q&A Session with Dina Siddiqi leading the discussion.
Thursday, November 3, 2011 – 6 pm Yenching Auditorium, Harvard University, 2 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA, Special Film Event – “Meherjaan”; Sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Boston, South Asia Initiative at Harvard University, Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights at UMass Boston, and the CARR Center for Human Rights Policy, Harvard Kennedy School. Co-sponsored with the Asian Studies Program, University of Massachusetts, Women’s Studies Program, University of Massachusetts, and Honors Program, University of Massachusetts Boston. 6:15 pm Film Viewing 8:15 pm Panel Discussion 9:00 pm Reception; Panelists: Rubaiyat Hossain, Film Director ; Jyoti Puri, Professor of Sociology, Simmons College ; Rakshanda Saleem, Assistant Professor of Counseling and Psychology, Lesley University ; Elora Chowdhury, Associate Professor Women’s Studies, UMass Boston.
Fall 2011 South Asia Seminar Series Thu, October 27, 2011 • Thurs: Meyerson Conference Room WCH 4.118 / Friday: AVAYA Auditorium (ACE 2.302) Lecture and film screening with director in attendance. Bangladeshi Filmmaker Rubaiyat Hossain will give a lecture on Thursday, October 27th in GEB 3.312 and screen the film Meherjaan on Friday, October 28th in ACE 2.302.
40th Annual South Asia Conference at University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Meherjaan: Remembering 1971″ October 20, 2011, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Senate Room (first floor) ”The Pre-Conference will organize its discussion around the recently released Bangladeshi feature length film, Mehr-Jan. Set during the war in 1971, East Pakistan the film raises important and provocative questions about the period. It was banned in Bangladesh after a week of its release and created a major controversy in the national press. The film maker, Rubaiyat Hussain will be in the US during October, 2011 and will be present in Madison to show her film during the pre-conference, following which a range of scholars from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh will present papers and comment on the film. The film will allow the panelists to bring into focus the year 1971 which witnessed a unique event that can be described in many ways: as the Bangladesh Liberation War, as the implosion of Pakistan, as the largest genocide in South Asian history, as the first break-up of a postcolonial state, as the triumph of an autonomy movement, as a shift in Cold War alliances, as the next stage in the Partition of India, and so on. Not surprisingly, 1971 continues to reverberate heavily in contemporary politics in South Asia and in the personal lives of millions of people in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. [There will be another screening in the conference on Oct.21, 2011 @ 10:30 a.m., Senate Room (first floor)]
Monday October 10, 2011, 3:30 pm, South Asia Center Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, 317 Thomson Hall. A talk by Rubaiyat Hossain, director of the film Meherjaan, which will be screened as part of the Seattle South Asia Film Festival on Oct 8.
“Bangladeshi liberation film opens old wounds”
Express Tribune
“Through the film, she (Rubaiyat Hossain) is not talking to just one nation. She is actually talking to the world. It is truly an international film. And a film like this coming from Bangladesh is fantastic.”
Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan, Legendary Indian Actress
“Meherjaan tells a compelling story”
The DAWN
“….. a family saga set in the times of war, is quite an impressive achievement in cinema from Bangladesh. Its multi-layered story-telling and cinematic eloquence render a probing and heart-breaking tale about the spoils of war and loss of humanity.”
Sakti Sengupta, Filmmaker & founder of NJ South Asian Cine Fest
Synopsis, Premise & Plot Summary
Synopsis
In 1971, during Bangladesh’s war of independence, Meher falls in love with a soldier from the enemy side. When her love is discovered, she is shamed and silenced by her family and society. Today 38 years after the war, Meher has a visitor she cannot turn down. Sarah—a ‘war-child,’ Meher’s cousin Neela’s daughter, who was given away for adoption has come back to piece together her past. Together, these two women must re-tell history through their stories in order to cut through the stigmas and walk into light.
Premise
Meherjaan is a film about loving the Other. Meherjaan gives away with the unitary masculine narrative in order to usher in an emotional multiplicity of feminine emotion and sensibility. This film critiques certain pitfalls of nationalism that create conditions to justify war, killing and violence. Finally, Meherjaan attempts to offer an aesthetic solution to war and violence by taking refuge in love and spiritual submission.
