Raihan Rafi
Bangladeshi film director & screenwriter
Raihan Rafi (born 3 March 1989) is a Bangladeshi film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his 2018 directorial debut PoraMon 2, produced by Abdul Aziz and under the banner of Jaaz Multimedia. The film won three Meril Prothom Alo Awards for Most Critic Movie of the Year, Best Actor and Best Actress.
Quotes edit
- "বাংলাদেশে একটা বিষয়ে খুব কষ্ট লাগে, সেটা হলো কোনো ভালো জিনিষ করা হলেও অনেকে বিশ্বাস করতে চায় না। সবাই মনে করে এটা বুঝি নকল। এটা নিশ্চয় কোথাও থেকে কপি মারছে। এরকম ভাবনাটা বেশি। পৃথিবীর সব কিছু কোনো ঘটনা বা ক্ষেত্রের সঙ্গে মিলে যেতে পারে। কথা মিলে যেতে পারে কাজ মিলে যেতে পারে তাই বলে সেটা নকল না।"
- Translation: "There is one thing that is very unbearable in Bangladesh, that is, even if something good is done, many people do not want to believe it. Everyone thinks it's plagiarized. It must be copied from somewhere. Such thinking is the majority. Everything in the world can correspond to an event or field. It is not plagiarized because words can be matched and actions can be matched".
- In an interview with Ekushey Television on 24 February 2018, quoted in their official website
- Translation: "There is one thing that is very unbearable in Bangladesh, that is, even if something good is done, many people do not want to believe it. Everyone thinks it's plagiarized. It must be copied from somewhere. Such thinking is the majority. Everything in the world can correspond to an event or field. It is not plagiarized because words can be matched and actions can be matched".
- "দর্শক আসলে বুঝিয়ে দিলেন ভাল কনটেন্ট হলে, ভালো গল্প হলে কোন তারকা লাগে না।"
- Translation: The audience actually proved that if there is good content, if there is a good story, no star is needed".
- In an interview with Daily Bangladesh on 20 January 2021, quoted in their website
- Translation: The audience actually proved that if there is good content, if there is a good story, no star is needed".
- "শ্রদ্ধেয় বড় ভাই, ছোট ভাইয়ের সিনেমার সাফল্যে এত জেলাসি ফিল করলে তো ‘চাপ দ্য প্রেশার’ বাড়বে। কুল ব্রো!"
- Translation: Dear elder brother, if you feel so jealous about the success of the movie of the little brother, then your 'Chaap: The pressure' will increase. Cool Bro!"
- Addressed to Ananta Jalil in a facebook post on 14 July 2022, quoted in Dhaka Tribune
- Translation: Dear elder brother, if you feel so jealous about the success of the movie of the little brother, then your 'Chaap: The pressure' will increase. Cool Bro!"
- "আগে রোমান্টিক ছবি, রাজনৈতিক ছবি নির্মাণ করেছি কিন্তু ফুটবল নিয়ে বা কোনো খেলা নিয়ে শুটিং করিনি। খেলার শুটিং যে এত কঠিন, আমার জানা ছিল না। শুটিংয়ের একপর্যায়ে ভেবেছিলাম, শেষ করতে পারব না। কোনো কোনো দিন সিয়াম, রাজরা শুটিং করতে করতে গিয়ে অসুস্থ হয়ে পড়েছেন, অনেক সময় শুটিংয়ে তাঁদের বমি করতেও দেখেছি। আমি নিজেও অসুস্থ হয়ে পড়েছিলাম। কী যে একটা অবস্থার মধ্যে আমাদের দিন গেছে, বলে বোঝাতে পারব না। কিন্তু এত কিছুর মধ্যেও মাথায় একটা জিনিসই কাজ করেছে, গল্প স্বাধীন বাংলা ফুটবল দল, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ—এ ছবির কাজ আমাকে শেষ করতেই হবে। এবং আমি তা পেরেছি।"
- Translation: "I have done romantic films, political films before but never filmed on football or any sports. I had no idea that sports filming was so difficult. At one stage of the filming, I thought, I will not be able to finish. Some days Siam, Razz got sick while filming, many times I saw them vomiting while filming. I myself fell ill. I can't explain the situation in which our days have passed. But in spite of all this, only one thing has worked in my mind, its story is Shadhin Bangla football team and freedom fighters–I have to finish the work of the film. And I did it".
