The realities of married life, from changing patterns of communication to small misunderstandings and everyday compromises, take centre stage in Chorki Original film ‘Happily Married’, which had its premiere in Dhaka on October 5.
The romantic comedy-drama, directed by Jahid Preetom, will be released on Chorki on October 8.
The premiere was held at the Liberation War Museum auditorium in the capital, where audiences enjoyed the film’s blend of humour and emotion while following its portrayal of different experiences within married life.
The film’s story, screenplay and dialogues were written by Jahid Preetom, who said his own experience of marriage helped him understand the different layers of a relationship and influenced the story.
“I have been married for about one and a half years, and I am gradually understanding the different layers of a relationship. The four or five hours of communication during a relationship eventually become 24 hours of being together after marriage. I am understanding the changes that come with that,” he said.
“My friends told me that after getting married, I would understand and would no longer feel like telling love stories. But that did not happen to me. Rather, it has become more serene. I am learning to deal with reality,” he added.
Preetom said the story originated from an idea of presenting a relationship-focused narrative that would make audiences laugh while also allowing them to reflect on their own relationships.
“I tried not to make anything too critical in the story. Understanding each other is actually what makes a married couple happy. Small doubts and small decisions can create distance between people. Instead of that, take care of the person you love and love them every day,” he said.
‘Happily Married’ marks the first collaboration between Preetom and actor Arifin Shuvoo, while the director had previously worked with actress Keya Payel.
Describing his experience of working with the lead actors, Preetom said Shuvoo was very supportive during the shoot.
“Shuvoo bhai does not bring his phone to the set or watch the monitor during shooting. During breaks, he stays by himself, listens to music and reads books. On the other hand, Keya Payel is quite active on social media, and her character Anamika is also like that. So, I felt they were very good casting choices for these two characters,” he said.
For Payel, ‘Happily Married’ marks her first work for an OTT platform. She said the project attracted her because of its story and the opportunity to work with Preetom, Shuvoo, Chorki and Chabial.
“It is a very good project for me because the story is beautiful, the director is Jahid Preetom, my co-actor is Arifin Shuvoo, and Chorki and Chabial are involved with it. Anyone would want to be part of a project like this,” she said.
The film also marks Arifin Shuvoo’s return to Bangladeshi OTT after a considerable gap. His last released content on Chorki was ‘Unish20’ in 2023.
Shuvoo has said that he considers every project a new challenge and a comeback in its own way. He has also invited audiences to watch ‘Happily Married’.
Chorki CEO Redoan Rony said the film presents a story that is relevant to contemporary life.
“People are so concerned about everything around them that they often forget to enjoy their time and life. This content will, to some extent, give audiences an opportunity to spend some time in their own way,” he said.
Producer Nusrat Imrose Tisha, representing co-producer Chabial, said the response at the premiere was encouraging.
“Judging by the response we received at the premiere, I feel others will also enjoy it and be able to relate it to their own experiences,” she said.
Presented by Sensation, ‘Happily Married’ is the seventh film under the ‘Ministry of Love’ (MOL) project.
Previous releases under the project include ‘Something Like an Autobiography’, ‘Last Defenders of Monogamy’, ‘Kacher Manush Dure Thuiya’, ‘Forget Me Not’, ‘36-24-36’ and ‘Dimlight’.
The film stars Arifin Shuvoo and Keya Payel in the lead roles, alongside Salahuddin Lavlu, Tushar Khan, Deepa Khandakar, Cristiano Tanmoy, Umme Jamilatun Naima, Parvez Suman and Twink Carroll.
For Jahid Preetom, ‘Happily Married’ is his second film for Chorki, following his directorial debut ‘Ghumpori’.