Plot Summary
In 1971, the state of Pakistan raged into war. As a result, the country was divided and East Pakistan emerged as sovereign Bangladesh. 38 years later, Sarah, a war child begins a journey into her past. Meher, a middle aged sculptress, a survivor of 1971 war lives in Dhaka city alone. When Meher opens her chest of memory she pulls one story after another: the story of Neela—a rape survivor who is not ashamed to be raped, rather, opts for retaliation; the story of Khwaja Saheb, Meher’s Grandpa—a Bengali Musalman who had lost part of his homeland in 1947 partition, and finds himself at a loss to witness yet another rift in 1971. Khwaja Saheb is determined to protect his village. The chest of story also has in store the story of Salma; Meher’s aunt, a young clairvoyance who lives in her own domain of fantasy and is obsessed by the idea of romance and marriage. Finally, at the bottom of the box, there is the secret story of Meher’s own past of falling in love with a man from the enemy side. The stigma of loving an enemy has been heavy on her. However, when Sarah, the war-child says, “your story gives me hope!” – Meher finally feels forgiven. Together, Sarah and Meher gain the strength, courage and hope to go forward. Lightened and healed by the re-telling of her past, Meher rejoices herself in making a sculpture. Sarah goes ahead with her life—‘a passionate nomad.’
Bio-filmography of the Director, Producer & Cast
Rubaiyat Hossain, director, writer, production designer and an actor of
Meherjaan is an interdisciplinary researcher. She has completed her B. A. in Women Studies from Smith College, USA, M. A. in South Asian Studies from University of Pennsylvania, USA. In 2002 Rubaiyat obtained a diploma in Film Direction from New York Film Academy. Her primary fields of interest are Sufism, Bengali nationalism, formation of Bengali modernity and its correlation with female sexuality. Filmography: Rubaiyat has directed, shot and edited few short films: Priyo Ami (Dear Me), 8 min, screened at New York International Film and Video Festival, 2006 & Dhaka International Short Film Festival 2005; Balikar Gollachut (Girls Out of Circle), 52 sec, screened at Dhaka International Short Film Festival 2005; Shimanto(The Frontier), 1 min 12 sec, screened at Dhaka Int’l Short Film Festival 2005.
Ashique Mostafa, producer of Meherjaan, is a Bangladeshi-American, graduated from School of Visual Arts in
New York with a BFA degree in Direction & Production. As his graduation film, he directed and produced Phulkumar [aka, The Flower Child] (2002). Phulkumar is widely regarded in Bangladesh as the film that gave the opportunity for a large group of young minds to actively participate in the process of filmmaking and learn film making first hand. Ashique Mostafa is currently the CEO of Era Motion Pictures. Filmography: 720° (2010), 5 min. – Producer; Premiered at Venice Int. Film Festival and won HBO award at SAIFF; Phulkumar (aka, Flower Child, 2002), 58 min – Director/Producer; Premiered at Tiburon International Film Festival-USA, Dhaka International Film Festival and others.
Jaya Bhadhuri Bachchan, lead actress of Meherjaan, is the legendary Indian
actress who was introduced by the greatest Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Jaya has acted in many films by acclaimed filmmakers from India as well as in the most popular films from Bollywood industry. She has received many major awards/honor including the “Padmasree”, one of the highest civilian awards of the Government of India. Filmography: The Big City (1964, dir. Satyajit Ray); Guddi (1971, dir. Hrishikesh Mukherjee); Parichay (1972, dir. Gulzar); Abhiman (1973, dir. Hrishikesh Mukherjee); Sholay (1975, Ramesh Sippy); Silsiala (1981, dir. Yash Chopra); Hazaar Chaurashi Ki Maa (1998, dir. Govind Nihalani)
Victor Banerjee, lead actor of Meherjaan, is one of the India’s greatest actors, was introduced by Satyajit Ray
and famous for his role of Dr. Aziz in David Lean’s Passage to India. For this film he won the Best Actor award of National Board of Review, USA; the Evening Standard British Film Awards and a nomination for BAFTA. He has worked for other prominent directors like James Ivory , Jerry London, Roman Polanski, Shyam Benegal and Mrinal Sen. Filmography: The Chess Player (1977, dir. Satyajit Ray); Hullabalo Over Goergie and Bonnie’s Pictures (1978, dir. James Ivory); The Home and the World (1984, dir. Satyajit Ray); A Passage to India (1984, dir. David Lean)
Director’s Note
“Kab nazar mein ayegi bedagh sabze ki bahar Khoon ke dhabbe dhulein ge kitni barsaaton ke baad?”
