Pleasure Boy Komola (2012)

Dark, disgusting, haunting, but well executed. Humayun Ahmed is no stranger to darker themes—his books always explore unsettling and complex subjects. But on the flip side, his movies and shows are often lighthearted comedies, so when I read the description of this film, which is based on his own book, I was curious about how he’d bring such a sensitive and grim story to the screen. Set in what I’d guess is the 1940s during British rule in Bangladesh, the story is inspired by true events. It revolves around the disturbing tradition of ghetu, where impoverished families would send their young boys dressed as girls to entertain wealthy landlords. These boys were there to dance and provide "pleasure" to the landlords. Every time I saw the boy in his girls' dress, I felt like throwing up 🤮—it was so DARK to watch. And whenever the boy danced on a song, I had to close my eyes because I just couldn’t take it. It’s horrifying to think this actually happened, and Humayun Ahmed didn’t hold back in portraying the stark ugliness of it. Now, if we sideline the dark plot and focus on the characters, Humayun really did a brilliant job. Every character is layered—villainous but also engaging in charitable acts, showing the duality of human nature. Tariq Anam Khan’s portrayal of the landlord was chilling, and it reminded me of his antagonist role in Aha!, another Oscar-submitted Bangladeshi film. It’s funny, though; I haven’t watched many of his movies, but is he typecast as a villain? Another standout element was the music. The ghetu troupe naturally brings folk songs, and I loved how the film used famous classic songs instead of composing new ones. The inclusion of a Kuddus Boyati piece was particularly pleasing to hear. Oh, and one thing I noticed right away—this movie had built-in English subtitles on YT. Now, most Bangladeshi films don’t usually have them, so I guessed this must have been submitted for the Oscars, and I was right! This was Bangladesh's official submission for the 2012 Oscars, and it shows why—it’s such a bold, unapologetic piece of cinema. While I’m not planning to read the book—it’s just too dark for me—I can’t help but appreciate what Humayun Ahmed achieved with this adaptation.