Busan’s Asian Project Market presents “The Magical Man,” a strange love story by writer-director Biprobu Sarkar, which shines a spotlight on the marginalized Bahrupi performance community in South Asia. Produced by Fran Borgia, François D’Artemare, Sankhajit Biswas and Sarkar, the film explores intimacy, resilience and identity against the backdrop of fading folk traditions and entrenched social taboos.
Set in the old Dhaka, “The Magical Men” follows Bahurupi artists Sukumar and Hemanta, who embodies Shiva and Parvati during Neel Shashti Puja. Their secret romance unfolds in tension in family ties, police harassment, and the personal struggles of performers, leading to Hemanta’s loss and Sukumar’s memory, love and survival crisis.
For Sarkar, who screened “strangers” in Busan’s new current section in 2023, the new project is based on his commitment to the story of marginalized communities. “They embody God and Goddess in their performances, carry a declined tradition, and in their daily existence, they struggle for dignity and survival in a society that is often alienated. For me, their art has become a mirror of bigger questions about identity, freedom and love.”
Producer Sankhajit Biswas, who has worked extensively with the queer community, emphasized the importance of international exposure. “Queer stories are vocal in South Asia, but we need to remember that hostility and homophobia have not yet been stopped, so it’s important that these films create traction for domestic releases and wide visibility,” he says.
Borgia, which includes “Stranger Eyes,” Singapore’s current Oscar submission, said she was impressed by Sarkar’s vision. “It’s a very personal story for Biprov. It’s a complicated exploration of relationships within society that don’t allow such connections to exist openly. The way the characters as performers navigate quiet and loud lives at once was really magical to me,” he says.
The team sees Busan as an important launchpad for the project. “Aside from co-production and fundraising partners, distributors and sales agents, we are looking for impact producers who can bring films to the right audience not only in Bangladesh and India but also worldwide,” explains Biswas. Borgia added that APM is “always very beneficial for our films,” and said the team aims to connect with collaborators who share their belief in the urgency of strange and culturally specific stories.