When shall we see the beauty of innocent greens? How many monsoons will it take to wash away the patches of blood? Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Dhaka Se Wapsi Par (1974)
History is not a coherent narrative.
A war is always made into a glorious narrative with certain male heros and villains. Women mostly appear as sacrificing creatures, mother and sisters who bravely let go of their men for the cause of the nation. Women also appear synonymous to the landscape, ready to be raped, plundered, and give their lives and izzat or chastity for the cause of the nation. The purpose of Meherjaan is to break the glorious narrative of national history and open up a modest avenue to explore perhaps, not only one or two, but multiple narratives of war.
History is always a creation of the present.
We stand here, in our time and space, looking back in search of ourselves in the present time, piecing together what we call history: stories of people who lived in the past. First of all, no one will ever know what it was actually like if one didn’t live it. However, there is at least one safe way to piece together a good enough contour of the past in order to comprehend the prominent political, socio-economic, cultural forces at play during a certain chunk in time.
This safe way is about making room for more than one voice. History has to be told, not only from the vantage point of the armed forces, the politicians, the freedom fighters, the men; rather, history has to be told from the voices of every other person that was left out—the old woman, the man who didn’t fight, and maybe a young girl who was coming of age and falling in love while the entire country plunged into hatred, killing, separatist emotions and nationalist turmoil.
The most intense love stories are those that are difficult to consummate. In Sufi philosophy love relationship between the divine and the devotee always remains fueled by the consciousness of the impossibility of ultimate union. Meherjaan love story is driven by such impossible material conditions of union, while indefatigable emotional desire to unite throbs throughout the narrative.
Perhaps, the story of death, violence, trauma and loss can be best told veiled in love and romance. In her writing about Korean comfort women’s sexual slavery during World War II, author Noeleen Heyzer offers an ‘aesthetic solution’ to overcome history of violence. She suggests that we look beyond feminist studies for a “more powerful power,” a “power” which is “life sustaining, liberating, and transforming.” I believe love and compassion is that “power.”
As the world plunges into unlimited war and terror, there is a necessity to look outside the masculine ideology of nation-state and violence, to look for a feminine life sustaining language that is related to nature, absolute beauty and love.
With Meherjaan’s saga of love, we intend to instigate a process of healing the unattended wounds of 1971 war by bringing out the inaudible voices of history.
Producer’s Note
“The film Meherjaan, which was released in Dhaka in January 2011, was quickly pulled out of theatres after it created a furore among audiences. The hostile responses to the film from across generations highlight the discomfort about the portrayal of a raped woman, and its depiction of female and multiple sexualities during the Bangladesh liberation war of 1971…”
Nayanika Mukherjee,
, VOL 46 No. 12 March 19 – March 25, 2011
In post 9/11 era, where war, violence and hatred have become common currency, it was not only important, but also indispensable for Rubaiyat Hossain to find irresistible peace and uphold humanity in the course of her debut film Meherjaan, a story of “loving the Other” that advocates an aesthetic solution to violence. Also, to face up to the masculine grand narrative of a nation and nationalism in broad-spectrum, Meherjaan is a women’s “feminine” re-visiting of Bangladesh’s independence war with Pakistan in 1971.
Historically, Pakistan as a state committed brutal atrocities in Bangladesh, however, Rubaiyat has discouraged any attempts by the means of eye for eye reprisal by telling a taboo story of a Bangladeshi girl falling in love with a Pakistani enemy soldier where humanity and innocence prevails across man made political boundaries. On the contrary, the deliberately troubled representation of a raped woman and her sexuality in the film is a successful endeavor to go into women’s narrative of rape through the lens of personal history and private memory.
