Cultural Correspondent
Much awaited film ‘Debi’ has finally been released in the capital city. It has been reported that the film has been released in twenty-eight cinema halls yesterday, though the number varies from twenty-five to twenty-eight as per different claims. But even before its release advance tickets of the film were sold-out in almost all the prime cineplexes in Dhaka. They are namely- Star Cineplex, Blockbuster Cinemas, Shyamoli Cinemas and Balaka Cineworld. Even though many other hall owners asked for the film’s release, the producers have decided to extend the number of halls periodically.
Meanwhile on the sideline a commercial film starring Bappi Chowdhury opposite debutant Adhora Hasan and also Moushumi were released across the country in eighty halls. This film named Nayak has had to cross hurdles in court for release. But in terms of ticket sales Debi is well ahead of Nayak.
Pre-booking of tickets started two days beforehand on October 17 with Shyamoli Cinemas. By October 18, 80 percent of the tickets for all the four shows of October 19, that is to say yesterday were sold on pre-booking. 60 percent of the tickets for today have also been sold. Some have also booked for tomorrow’s shows. The hall is well-known to fans of family movies. So this is a new achievement for a film reckoned to be suitable for family watching. The manager Ahsanullah says he is seeing such craze for a Bangladeshi film after a long time.
In Balaka Cineworld all the tickets for the shows of yesterday were sold on pre-booking the day before. At Star Cineplex too pre-booking started on October 18 and by afternoon all the tickets for all the ten shows of yesterday were sold. Debi based on Humayun Ahmed’s iconic character Misir Ali stars Chanchal Chowhdury, Joya Ahsan, Iresh Zaker, Shabnam Faria.
