Rabeya (Bengali: রাবেয়া), also known by its English title, The Sister, is a 2008 Bangladeshi Bengali-language war film written and directed by Tanvir Mokammel, with permit from the Government of Bangladesh. The film is set during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, and stars Aly Zaker, Bonna Mirza,[1] Jyotika Jyoti, and Tauquir Ahmed in lead roles. According to Mokammel, Rabeya is a "deconstruction" of the Sophocles play, Antigone, and was premiered on December 6, 2008.[2]

Rabeya
A excerpt from the film
রাবেয়া
Directed byTanvir Mokammel
Written byTanvir Mokammel
Story byTanvir Mokammel
Based onBangladesh Liberation War
Produced byKino-Eye Films
Starring
CinematographyAnwar Hossain
Edited byMahadeb Shi
Music bySyed Shabab Ali Arzoo
Production
company
Kino-Eye Films
Distributed byKino-Eye Films
Release date
  • 2008 (2008)
Running time
103 mins
CountryBangladesh
LanguageBengali

The film was shot in Khulna and Bagerhat, and was screened at the Singapore International Film Festival and in Copenhagen.[3] It was also broadcast on television in ATN Bangla on December 13, 2008.[4]

Plot

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Two orphaned sisters, Rabeya (Bonna Mirza) and Rokeya (Jyotika Jyoti), live with their uncle, Emdad Kazi (Aly Zaker) who is a conservative Muslim League leader supporting the Pakistan Army, in the village of Ibrahimpur located by the Rupsa River in the Ganges Delta, where a Pakistani army captain stationed a military base. Emdad wants one of his nieces, Rabeya, to be married to his son, Tariqul. Kazi's nephew, Khaled, joins the Mukti Bahini to fight for Bangladesh's independence, but is shot dead by the Pakistan Army during a battle, and is left alone unburied by the river, and no one is allowed to be near the corpse. The Pakistan Army warned not to bury any guerrilla fighter, branded as an 'Indian agent' or 'traitor', and anyone doing so will be executed. Rabeya attempts to bury her brother, but while doing so, she runs away from the spot after almost being noticed by the razakars. Later, she tries to bury her brother again, but was caught and later spared. Rabeya was later taken to her uncle, who told her that burying someone is not the duty of a woman. One night, she goes alone and attempts to continue burying her brother, but was caught by the Pakistan Army and was shot dead. The Bengali guerrilla fighters declare Rabeya as a martyr, and inspire the poor peasants to stand against the army for an independent Bangladesh.[5][6]

Cast

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References

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  1. ^ Rahman, Masudur (12 December 2019). "একজন 'রাবেয়া'র কথা..." Jaijaidin (in Bengali). Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  2. ^ "A deconstruction of Antigone, set in 1971". The Daily Star. 6 December 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  3. ^ ""Rabeya" to make its international festival debut in Singapore". The Daily Star. 13 March 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Feature film Rabeya on ATN Bangla today". The Daily Star. 26 December 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Shooting underway for Tanvir Mokammel's film "Rabeya"". The Daily Star. 10 April 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Tanvir Mokammel films screening at Kolkata". Dhaka Tribune. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Bangla Director Dedicates New Film to 1971 War Martyrs". Outlook. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Jyoti in Tanvir Mokammel's Jibon Dhuli". The Daily Star. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Chitralekha Guha busy with 3 drama serials". The Independent. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2021.