Nonetheless, all of these brilliant but daring efforts by a young filmmaker who happens to be a “female” has caused a colossal turmoil in the world of male dominated nationalist psyche. As a result, the film has been un-officially or as some called it socially banned by the authoritative groups and their new generation persuasions who resist any “other” voices than the agency of patriarchal patriotism. Despite of huge critical acclaim and positive audience responses they have managed to let the authority pull out the film shortly after release. Unfortunately, due to some misreading and misinterpretation of subtle nuances the film is now facing a storm of negative propaganda to give it the death.
Clearly, the director, producer and all other crew & actors are absolutely aware of our glorious history of 1971 victory that is paramount in our national, personal, political and spiritual consciousness. Therefore, there is no intention to distort or bend our glory.
Recent News
Movie Review: Meherjaan 
As a parable of those times, the Bangladeshi feature film Meherjaan (2011) represents this harsh reality in a poignant way, insightful of the gentle topography and aesthetic of the land we know as Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi director wins award for “Meherjaan”

“The fact that ‘Meherjaan’ was not allowed to be screened in Bangladesh is something I still regret, and no amount of foreign awards or festival screenings can make up for that loss,” Hossain told PTI from Dhaka.
मेहरजान को प्रतिष्ठित ओर्सन वेल्स अवार्ड 
Greenville Film Fest offers rich treats 
Rubaiyat Hossain’s ambitious movie, with its novelistic plot, encompasses several story lines, but at its heart is a universal dichotomy: the senselessness of war and intolerance versus the redeeming power of love.
”Ainsi dans Meherjaan, la réalisatrice et actrice Rubaiyat Hossain aborde les sujets largement tabous du viol des jeunes filles par les soldats ainsi que des amours inter- dites avec l’ennemi. Poussée à «ouvrir une fenêtre» sur son passé refoulé, quarante ans après le drame, l’héroïne Meher peut enfin «soigner sa tristesse de mots apai- sants». Un film fort, qui met en avant l’hu- manité des personnages et pose la ques- tion de l’identité intrinsèque à chacun, au-delà des guerres. Montré et primé à travers le monde, le film a en revanche été rapidement retiré des salles au Bangla- desh, sa thématique dérangeante ayant suscité un tollé auprès du public.”–PASCAL FLEURY (LA LIBERTÉ, Samedi 24 Mars 2012)
Works of fiction — and truth –

On the whole, Meherjaan tells a compelling story — one that raises important questions and has the potential not only to explain and depict tensions between Bangladeshis and Pakistanis, but also begin to resolve them.
“….. a family saga set in the times of war, is quite an impressive achievement in cinema from Bangladesh. Its multi-layered story-telling and cinematic eloquence render a probing and heart-breaking tale about the spoils of war and loss of humanity.”
“…..the eloquent couplets of Faiz’s poetry about the return from Dhaka brought tears to my eyes and I cried like a child for the last twenty minutes of the movie. I wasn’t the only one: when the lights came on, there was hardly a dry-eyed person in the room.”
A genocide and refugees: Ripples in the pond– 
The timing of the release of Rubaiyat Hossain’s Meherjaan was rather unfortunate, since the heated debates about Bose’s book were in full swing. Bangladeshi critics found it unacceptable that one of their very own would attempt to unlock concealed narratives, which many perceived as untruthful. Hossain’s film reminds us that beyond the hegemonic narratives of the heroic tales and sacrifices of a war there always exist multiple truths. Many wrongly pigeonholed Bose’s book and Hossain’s film in the same category. The personal and deeply gendered attack that continued for months in print and the social media (for details see, Afsan Chowdhury’s “Meherjaan controversy: It’s not about the film, but about us and our history”) demonstrates how deeply sacrosanct 1971 remains in the Bangladeshi psyche. — Bina D’Costa
Preserve history of Indian cinema: Jaya Bachchan–
NEWS 
“it was tough for Hossain to make the movie which was aimed at highlighting violence on women and it was very sad that her work was strongly opposed in her country.” — Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan at the inaugural ceremony of the Jaipur International Film Festival where Meherjaan has won the Best Critic Award.
“1971 love story wins city’s heart” - Times of India
“Meherjaan’, which stars Jaya Bachchan (in the title role, as the older Meherjaan) and Victor Banerjee apart from Pakistani actor Omar Rahim, struck a chord in the city with its soulful, romantic storyline and an honest appeal to find peaceful solutions to political conflicts.”
