Production
Development
Around three hundred cast and crew are working on the film. [15]
Pre-production
The film was initially slated to begin filming on 20 October 2023 in Varanasi and Prayagraj in India. Bangladeshi actor Shakib Khan was supposed to participate in the shooting that day as the film's protagonist. [16] He was scheduled to go to Mumbai on 15 October, to participate in the pre-production work. His photoshoots, script reading sessions, look sets were scheduled to take place in Mumbai before the filming began in Varanasi, India. [17] However, the entire unit of 14 including Shakib Khan did not receive work permit visa on time from Bangladesh and could not travel to India at the scheduled time. [18]
On 21 October, one of the film's producers Kamal Mohammad Kibria Lipu, told Prothom Alo , "All the artists who will go to India for the shooting of this film, including Shakib Khan, have applied to the ministry for work permit visas. But the visas have not been approved yet." [19] The next day on 22 October, the entire unit of the film, including Shakib Khan, got visas. Which was confirmed by Lipu and director Anonno Mamun to Prothom Alo. [20] Then on 24 October, Shakib Khan went to Mumbai to participate in the pre-production work. [21]
On 25 October 2023, the film's press meet was held at a hotel in Mumbai which was attended by lead actors Shakib Khan, Sonal Chauhan, director Anonno Mamun and one of producers Kamal Mohammad Kibria Lipu. [22] Anonno Mamun confirmed that the film was being made on a budget more than ৳10 crore. [1] [2] Shakib Khan went to Varanasi from Mumbai on 26 October to participate in the shooting. [23]
Casting
After the success of Shakib Khan's previous film Priyotoma (2023), director Anonno Mamun announced a film with Khan. He said that the heroine will be from Bollywood. [24] The film was initially rumored to be titled Psychopath and Darad and the names of some Bollywood actresses including Prachi Desai, Neha Sharma, Zareen Khan and Shehnaaz Gill were also rumored. [25] In the late-July 2023, it was reported that Aamir Khan's brother Faisal Khan will star in the film, which was confirmed by the director to Prothom Alo . [26] The director confirmed to the media that Faisal Khan has been signed for the film. [27] [28] However, Faisal Khan denied this and said that it is unprofessional to use his name in the media without any agreement. [29] [30]
After many rumours, the lead actress was signed for the film in the late September or early October, Sonal Chauhan was named as the lead actress, which was confirmed by Eskay Movies, one of the film's Indian production companies, on 6 October to Prothom Alo. [31] [32] On the same day, the director revealed the names of the other cast members of the film, including Payel Sarkar, [33] Misha Sawdagor, Lutfur Rahman George, Rajesh Sharma, Debachandrima Singh Roy, Elina Shammi, Imtu Ratish, Farhan Khan Rio. [34] [35] The director confirmed to the media that Payel Sarkar will play a brave police official and Debachandrima Singh Roy will play a model. [36] Then on 8 October, Shakib Khan was officially signed as the lead actor of the film, making him the first Bangladeshi actor in a pan-Indian film. After the singing, the final script of the film was handed over to him by director Anonno Mamun, and the Bangladeshi producers Sarder Saniat Hossain and Kamal Mohammad Kibria Lipu. [37] [38] The following day, on 9 October, veteran Indian actor Rahul Dev, who had previously collaborated with Khan in the 2016 film Shikari , joined the cast. [39] Two days later, on 11 October, Miss Bangladesh 2017 crown-holder Jessia Islam signed up for a guest appearance in the film, her second film, and is scheduled to participate in the filming for 10 days. [40] [41]
A rising fashion-model from Bangladesh Safa Marua stars in the film, and shot for a total of 16 days in Varanasi. [42] [14] [43]
Filming
