Punny Kabir

Tareque Masud’s better half Catherine Masud has initiated to preserve and protect her late husband’s works through the activities of Tareque Masud Memorial Trust.

As the co-director and editor of most of the movies by Masud, she hopes at the same time that she would complete his unfinished tasks.

In an interview with New Age, Catherine Masud shared her plans prepared after the untimely demise of Tareque Masud in a road accident along with four shooting crews on August 13, last year, while returning from the shooting spot selected for his next movie Kagojer Phul (The Paper Flower).

‘I know about the people’s interest regarding his unfinished movie Kagojer Phul, which will be, of course, completed someday. But, at present preserving Tareque’s works is my first priority. At the same time I would like to make his dreams come true. And these dreams are all about Bangladesh and her cinema. People know a little idea on Masud’s patriotism,’ Catherine Masud told New Age.

The TMMT has organised a show of Tareque’s latest movie Runway in Dhaka. Catherine is hoping to launch DVD prints of Muktir Katha and English subtitle version of Muktir Gaan, two of Masud’s most acclaimed documentaries on the war of independence, by March.

‘Besides, we will also come up with the DVD print of Tareque’s first documentary Adam Surat which will also feature an interview of Tareque taken by me,’ she said.

The trust has also released three books on Tareque Masud at the Amar Ekushey book fair.  One of them is a compilation of articles on cinema by Tareque, another book features compilations of articles written by Traeque’s colleagues, friends and others on the memory of the eminent filmmaker and his interviews published so far. And the third book features screenplays and songs written by Masud.

‘People do not know that Tareque was a lyricist and many of his songs had been used in films like Matir Moina, Muktir Gaan and Runway. His songs were credited with the alias Ata Khan in the films,’ informed Catherine.

As the first initiative of completing unfinished task by Msud, his widow is busy with post production works of a documentary made by Tareque Masud and cinematographer Mishuk Munier, who was also CEO of a news channel. ‘The documentary is about potters and blacksmiths of a village named Hajrahati,’ she informed.

‘Another project ‘Bangladesh Anyachokhe, a documentary on the culture, heritage and beauty of Bangladesh, is also undergoing post-production phase,’ she added. 

Catherine is also planning to come up with a documentary on the thoughts, dreams and works of Tareque. ‘I want to compile Tareque’s voice and footages from all of his interviews in the documentary,’ she said.  

Born in Chicago in USA, Catherine graduated from Brown University, in economics. In late 1980s, she met Tareque Masud in Dhaka and they married in 1988. 

Catherine began her endeavour as a film professional with Matir Moina (The Clay Bird) in which she worked as a co-writer and producer. Catherine is also an experienced editor, specialised in computer-based non-linear editing, and has set up computerised multi-media and audio-visual facilities as a freelance advisor.