মেহেরজানের প্রতি ভালবাসায় আপ্লুত কলকাতা - 
“Meherjaan score with city cine buffs” - 
“Kudos to Rubaiyat Hossain who had the courage to showcase such a wonderful and inspiring love story, standing at a time when we are facing cross border terrorism. Violence is the backdrop and had a presence throughout the film. But you see nothing violent on screen,” says (Monika) Roy.
SRK, Ray, ‘Rang Rasiya’, ‘Meherjaan’ crowdpullers at KFF
Controversial Bangladeshi Film to Be Released in India - 
ENT-KFF TWO - 
Meherjaan: When love and hate collide - 
Love knows no boundaries nor does it understand the man-made differences between different sects and ethnicities, but every lover knows that it is taboo to fall in love with the enemy. Controversial Bangladeshi film Meherjaan, which portrays the love dynamics between two young lovers coming from opposing backgrounds, was screened and discussed at The Second Floor (T2F) on Friday.l
Meherjaan Reviews
Love in the Time of 1971: The Furore over Meherjaan
“The response to Meherjaan was a reaction to the demasculinisation that might be felt by some and is an insight into the psyche of Bangladeshi masculinity which is uncomfortable with individual expressions of female sexuality.” Nayanika Mookherjee, Socio-cultural Anthropologist, Durham University, UK
pdf version
The Pakistani Patient
“If the director’s goal was to make her audience think, to question, to re-examine, and to open up the space for a full and honest (and doubtless painful and contentious) discourse of 1971, then she succeeded magnificently.” Zafar Sobhan, Columnist
Bangladeshi war film Meherjaan rekindles old enmities
“The movie features some of the region’s biggest stars – including India’s Jaya Bachchan and Victor Banerjee – as well as other leading performers from Bangladesh and Pakistan, making it one of few attempts involving a cast from three South Asian countries.”
“In the context of 1971 we are used to looking at these binary images of Bangladeshi hero versus the dehumanised Pakistani brutal animal. I tried to break away from that and I think that’s what created this huge uproar,” says Ms (Rubaiyat) Hossain.
Bangladesh liberation film opens old wounds
“It’s unfortunate there is such a huge controversy over such a good film. We live in a democratic country and everyone has the right to tell their own story,” Film Director Chasi Nazrul Islam, AFP News
‘Meherjaan’ a 3-nation film about women
‘Women usually appear as sacrificing characters. They are often treated as part of the silent landscape — objectified, abused and raped. The purpose of ‘Meherjaan’ is to break free of the typical male narrative and open up a conversation to explore other perspectives on the Liberation War,’ says Rubaiyat.
Pak Bangla love flick starring Jaya Bachchan ready for release
“It talks about national politics also speaks about the very personal intimate emotions of women. It is also a film that tries to look at the canvas of war and find a flicker of hope in love and compassion that can reach across man made boundaries”
CINEMA: review of ‘Meherjaan’ and some reflections
“… bold and refreshing initiative.”
A world without borders
“Meherjan” portrayed the absolute humanity within the people in all situations even in war; man fights and kills each other, they dies but its love what remains.’
Meherjaan – A Storied Past
‘In all, the film was exquisite.’
Meherjaan: A Story of War and Love
Would you like to meet Meherjaan?
“There is no question of distorting the history or humiliating the freedom fighters in the movie”
Where Meherjaan Fears to Tread
“In this day and age of grave political polarization and specific monopolies over our Liberation War history, the film’s attempt to provide a new perspective has been vilified not because of what it portrays, but because of what it allegedly fails to pay tribute to, and some politically powerful lobbies have given it the death।” Farheen Khan, Human Rights Activist (UN)
Hope in War Time
“I wanted to do present a story about hope and humanity as a way out during times of war.” Rubaiyat Hossain, Director of Meherjaan
Opinion
“Meherjaan controversy: It’s not about the film, but about us and our history.” Afsan Chowdhury, Journalist & Historian
Meeting Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan
“Through the film, she (Rubaiyat Hossain) is not talking to just one nation. She is actually talking to the world. It is truly an international film. And a film like this coming from Bangladesh is fantastic.” Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan, Legendary Indian Actress
Women on the Verge
Love in a time of war
“… a story that would examine 1971 not only through women’s eyes, but would also be a feminine narrative of love and spirituality. Even though I wanted to highlight the Birangonas, the violence of rape, and the indifference towards female experiences of war, I strongly felt that the film had to end on a positive note. I wanted my film to heal the wounds of 1971.”