The principal photography began on 27 October 2023 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. [44] [45] On the same day, the director revealed a behind the scenes look of the film on his Facebook account. [46] [47] On the second day of its filming on 28 October, Shakib Khan shot for around 18 hours continuously. [48] On 7 November, during filming, 70 percent crew of the unit including protagonists Shakib Khan, Sonal Chauhan and director Anonna Mamun, were infected with fever. [49] However, the director continued filming. [50] The Daily Star reported that director Mamun confirmed that a romantic song featuring Khan and Chauhan was shot in Varanasi on 9 November. [51] [52] On the same day, Channel i revealed some stills from the song, which Mamun had sent to Channel i Online. [53] The film's Indian portion was wrapped up on 17 November 2023. [54] It was shot for 22 consecutive days in India, [55] with a cast and crew of over three hundred every day. [15]
Release
On 25 October 2023, at film's press meet director Anonno Mamun confirmed that the film will be released in more than 30 countries in six languages including Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada in the first week of February 2024. [64] Ultimately, it was not released on the scheduled date as the post-production work was not completed on time. [65] Then no new date announce until July 2024, where it says to release on 6 September 2024. [66] But it was not released on 6 September 2024. [67]
After several delays, the film was finally released on 15 November 2024, simultaneously in 257 theaters across 22 countries, including Bangladesh, the United States, and Canada. [68] It is scheduled for release in Indian theaters on February 28, 2025. [69]
Pre-release business
Two days before its release, on 13 November 2024, advance ticket sales for the film began in multiplexes. Initially scheduled for 22 shows daily across all branches of Star Cineplex from the first day of release, the Cineplex authorities added four more shows on the first day due to high demand in advance ticket sales. [70] Additionally, advance ticket sales began at Lion Cinemas in Keraniganj, Cinescope in Narayanganj, as well as Modhuban Cineplex in Bogura and Sugandha in Chattogram, according to reports. [71]
Reception
Audiences and box office
The film received a roaring response at box office on its opening in Bangladesh. According to Independent TV, citing Star Cineplex authorities and the film's director Anonno Mamun, Dard set the record for highest first-day ticket sales at multiplexes among all films released this year. On its opening day, only Star Cineplex chain sold tickets worth ৳30.68 lakh, surpassing the ৳29.61 lakh earned by Toofan, which was released during Eid al-Adha 2024. [72]
Critical reception
Nur Islam Tipu of Independent TV rated Dard 3.75/5, calling it a gripping psychological thriller. He praised Shakib Khan’s exceptional performance as Dulu Mia, a complex character driven by obsessive love, and highlighted the intense second half and emotional climax. Despite a slow first half and minor narrative flaws, Tipu noted the film's strong music and intriguing storytelling, making it a standout entry in Dhallywood. [73] Rahman Moti of Bangla Movie Database rated the film 7.5/10, calling it "a bold experiment" in Shakib Khan's career. He praised Khan's performance as "a one-man show" and highlighted the fresh theme of "Celebrity Worship Syndrome." While noting the slow first half, Moti commended the film's climax and Khan's acting, calling it one of his career-best performances. [74] Shadique Mahbub Islam of The Business Standard called the film "a wasted opportunity," criticizing its "incoherent plot" and "poor directorial work." While praising Shakib Khan's performance as "committed and heartfelt," he found the supporting cast lackluster and the screenplay "nonsensical." Islam concluded that despite its potential, the film felt "rushed and incomplete." [75] Ahsan Kabir of Bangla Tribune criticized the film as "formulaic and riddled with inconsistencies," describing it as "a film that glamorizes violence without offering depth." While acknowledging Khan's performance as "natural and fitting," Kabir pointed out that the supporting cast's delivery lacked emotional coherence, particularly Sonal Chauhan's dialogue synchronization. He further noted that the screenplay was "sluggish and repetitive," failing to create a compelling narrative for a psychological thriller. Kabir concluded that despite its aspirations as a pan-Indian film, Dard suffered from "poor cinematography, outdated aesthetics, and a weak script" that may not resonate with audiences like Khan's recent successes. [76]
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