The Recent Revolution on Celluloid : A Change in the Socio - Cultural Environment

A major event in the history of Bangladesh, the liberation war of 1971 has been represented on the silver screen with passion and authenticity as well. In most cases, the representation is gendered, concentrating on the male protagonists, who fight for the country while women appear mostly as victims. However, recent films have made a step towards 'thinking otherwise'. In the recent socio-cultural context the recent filmmakers and screen playwrights approach history from a critical perspective supported by new style whether in story-telling or in the use of technology. While it is praiseworthy to 'think' new, it is at the same time necessary to understand whether the fusion of history and subjective perspectives is done with responsibility, as a minor loop-hole may have tremendous consequence. My purpose in this paper is to identify the 'newness' in the recent representation of the Liberation War in contemporary films and how this representation signifies a major change in the socio-cultural environment of the country.