Shakib Khan Openly Accepts Responsibility for the Failure of ‘Prince’

Staff Report: PNN

Bangladeshi cinema star Shakib Khan spoke candidly about the much-anticipated Eid release Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka. After a special screening, he publicly acknowledged the film’s shortcomings and accepted responsibility for its failure.

The screening was attended by the two lead actresses, Tasnia Farin and Jyotirmoyee Kundu, along with director Abu Hayat Mahmud and other stakeholders. At the post-screening press conference, Shakib Khan explained that various complexities prevented the film from proceeding as planned. Delays in obtaining permission for overseas shoots, set changes, and time constraints meant the production continued until the eve of Eid. As a result, some technical and production flaws remained.

Shakib Khan admitted that this was the first time in his career that a film’s shooting extended until the day before release. Due to time constraints, important scenes and songs had to be completed quickly, affecting the final product.

He also expressed dissatisfaction with the film’s sound, color grading, and VFX. Additionally, the limited release in multiplexes during the first few days was considered a significant loss.

Actress Tasnia Farin stated that her expectations for the film were high but could not be fully realized due to various limitations. She added that she had given her best performance.

Director Abu Hayat Mahmud highlighted the positive aspects, noting that despite early challenges, audience interest gradually increased and the film received a favorable response. He did not rule out the possibility of a sequel in the future.

With a large budget and an international team, Prince generated high expectations before release. However, some viewers reported that these expectations were not fully met.

Shakib Khan concluded by stating that he will learn from this experience and aim to deliver better work in the future.