Pleasure Boy Komola

11/25/2024

Dark, disgusting, haunting, but well executed. Humayun Ahmed is no stranger to darker themes—his books always explore unsettling and complex subjects. But on the flip side, his movies and shows are often lighthearted comedies, so when I read the description of this film, which is based on his own book, I was curious about how he’d bring such a sensitive and grim story to the screen. Set in what I’d guess is the 1940s during British rule in Bangladesh, the story is inspired by true events. It revolves around the disturbing tradition of ghetu, where impoverished families would send their young boys dressed as girls to entertain wealthy landlords. These boys were there to dance and provide "pleasure" to the landlords. Every time I saw the boy in his girls' dress, I felt like throwing up �