Forever Flows

The story unfolds around the struggle of Tithi, a young girl from a lower middle-class family in Bangladesh. Tithi becomes a call girl to support her family. Tithi’s brother gets married and surprisingly discovers that working can also give satisfaction. He opens up a business with the capital his sister made as a prostitute. Financially, things are getting better in the family but Tithi slowly becomes aloof and indifferent to everything. Even the touch of her own mother irritates her and makes her recall a man’s lust. She withdraws within herself and takes refuge in solitude.
This very memorable minimalist movie is a real pearl of Abu Sayeed’s work. The brilliant performance by the main actress, the talented and beautiful Shabnoor, opens a new chapter of acting in Bangladeshi cinema. The restraint, the subtle and calm approach used in the film, gives the development of this psychological drama unusual strength. The memorable close-ups of Tithi are done in such a manner that her silent face expresses her inner turmoil.
The director emphasizes that from childhood on women in Bangladesh have to deal with various types of sexual provocation and harassment. Forever Flows is not just a portrayal of prostitution because of economic reality, but also because of the sexual attitude towards women in a male dominated society. (RS)