Bangladeshi cinema, Bangla cinema, or Bengali cinema, better known as Dhallywood, is the Bengali-language film industry based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The popular term "Dhallywood" is a portmanteau of "Dhaka" and "Hollywood". It has often been a significant film industry since the early 1970s. The dominant style of Bangladeshi cinema is melodramatic cinema, which developed from 1947 to 1990 and characterizes most films to this day. Cinema was introduced in Bangladesh in 1898 by the Bradford Bioscope Company, credited to have arranged the first film release in Bangladesh. Between 1913 and 1914, the first production company, Picture House, was opened. A 1928 short silent film titled Sukumari was the first Bengali-produced film in the region. The first full-length film, The Last Kiss, was released in 1931.
Suchinta Chowdhury Chanchal, is a Bangladeshi actor. He is notable for his performances in Rupkothar Golpo (2006), Monpura (2009), Television (2012), Aynabaji (2016), Debi (2018) and Hawa (2022). He has received three Bangladesh National Film Awards for Best Actor and three Meril Prothom Alo Awards for Best Actor.
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki is a Bangladeshi film director, producer and screenwriter. His films Third Person Singular Number, Television, No Bed Of Roses were critically acclaimed across the world and received numerous international and national awards. He founded filmmakers' movement called "Chabial".
Arifin Shuvoo is a Bangladeshi film actor and television personality. He is the recipient of several awards and nominations, including a National Film Award and two Meril Prothom Alo Awards. He made his debut in 2007, appearing in the television series Ha/Na before appearing in his first film Jaago - Dare To Dream in 2010.
Iresh Zaker is a Bangladeshi advertising executive, television and film actor and a musician. He is the managing director of Asiatic 360, a marketing and advertising company, owned and operated by his parents, actors Aly Zaker and Sara Zaker. Most of Iresh Zaker's work as an actor has been in television, but he has also played negative roles in several films. He won the National Film Awards Best Performance in a Negative Role in 2015 for his portrayal of antagonist Danny in Chuye Dile Mon.
Gazi Rakayet is a Bangladeshi actor, director and writer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including 10 Bangladesh National Film Awards for the films Mrittika Maya (2013), Anil Bagchir Ekdin (2015) and Gor (2020).
Intekhab Dinar is a popular Bangladeshi actor known for starring in the Ekushey Television tv series Bondhone and Chorki series Unoloukik.
Redoan Rony is a Bangladeshi film director, producer and media executive who currently serves as the Chief Executive officer of Chorki. He has spent more than a decade in the media industry of Bangladesh. He has directed a few of the most popular TV series of Bangladesh e.g. Housefull, Fnf, Behind The Scene, Pata Jharar Din, etc. Redoan Rony has been awarded Meril-Prothom Alo Award, CJFB Award, Bachsach Award, and many more. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dialogue and the film won 5 National Award for his directorial debut film Chorabali (2012).
Bachelor is a 2004 Bangladeshi comedy-drama-romance film directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, in his feature directorial debut. It stars Humayun Faridi, Ahmed Rubel, Ferdous Ahmed, and Hasan Masood. The film was released on January 31, 2004, in Bangladesh. Aupee Karim's performance, in her feature film debut, won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress.
Raihan Rafi, is a Bangladeshi film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his directorial debut Poramon 2 (2018) 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. He won Blender's Choice The Daily Star Awards for Best Screenwriter of the film Khachar Bhitor Ochin Pakhi (2021) steaming and released on Chorki.
Ekattor is a Bengali-language streaming television series directed by Tanim Noor. It was released on OTT platform hoichoi on 26 March 2020, Independence Day of Bangladesh. The series stars Mostofa Monowar, Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Iresh Zaker, Rafiath Rashid Mithila, Mostafizur Noor Imran in the lead roles along with Tariq Anam Khan, Shatabdi Wadud and Deepanwita Martin in significant roles.
Tasnia Farin is a Bangladeshi actress and model. She has recently worked in Indian Bengali Film Industry, Kolkata. Critically acclaimed for her work in Karagar. She rose to fame with her central role in the web series Ladies & Gentlemen directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. The ZEE5 web series released on 9 July 2021. She is also known for her performance in the drama EX BOYFRIEND. She has also been seen in several dramas and music videos. She played the role of a katha in a web film Networker Baire directed by Mizanur Rahman Aryan and produced by Redwan Rony, which was released on August 19 of the same year. In 2022, Farin is starring in Indian Bengali language film titled Aro Ek Prithibi Somoy Television directed by Kolkata-based filmmaker Atanu Ghosh.
Mohanagar is a Bangladeshi drama streaming television series created by Ashfaque Nipun. Starring Mosharraf Karim as the Officer in Charge (OC) of Kotwali police station, Dhaka. The series consisting of eight episodes premiered on 25 June 2021 on Hoichoi. Khairul Basar, Shamol Mawla, Nishat Priom, Mostafizur Noor Imran, Nasir Uddin Khan, Zakia Bari Momo, Shahed Ali co-starred. In March 2023, the series was renewed for a second season Mohanagar 2.
Ladies & Gentlemen is a Bangladeshi drama streaming television series created by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Starring Tasnia Farin as Sabila Hossain, an ordinary girl, and also co-starred Afzal Hossain, Hasan Masood, Maria Nur, Partha Barua, Chanchal Chowdhury, Iresh Zaker, Mostafa Monwar, Mamunur Rashid and Saberi Alam. the series has been released on 9 July 2021 on ZEE5.
Unoloukik is a Bangladeshi anthology streaming television series written by Shibabrata Barman and directed by Robiul Alam Robi. Individual episodes explore the psychoanalytic journey of the human mind. There are five episodes in this series. The first episode Moribar Holo Taar Shwaad premiered on 12 July 2021, and the last episode of the series Dwikhondito premiered on 12 August 2021 on Chorki.
Ashfaque Nipun is a Bangladeshi Filmmaker, Screenwriter and Actor known for directing Mohanagar, Mukim Brothers, Ei Shohore, Landphone er dingulite prem, Alpona Kajol, Sonali Danar Chil, Ms Shuily, Mukh o Mukhosh er golpo, Victim and Eti Maa.
Chorki is a Bangladeshi subscription-based over-the-top media service and original programming production company, owned by Transcom Group via Prothom Alo subsidiary of Mediastar Limited, and was launched on 12 July 2021 worldwide. The service shows original content and content from other providers, including television series, films, and documentaries. The service is available in an ad-free version with limited content, while the premium tier includes a larger content library including original shows and films.
Jaago Bahey is a Bangladeshi anthology historical drama streaming television series created by Siddiq Ahmed and Sukorno Shahed Dhiman for Chorki. It premiered on 9 December 2021 and ran for three episodes, concluding on 23 December 2021.
Gunin is a 2022 Bangladeshi supernatural romance film directed by Giasuddin Selim. He also wrote the screenplay, based on Hasan Azizul Huq's short story of the same name. The film stars Pori Moni, Sariful Razz, Dilara Zaman, Iresh Zaker, Mostafa Monwar, and Azad Abul Kalam. It is produced and distributed by Chorki and was released on theatre on 11 March 2022.
No Ground Beneath the Feet is a 2021 Bangladeshi drama film scripted and directed by Mohammad Rabby Mridha in his debut feature. Starring Mostafa Monwar, the film depicts the life of Saiful, an impoverished ambulance driver in Dhaka. The film premiered at the 26th Busan International Film Festival in 'out of competition section' on 7 October 2021, and competed for Golden Peacock Award at the 52nd International Film Festival of India in November 2021.