- Meet the press event of Damal at Star Cineplex on 11 October 2022, quoted in a news article of Prothom Alo
- Translation: "I have done romantic films, political films before but never filmed on football or any sports. I had no idea that sports filming was so difficult. At one stage of the filming, I thought, I will not be able to finish. Some days Siam, Razz got sick while filming, many times I saw them vomiting while filming. I myself fell ill. I can't explain the situation in which our days have passed. But in spite of all this, only one thing has worked in my mind, its story is Shadhin Bangla football team and freedom fighters–I have to finish the work of the film. And I did it".
Quotes about him edit
- "নিঃসন্দেহে রায়হান রাফি ভাই আমার ক্যারিয়ারের জন্য একটা টার্নিং পয়েন্ট এবং অবশ্যই একজন লাকি চার্ম।"
- Translation: "Undoubtedly, brother Raihan Rafi is a turning point for my career and definitely a lucky charm".
- Bidya Sinha Saha Mim in Facebook, quoted in "রায়হান রাফি আমার ক্যারিয়ারের টার্নিং পয়েন্ট: মিম". News Bangla 24. 18 July 2022.
- Translation: "Undoubtedly, brother Raihan Rafi is a turning point for my career and definitely a lucky charm".
- "ছেলেটা মাদ্রাসায় পড়ছে, ভালো ইংরেজি বলে না, আমাদের হাই সোসাইটির সদস্য না বা ওর ছবিতে একটা র (স্বভাবগত) ব্যাপার থাকে, সেই জন্যে ওকে নিয়ে সুশীল সমাজ খুব একটা টগবগায় না। কিন্তু ওর প্রথম শর্ট ফিল্ম দেখার পরেই আমার মনে হয়েছিল, রাফি অডিও-ভিজ্যুয়াল ল্যাঙ্গুয়েজটা বোঝে। এমন না যে সে একটা ফিনিশড প্রোডাক্ট।"
- Translation: "The boy studied in a madrasa, does not speak good English, is not a member of our high society or has a raw (natural) aspect in his films, that's why the civil society does not bother much about him. But after watching his first short film, I felt that Rafi understands the audio-visual language. Not that he is a finished product."
- Mostofa Sarwar Farooki in Facebook, quoted in "ছেলেটা মাদ্রাসায় পড়ছে, ভালো ইংরেজি বলে না...". Prothom Alo. 29 October 2022.
- Translation: "The boy studied in a madrasa, does not speak good English, is not a member of our high society or has a raw (natural) aspect in his films, that's why the civil society does not bother much about him. But after watching his first short film, I felt that Rafi understands the audio-visual language. Not that he is a finished product."
- "Of course, as a young filmmaker, Rafi has his own drawbacks but choosing a story of this scale, and depth must deserve applause. Also, inspiring the younger generation to learn more about Bangladesh’s independence while keeping the film entertaining is a huge plus. Despite receiving massive backlash and threats from different fundamentalist groups in Bangladesh, Raihan Rafi did not change the scene where Razakars slaughtered a doctor for helping the freedom fighters and they kept chanting ‘Nara-e-Takbir Allahu Akbar’ (Shout God is Great) while doing it. We need more filmmakers like Raihan Rafi who are not just visionary, but also bold enough to portray Bangladesh and its history the way it really took place".
- Siam Raihan, in ‘Damal’ film review: The one you must not miss. The Business Post (8 November 2022).
