Boli – The Wrestler
2025 Bangladeshi sports drama film
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Boli – The Wrestler is 2025 Bangladeshi sports drama film. It is directorial debut film of Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury and it is produced by Piplu R Khan under the banner of Applebox Films.[1] The film stars Nasir Uddin Khan in the lead role as the title character alongside Priyam Archi, AKM Itmam, Angel Noor and others.[2] The film was received a grant from the Bangladesh government in 2021 and it is based on the tradition of 'Jabbarer Boli Khela' in Chittagong and 'Coastal Myths'.[3][4]
- Piplu R Khan
- Shaiful Azim
- Gousul Alam Shaon
- Nasir Uddin Khan
- Priyam Archi
- AKM Itmam
- Angel Noor
| Boli – The Wrestler | |
|---|---|
Poster | |
| Directed by | Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury |
| Written by | Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Tuhin Tajimul |
| Edited by | Jharol Mendoza |
| Music by | Ranadas Badsha |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Tiger Media |
Release date |
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| Country | Bangladesh |
| Language | Bengali |
Cast
- Nasir Uddin Khan as Moju
- Priyam Archi as Shafu
- AKM Itmam as Dofor
- Angel Noor as Rashu
- Tahadil Ahmed as Milon
- Prangan Shuvo
- Tanveer Ahmed
Release
Boli directed by Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury is being released in 8 theaters across the Bangladesh on 7 February 2025. Before it is release, the film also screened at several prestigious film festivals around the world and also screened at the Dhaka International Film Festival.[5][6] The film also screened at the Shanghai International Film Festival.[7]
Reception
Wroted by International Feature's survey "It is a film that feels both deeply grounded in regional authenticity and rich with esoteric mystery".[8]
Writing for Screen Daily, John Berra noted that Iqbal H. Chowdhury's debut feature The Wrestler differs significantly from Darren Aronofsky's 2009 film of the same name. Instead of a tragic drama, Chowdhury's film offers a metaphysical exploration of mortality through Boli Khela, a traditional Bangladeshi wrestling form native to the Bay of Bengal region that relies on precise clinching, joint locking and pinning techniques.[9]
Reviewing the film for Variety, Siddhant Adlakha described Iqbal H. Chowdhury’s directorial debut, The Wrestler, as a meticulous and slow-burning drama that mirrors the methodical nature of traditional Bangladeshi Boli khela. Adlakha noted that, the film uses an oblique, observational approach to explore masculine boundaries within a rural coastal setting, ultimately transitioning into a surreal and tragic portrayal of obsession.[10]
Writing for The Times of India, Priyanka Dasgupta noted that, the film centers on an eccentric elderly fisherman training in the traditional Boli Khela wrestling style to challenge a village champion in Chittagong. Dasgupta also highlighted, the strong representation of Bangladeshi cinema at the festival, contrasting it with the absence of films from West Bengal's Tollywood industry.[11]
Awards
- The film won the Best Film award at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 2023.[12][13]
- Bangladesh has been officially selected the film in the 'Best International Feature Film Category' at the 97th Oscars.[14][15]