Private Project

Rupali Aansh

"Rupali Aansh" presents a unique and deeply symbolic story set against the backdrop of Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War—told through the eyes of a fish.

While searching for a place to lay her eggs, a pregnant fish is caught in a net, denied her natural purpose, and placed in a small bowl. Trapped, she becomes an unlikely observer of human struggles, witnessing the realities of war in an unexpected household.

The bowl finds its way into the home of Kader, a powerful village figure and collaborator with the Pakistani army (a Razakar). He intends to serve the fish to a high-ranking officer, but his 7-year-old son, Badsha, forms a surprising bond with it. As Badsha helps his mother, Rabeya, with household chores, he finds comfort in the silent companionship of the fish—unaware of the deeper turmoil unfolding around him.

Rabeya, however, harbors a dangerous secret. While outwardly obedient to Kader, she despises his allegiance to the Pakistanis. Her father was murdered by the army, and her brother, Anwar, is now fighting for Bangladesh’s freedom. As Rabeya quietly aids a captive freedom fighter, she teaches Badsha small acts of defiance—laying the groundwork for a covert plan involving the fish itself.

In a world where even nature is touched by war, a simple fish becomes a symbol of resistance, innocence, and survival. With her son by her side, Rabeya takes a bold step toward liberation—one that will change all their fates.

  • Shopno Samudra
    Director
  • Shopno Samudra
    Writer
  • Neil Samudra
    Producer
  • Anaet Haider Shawon
    Producer
  • Manyota Das
    Key Cast
    "Badsha"
  • Suprobha Sheboti
    Key Cast
    "Rabeya"
  • Mahfuz Masum
    Key Cast
    "Kader"
  • Arfun Ahmed
    Key Cast
    "Army officer"
  • Anaet Haider Shawon
    Key Cast
    "Fisherman Old"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    রূপালী আঁশ
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 2, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Bangladesh
  • Country of Filming:
    Bangladesh
  • Language:
    Bengali
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Dhaka
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • 22nd SediciCorto Film Festival
    Forlì
    Italy
    October 8, 2025
    WORLD PREMIERES
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • International Anti-War Film Festival
    Istambul
    Turkey
    December 5, 2025
    Turkey Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Animare Cartoon Film Festival
    Forlì
    Italy
    October 9, 2025
    6th position OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • MIAMI ART TECH SUMMIT
    MIAMI, FLORIDA
    United States
    December 4, 2025
    United Stated Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Cartoon Club
    Rimini
    Italy
    July 27, 2025
    Italian Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION _ Signor Rossi Award
  • Nordic Palestinian Film Festival
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    April 21, 2025
    Swedish Premiere
    Quarter-Finalist
Director Biography - Shopno Samudra

Shopno Samudra (b. December 5, 1986) is a filmmaker with a passion for blending art, history, and deeply human storytelling. Raised in Dhaka under the guidance of his parents, Samudra Gupta and Sohana Happy, his creative journey is a fusion of visual artistry and cinematic expression.

A graduate of the University of Dhaka, Shopno holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics (2005–2009) and is pursuing a Master’s in Television, Film, and Photography. His background in fine arts shapes his unique approach to filmmaking, where each frame is crafted with a painter’s precision.

Shopno’s work often explores themes of memory, resilience, and identity. His early film Kshoy (2009) set the foundation for his narrative style, followed by The Ghost Love (2012) and the award-winning documentary Two Daughters and Their Memory of Father (2019), which earned special recognition at Dhaka DocLab. In 2020, he ventured into animation with Ghuddi and Falgun, demonstrating his ability to merge traditional storytelling with modern techniques.

Beyond cinema, Shopno has contributed to theater and literature, collaborating on stage plays like Ghore-Baire and Dibanishi. As the former General Secretary of the Dhaka University Film Society (2009), he has played a key role in shaping Bangladesh’s independent film culture.

For Shopno, filmmaking is more than an art—it is a bridge between history and human emotion, a way to capture the unspoken stories of resilience. Through Rupali Aansh, he seeks to redefine war narratives, proving that even the smallest beings—like a fish—can become symbols of resistance and hope.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

“Rupali Aansh” is more than an animated short. It is an echo of my bloodline, a tribute to quiet courage, and a personal act of remembrance told through visual poetry.

This story was inspired by my maternal grandmother, who lived through the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 as the wife of a police officer. While my grandfather was forced to cooperate with the Pakistani army, they both secretly helped freedom fighters—putting their lives on the line in silence. My grandmother cooked for the enemy with her hands, while her heart stirred resistance into every dish. She embodied duality—subservient on the surface, defiant underneath. Her spirit lives fully in Rabeya, the central character of “Rupali Aansh”.

My father was also a freedom fighter, and his pet name was Badsha. That name lives on in the young boy in the story, whose innocence becomes an anchor in a house wrapped in quiet rebellion. Every character, every frame, carries a piece of my family’s soul.

Though the animation may not match the polished aesthetic of global studios, its style is intentionally naïve—reflecting a story rooted in memory, myth, and magic realism. This isn’t a historically accurate account, but it “feels” true. In my culture, fish symbolize life, fertility, and freedom. In this film, a voiceless fish becomes a witness, a secret ally, and ultimately, a symbol of hope.

As a visual artist, I’ve always believed that form should follow feeling. “Rupali Aansh” is drawn with the hands of memory and told with the heart of a grandson honoring the unsung heroines of war. I offer it not just as a film, but as a remembrance—for the women who fought in silence, and for the children who carried their legacy without even knowing.