Touqir’s ‘Sinpaat’ is an episode of happy accidents

With "Shaaticup", Mohammad Touqir Islam did not just win the audiences' hearts but took home the Best Director Award in the Critics category at the Blender's Choice-The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards 2022. The production was also recognised as the Best Series in Critics category in the same award.

Touqir is an alum of Children Film Society and a graduate of Asian School of Media Studies, Delhi. He, along with his team at their own production house, Footprint Film Production, has made short films that bagged national and international accolades.

Kicking off 2024, a new series titled "Sinpaat" by the director was announced on the OTT platform Chorki, making it the first OTT content to be released on a local platform this year. The Daily Star catches up with the director to learn more about the series. 

"The story of each character in this series has been taken from their own lives," says the director. "However, it was tough for us to convert these non-fictitious stories into fictional matter."

At the beginning of this interview, the director clears the air about not being able to spill the beans on this project before its release, as this might disclose the twist and plot. "I don't speak in an organised way so I might overshare, which will disclose a major plot," he shares, quirkily. 

What does the title suggest? Touqir answers, "In English, it can be literally translated as episodes of sin, however, according to the philosophy of the plot, it means desired or precedented accident," adds Touqir.

The seven-episode series is a dark crime thriller, containing action and layers of humane emotions throughout it. Located in Rajshahi, Nagarbari, Pabna, and Daulatdia, the content was shot for 56 days. "We shot in authentic locations to keep the ambiance, but to stay true to the indie style that we were going for was very challenging in this situation."

What more is the series offering? The director has good news for "Shaaticup" fans. "Some of the characters from the 'Shaaticup' universe will also be seen in 'Sinpaat', and these characters' stories will be connected in a new tale," he says.

Touqir further shares, "The characters from the series are quite niche, probably the kinds of people we have never seen even once in our lives." 

Since his first project, it is evident that Touqir chooses to walk a different way. The audience may be curious to know—despite being a brilliant filmmaker, none of his projects featured 'stars'. Does he do this deliberately? He sheds light on it, "The cinematic treatment of our projects actually demanded new faces – also, some of them are non-actors, who have an intense desire of becoming the characters. They have completely moulded into the characters that I, as a director, wanted. This feeling is tremendous! Moreover, as a debutant, I was more comfortable working with them."

Touqir also admits that at the beginning of his career, he didn't have much connection with prominent artistes, and he was also not sure if his production company could afford them. "Maybe in my future projects, the audience will see star casts," he shares hopefully.

"Sinpaat" features Sohel Sheikh, Mohammad Rifat Bin Manik, Zinnat Ara, Shiblee Noman, and Tanzil Ahmed Emon amongst others.

The series has been collaboratively written by the director himself, alongside Omar Masum, Khalid Saifullah Saif, Amit Rudra, and Minul Islam Milon. Produced by Footprint Film Production, the Chorki original series will start streaming from January 11.