Loosing the plot with Meherjaan
“let us protest any restriction in showing the film — be it official or unofficial.” Asif Saleh, co-founder and contributor to Drishtipat Writers’ Collective.
Meherjaan – A Film Cluttered with Controversies
Meherjaan on tour
Book, film greeted with fury among Bengalis
Pak-Bangla Love Story Removed from Dhaka Theatres
“There is no question of distorting the history or humiliating the freedom fighters in the movie,”
Of love and war
“Although it’s not a co-production, you can call Meherjaan a South Asian film. I’ve consciously tried to cast actors, technicians and musicians from all three countries…”
BLOG: Unheard Voice
BLOG: Da Qrratugai Qrrate
BLOG: Kaustav’s Arden
Reviews in Bengali (বাংলা)
মেহেরজান / হাসান ফেরদৌস
“… … এই ছবি আমাদের ভাবায়, আন্দোলিত করে, মনের ভেতরের অনেক অজ্ঞান জানালা ধরে টান দেয়। তার দু-একটি হঠাৎ করে খুলেও যায়।”
বিনির্মানের বিপত্তি ও জাতীয়তাবাদী আবেগ / ফাহমিদুল হক
মুক্তিযুদ্ধ ও নারীর প্রতি অবমাননার ছবি / রোবায়েত ফেরদৌস, মাহমুদুজ্জামান বাবু কাবেরী গায়েন ও ফেরদৌসী প্রিয়ভাষিণী
‘মেহেরজান’ যা বলতে চেয়েছে / রুবাইয়াত হোসেন
“এ ছবির মূল মর্ম একটি সর্বজনীন মানবতাবোধ ও দেশ-কাল-পাত্রের ঊর্ধ্বে চিরন্তন প্রেমের জয়গান—যা মানুষকে নিজের গণ্ডি পেরিয়ে যেতে অনুপ্রাণিত করে। এর মধ্যে কোনো গোপন অভিসন্ধি বা ‘এজেন্ডা’ খোঁজা নিতান্তই নিষ্ফল ও অতিকল্পনামাত্র।”
দক্ষিণ এশিয়ার ছবি মেহেরজান
যুদ্ধ ও ভালবাসার গল্পের অসাধারণ ছবি মেহেরজান
মানুষ রুবাইয়াতের মেহেরজান দেখতে চায়
কালের যাত্রা / পীযুষ বন্দোপাধ্যায়
প্রসঙ্গ মেহেরজানঃ শিল্পীর স্বাধীনতা, শিল্পীর দায় / তারেক আহমেদ
মেহেরজান: সাময়িক নয় স্থায়ীভাবে বন্ধের দাবি
‘আপনারা যারা ছবির বিরোধিতা করছেন, তারা কিছু না বুঝেই করছেন।’ – সানোয়ার মুর্শীদ, সেন্সরবোর্ড সদস্য
‘একটি শৈল্পিক কাজের ত্রুটি বিচ্যুতি শৈল্পিকভাবে চিহ্নিত না করে মুষ্টিমেয় জনমতকে অপপ্রচারে উত্তেজিত করার মাধ্যমে নস্যাৎ করার এ হেন চর্চা আপামর শিল্পী সাহিত্যিক ও মুক্তবুদ্ধির চর্চাকারী যে কারো জন্যই অশুভ ইঙ্গিতবাহী’।
ছবিতে বিতর্কিত কোনো বিষয় নেই
মেহেরজান বিতর্ক (১-৮ কিস্তি)
বাংলা ব্লগ আর্কাইভ : নীড়পাতা
Meherjaan Stills
(click on thumbnail for the larger image)
Meherjaan Poster
copyright ERA MOTION PICTURE 2011





















































































Best international film
I Want to watch this movie. Any idea where and how can i Get it ? I stay in Pune City, Maharashtra State, India.