Dhallywood, which was recently declared an industry, is on its 'death bed', say those tied to it.
Filmmakers, directors, producers and critics have pointed out that along with the fall in audience, the number of cinema halls has also shrunk and the crisis of talents, investment-scare and the lack of attention from the authorities have left the field barely breathing.
The fall in vitals
The slump in the industry is most evident through the fall in the number of releases on Eid, the largest festival of the Muslim community, which has traditionally seen the highest releases each year.
The overall releases each year have also slumped to barely 10 percent over the last seven fiscals, records of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) show, with the last fiscal registering the highest level of inactivity.
A hundred films were released in FY2005-06, only two more than the output in the following fiscal.
The same fall was observed over the FY 2007-08, followed by a 32-release fall taking the number down to 64 in the FY2008-09. The industry seemed to have stabilised going down by only one release in FY2009-10.
However, the stability was a short-lived one as the number slumped by 11 releases in FY2010-11, followed by the largest annual fall in the seven-fiscal period, a whopping 34 releases, to stand at only 11 in FY2011-12.
Why this?
The number of audience falling due to lack of production of quality films and continuous closing down of movie theatres had embedded fears of losses in the producers leading to a fall in investments, pointed out film-related professionals.
On the other hand, lack of patronisation and technical training is creating a crisis of artists and crew, and the low-quality productions are not fit to compete in the markets abroad, negating the scope of earnings from there, creating a vicious cycle of poverty in every aspect of the arena.
"Bengali films lost its glory a long time back, the industry is now on its death bed," said Bangladesh Film Producers-Distributors Association President Masud Parvez.
Parvez, who is also a renowned actor known by his alias Sohel Rana, claimed that the fall saw its start in the nineties.
Vulgarity, recreation of Bollywood and Tamil cinemas instead of original productions, low budgets and repetition of same story lines have pushed away the audiences since then, seeing in fact, the loss of a lion's share of the fan base.
Target: Quick bucks
However, Dhaka University mass communications Associate Professor Fahmidul Haq puts the blame on the 'business-like mentality' of producers and directors.
"With this mentality, many come and take their places behind the camera without any prior preparations and many unneeded films are made every year."
He also questioned the professionalism of directors and producers: "They do not have any clear concept about what recreational movies are, and they keep on making the films based on same type of scripts written on the old formula of stars-songs-fights-love."
Parvez pointed out that even though violence and vulgarity had been somewhat put on a leash over years, questions over the quality of films remain.
He continued that in the past, the film business was profitable and even the artistes, who worked along with the directors and producers, were dedicated.
"But now, even the directors, producers and artistes are here just to make a quick buck. They have neither long-term plans nor experience."
The film arena veteran continued that filmmaking had become like betting on a horse race. "Who wins, wins. The rest lose."
Lack of government interference
He also pointed out that there was a lack of government patronisation and help in the field. "None of the governments since independence took special care of the film industry.
"Instead, wrong steps and lack of support have in many cases held back the industry from booming."
Bangladesh Film Directors Association Chairman Mohammad Hannan also agrees with Parvez about the state of Dhallywood.
"If we make movies, where will we screen them? Cinema Halls are closing down one by one, and there are no government initiatives to save them."
According to statistics of the Information Minister to the parliament this year, nearly two-thirds of Bangladesh's movie theatres have shutdown.
"Many say there is a crisis of talent in and behind the silver screen. I agree. But we also do not have the necessary environment for making films," Hannan vented.
Silver screen's home in tatters?
BFDC's Managing Director has changed 40 times over the last four decades, which Hannan believes sped up the fall of the arena.
"The film industry is a vast area. The overall performance is essentially dependent on internal understanding. However, by the time a new MD manages to develop the understanding, he is transferred. It's FDC's bad luck."
Parvez, the distributors' platform stalwart, points out: "Most of these appointments are political. That would not have mattered if they were tied to films. I have repeatedly advocated for the appointment of someone who understands cinema."
He continued that three appointments were made over the last six months out of which two were 'from theatre' while one of them is 'up to an extent' tied to films.
"They might understand stage drama. But it is not possible to make them understand the totality of films."
Run-down equipment
Parvez also highlighted the desolate state of the technical side of the corporation. "Most of the work is carried out using equipment from the sixties. Besides, those operating them do not have proper training."
"A sound capturing machine was brought in 1990. Of the 40 knobs on the panel, the operators do not know how to switch on most of them. They do not know their functions.
"And the chemicals used to develop negatives in the lab are very low standard. Much better results are gotten when they are developed outside."
Hannan pointed out that despite being a film development corporation, most of the floors were rented out for television programmes throughout the year. Even though the filmmakers were supposed to get separate benefits now that the arena has been declared an industry, film-making is becoming tougher due to various charges being imposed every now and then.
Fahmidul Haq adds that no new equipment entered the BFDC after FY2005-06. The Telecine machine has been out of order for the last three years which is a similar scenario about the sub-title machine and the digital dubbing system.
"Anyone who wants to make a good film and get them to last more has to get his editing done in Madras after finishing off their shoot here.
However, the incumbent MD and drama icon, Pijush Bandopaddhay, is still enthusiastic about the BFDC. "FDC has nine shooting floors along with its own editing panel, lab and sound system, facilities which many South Asian countries do not have."
Information Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamun said that the government had been undertaking short-term, middle-term and long-term plans for the development of the film industry. "Under the short-term planning, FDC will be given Tk 580 million to bring the organisation up to date."
"It is a misery that the decision-takers do not discuss with us about what we need. This fund will be disbursed over five years, which means that every year, we will get funds a little over Tk 100 million," Parvez said.
"But to buy 12 cameras, we need Tk 480 million, the developing machine will cost Tk 30 million while the digital sound complex will require another Tk 100 million. That is leaving many other things out," he added.
Bandopaddhay agreed that the fund was not enough. "If we want to fully digitalise FDC from the manual system, this fund is in no way enough. But we also have to keep in mind the various limitations of a developing country."
