Introduction

Mr. Masud’s best-known film was “The Clay Bird,” which won an International Critics’ award
at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival for its “authentic, moving and delicate portrayal of a country
struggling for its democratic rights.” Semi-autobiographical, “The Clay Bird” is about the
influence of religious beliefs on a family during Bangladesh’s struggle for independence from
Pakistan. Written and directed by Mr. Masud and co-written, edited and produced by his wife,
the film tells of a poor Muslim boy sent away by his rigid, conservative father to a madrasa, a
religious school, despite the concerns of his mother. The movie, Mr. Masud’s first feature-length
fiction film, highlighted the division between Muslim moderates and Islamic fundamentalists.
The Masuds said they had invested all their savings in making the film. The Clay Bird” was
initially refused a censor’s certificate by the Bangladesh government on the grounds that it gave
a distorted image of the madrasa system and might inflame passions in that majority Muslim
country. The decision was reversed after Mr. Masud made what officials called “necessary
changes.” (NEW YORK TIMES 2011)

The Story of the Film

This is probably an unusual but perhaps apt time for Tareque Masud's intelligent drama, ''The
Clay Bird,'' easily one of the finest pictures of 2003 or any other year. Set in Bangladesh in the
1960's, ''The Clay Bird'' questions the nature of dedication to Islam. It doesn't attack fealty but
eventually rebukes zealotry by showing a boy's reaction to his father's recent total immersion.
"The Clay Bird" tells the story of Anu (Nurul Islam Bablu), a young country boy who is sent to a
Madrasah (Islamic school) by his devout father, Kazi (Jayanto Chattopadhyay). Warning against
the dangers of blind subservience to religious leaders. The questioned is stand when it comes
religious perspective and the nature of dedicated Muslims? It is not anti-Islamic, but it shows us
fanaticism cannot be a Muslim due to Islam doesn’t permit fanaticism.
A child who copes with his father’s fanaticism, he also struggled in the entire life. Anu, who
was five or six years old, sent off to a religious school because he went in a Hindu festival with
his uncle Milon.Though it was eternal cultural aspect in the Bengali (East Pakistan) region.. His
father then took the decision of sent off to religious school madrasha. Kazi doesn't want his son
tainted by the outside world. His obedient though doubtful wife, Ayesha (Rokeya Prachy) was
his mother, quietly expresses through frowns her concern about Kazi's close-minded new
seriousness. She gently reasons with her boy, and the bright Anu resigns himself to his new life.
His heart was melted in that circumstances. The head teacher of the madrasha is very hard about
his students. After hearing the name Anu he directly refused the name because of it is related
with Hinduism. He gave him the new name Kazi Muhammad Anwar Hussain (Anwar).He needs
sympathy and finds his friends.
Anu gravitates toward the one boy who will never be accepted: the oddball Rokon (Russell Farazi).
Rokon can't suppress his enthusiasms, and he hasn't learned how to play up to the teachers by
pretending to go along with the program, as the other boys have.
Rokon is constantly rebuked by almost everyone. At one point, he's punished by a teacher for using
his left hand to write it is thought to be disrespectful specially writing for Arabic Words. But Rokon
keeps to his ways; his naturalness represents sacrifice, the biggest casualty of zealotry.
At madrasha, Anu witnesses a similar kind of fanaticism as his teachers gang up on eccentric
classmate Rokon (Russell Farazi), eventually forcing him to undergo a life-threatening exorcism
in the freezing river water to cure him of his strange habits. But Anu was very much fortunate to
take presence his thoughtful, kindhearted Islamic teacher Ibrahim. His ideology, believes and
personality comes to Anu as like as breath in peace. Rokon also take some advantages at his critical
stage.
This Kazi was not believe in Islam in the British period. Once he “dressed as Englishman”, but
after the independence of Pakistan, he accepts Islam and then started fanaticism. Despite that his
father was a new Muslim, Anu’s uncle Milon believe in Marxism. Here Kazi was sitting in the
position of fanaticists and Ayesha is taking shelter in her husband’s house despite that she has no
interest about politics, religion, but she has no place where she can go. Milon struggled for
independence in spite of having embargo of his elder brother. Ayesha tolerate all sorts of Islamic
