Fatima (2024) [Movie Review] — A Thought-Provoking Drama on War, Memory, and Female Resilience

Directed by Dhrubo Hasan and written by Adnan Habib and Dhrubo Hasan, Fatima is a Bangladeshi drama that stitches together two timelines — the 1971 Liberation War and a contemporary 2024 storyline — to explore how women reclaim identity and agency. The film features Tasnia Farin, Yash Rohan, Manosh Bandyopadhyay, Pantho Kanai, Tariq Anam Khan, and a committed supporting ensemble.

Premise & plot

Two women, one spirit of resistance

Fatima alternates between the harrowing reality of a woman caught in the violence and oppression of 1971, and a modern-day actress (also Fatima) grappling with economic precarity, professional frustrations, and personal betrayals. As the historical Birangana’s story intersects with the present-day artist’s own battle for dignity, the film asks whether courage and resilience are inherited across generations — and whether storytelling itself can be an act of liberation.

Performances

Tasnia Farin anchors the film with fierce vulnerability

Tasnia Farin is the film’s moral center. She inhabits Fatima with a raw intensity that makes her struggles feel immediate; moments of silent endurance and sudden emotional rupture are handled with equal conviction. Yash Rohan is suitably unsettling as Prashad — a man whose presence hovers like a threat and a regret. The supporting cast, including standout cameos by Tariq Anam Khan and Shahed Ali Sujon, bolsters the film’s emotional texture even when the script wanders.

Direction & writing

Ambition often outweighs narrative discipline

Dhrubo Hasan’s passion project — eight years in the making, with the director also credited on story and portions of the screenplay — is notable for its ambition. The script bravely tries to link historical trauma with contemporary gender politics, but the screenplay is at times overambitious: subplots (an unresolved ‘agency’ thread, for example) and stylistic experiments dilute the core throughline. The film’s intent is powerful; its execution occasionally feels scattered.

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Technicals & music

Moments of craft amid uneven production values

While production values fluctuate — the independent-film-within-film segments alternate between moving and unintentionally cheesy — Pavel Areen’s music is consistently effective, especially the song “Shudhu Je Tomar,” voiced by Konal. Some technical choices (audible airplane noises used for tension) can be distracting rather than heightening the atmosphere. Overall, certain sequences are beautifully staged and photographed, while others reveal the constraints of a low-budget, ambitious production.

Themes & resonance

A meditation on memory, betrayal, and female agency

The film’s strongest achievement is its insistence that women’s struggles — whether in the trenches of 1971 or in the commercial pressures of 2024 — share a throughline. Fatima interrogates betrayal (both political and personal), the costs of artistic survival, and how historical wounds are mirrored in modern compromise. When the film focuses tightly on Fatima’s interior life, it finds genuine emotional power.

Shortcomings

Pacing and loose ends prevent full impact

At roughly half an hour longer than it needs to be, the film suffers from pacing issues. Several scenes could be trimmed to sharpen momentum and deepen emotional payoffs. The unresolved agency subplot and a few heavy-handed stylistic choices undercut otherwise affecting moments. These flaws prevent the film from fully realizing its thematic ambition.

Final verdict

An important, if flawed, work that deserves to be seen

Fatima is not flawless, yet its heart is in the right place. Driven by a commanding central performance from Tasnia Farin and buoyed by thoughtful musical moments and genuine thematic intent, the film earns respect for its message. Awards attention on the festival circuit (including recognition at Fajr, Rainbow, and Orlando festivals) underline its international resonance. For viewers interested in films that tackle history, memory, and women’s resilience — even when the filmmaking is imperfect — Fatima is worth watching.

Rating: 6.5 / 10

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Who should watch it

For festival-goers and socially conscious viewers

If you appreciate character-driven dramas, Liberation War narratives, and performances that linger, Fatima will reward your attention — especially when you value intention and thematic courage over flawless craft.