nature of her husband, but cannot speak. She represents the women of third-world. In the third-
world, women cannot move their position due to their societal position. Here she has no freedom.
When her brother-in-law went liberation war, her son sent off too Religious school. The loss of
innocence is only one of the motifs here. Her daughter becomes sick and suffers even more when
Kazi refuses to let his wife give her antibiotics. He is wedded to homeopathy and prayer as
treatment to Allah. Ayesha was helpless and her daughter affected in fever and died suddenly.
When the liberation war started, Aysha got anxiety for her son because only Anu then had survived.
Suddenly he came from his religious school when Pakistani military was taking operation. Then
his father was surprised to see him, but his mother was happy to get him. In the night, she took
shelter in a jungle with her son and villagers, whereas her husband watched the house, could not
save his house from the Pakistani military. When Anu’s mother went there, he did not back despite
his son was calling him. Anu’s father still stay his house.
The Clay Bird calls to mind Satyajit Ray’s deeply moving childhood epic of rural India, “Pather
Panchali”. The story of those film is going ahead with critical way, believes and opinion. It is wise,
democratic, and alert to the way’s men fool themselves with certainty. It also has some tremendous
live performances of devotional folk music. And try to denoted the inoffensive believes in this
region and culture by a rural ferryman to Milon, "No true religion, be it Hinduism, Islam, or
Christianity, will ever make people blind. True religion opens people's eyes”
Why the story is against fanaticism
The film “Matir Moyna” (The Clay Bird) viewed the inconsistency of the society in very subtle
way. The Clay Bird unfolds with the serenity of a fable but underneath it draws intelligent,
deeply troubled connections between the personal, political, and spiritual. The film poses a single
overriding question -- should religious faith be based on fear or on love?
In the Bangladeshi society most of the religious teachers are known very poor about the history
of Islam in this region. They still do not know what was the way to come Islam in this region. In
this film we see the headmaster of the madrasha he talked against the secularism society at his
Khutba (lecture). For this situation he amnestied Communist people and anti-Islamic (Hindu
rubbish). He directly talks about the holy war (Jihad) against the people and inspired the general
people and students. Undoubtedly in the such types of lectures from mosque and madrasha can
influenced people.
On the contrary We are also seeing some reply on the lectures. Ibrahim a kindhearted religious
man he did not like the lectures on mosque. He talked to Halim Miah “that this is not the
appropriate way of Islam specially in this region. Because of in this area Islam did not
established here through the sword. It was the selfless Sufis who went to low caste Hindus to
spread Islam’s message of peace and equality king of Iran and Arabic conquered the land but not
people’s heart. It was thanks to the Sufis that people embraced Islam. The real truth is you
cannot make Islam flourish with politics or arms. It can be spreading by Islamic knowledge that
Islam will prosper”.
The statement of Ibrahim master gives a peaceful message about islam and enlighten. He
actually told the real history of Islam to spread all over the world. The local mullahs always
create a misconception in society by telling Jihad. But a broaden minded Ibrahim oppose it in a
peaceful way and his message remove all kind of misconception.
At their conversation Halim Miah asked to Ibrahim that our mission is only to spread
knowledge! And knowledge for knowledge’s sake? Now Ibrahim told him that actually it was
not. This is not just knowledge it is also practice. Then Ibrahim try to understand that actually
who comes to madrasha he who does not belong a rich family. They came us from mostly
orphans, poor family that they do not afford their children by food or clothing and no way to
them educate. So, it is our responsibility to take care of them and make them into true Muslims.
For this reason, it is unfair to use them for political involvement. The subtle thinking of Ibrahim
master influenced us and create a new world in our brain.
But Mr. Halim do not think it positive. Then he questioned that if we are not awake then
communists and secularism are endangering to Islam. So, it is need to confront them. Then the
intellectual man Ibrahim told him that it is no difference between a Muslims and a communist.
Islam is not a big a deal with political issue. Islam has its own identity. At that time before the
liberation war many people believe that if Pakistan will breakdown then how we can continue
our ideology and belief. Muslim brotherhood will be weekend at this region and they suffer
much. Like this character Khan Bahadur Saheb core supporter of Pakistani Military rule always
create mis concept and disseminate the misinformation in society.
He told to Kazi that Bengali create the anarchy with Pakistani ruler and Kazi accept the
information. But like the character of Ibrahim in our society always talked the real story of
Pakistani Army. They talked about the fanaticism clearly that Pakistani Army do not establish
Islam actually they enforcement the military rule and dominated Bengali.
Now that many of our people still believes that stones or clay is more important than water after
using toilet. Because the only one reason that it is Muhammad’s way. Halim Miah is the way on
that work to make clay. But Ibrahim master is busy to take care of trees. Then he asked Halim
that is it necessary to make clay when we have enough water to use. Arabian country are faced
very bad to use enough water. So that they make clay and stones. But the same reply from Halim
Miah that it is Muhammad’s way. Tareque Masud criticize in this stage very subtle way to our
fanaticism people and try us to understand that it is unnecessary for us.
Anu’s father Kazi is also play a fanatic role in this film. His ideology and belief were going on a
fake concept. Due to the doctor of homeopathy he did not use any antibiotic for his daughter.
Though his brother Milon give an antibiotic bottle to his sister-in-law. But kazi did not
permission to use it. Lack of proper treatment Asma died & it was coming very pathetic for their
family.
One day Anu comes to house some sweets from village festivals. But his father Kazi directly
denied it by saying ‘Hindu rubbish’. Meanwhile we see that the festivals of Eid Milon invite his
friends to their house. There was one are from the Hindu religion. Mr. Tareque Masud give a
opinion in this part how a festivals can be all of the community. The blaspheme and the
endurance told to everyone and gives right the audience actually what was looking good.
Audience select their perception because they have the right to choose. Tareque Masud Shows
his very subtle creativity.
In the story Rokon a different boy from others. He did not play with his any classmates. He play
a game which his own made and his games had no boundaries. Anu (Anwar) is the only boy who
like him. Even the headmaster of madrasha did not like him. It is a very critical matters that in
this situation a person is liked a different category person. It teaches us very critically to liked
different category people whose belief actually different ways. On that stage we see Rokon
became ill but the headmaster of the institution think that he was on evil attacked. Due to
exorcism he orders to Rokon take bath on freeze water. But it did not come to help. Ibrahim
master take a confidential initiative for him. He takes some antibiotics from pharmacy and take
him. Such a decision from a madrasha teacher think us how we should take modern treatment
behind to fanaticism.
A student of madrasha Rokon was left handed. He writes very well in Urdu and Parsi. But he did
not good at Arabic because of it is not maintain the sacred of Arabic words if it is written by left
handed. Here Mr. Tareque Masud did not give direct answer. He maintains the audience right
actually what we think about. A student is well in Urdu and Parsi but due to lefty he did not use
his left hand. A question can come us in a subtle way. Our sense already reply it is unfair to him
and it is undoubtedly fanaticism.
The part of Fakir and Sadhus are also given a positive message in our society. They do not have
any fanaticism. Their lyrics in folksong inspired us to be an open-minded.

Conclusion
Every part in this film and story help us to stand fanaticism and be the open-hearted man. We
can also define how a broaden minded person struggle for fanaticism in the society. Inveighing
against religious fundamentalism, Masud's tone is anti-Islamic - he berates Islam's status as a
total way of life and characterizes the mullahs as purveyors of mass deception.

Reference
1) www.nytimes.com/2011/08/26/movies/tareque-masud-bangladeshi-director-dies-at-
54.html
2) www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_clay_bird