London based Bangladeshi author Nafee Muhammad Anam is developing an anthology web series titled Uncanny Episodes for Amazon Prime Video, a popular internet video on demand (VOD) service. One of the standalone episodes of the series, a psychological thriller titled Bhoy (Fear), will feature Misir Ali who is a fictional character in a series of novels written by popular Bangladeshi author Humayun Ahmed, according to the series creator.
Nafee, editor of the first Bangla horror magazine titled Horror Potrika, told: “It is a very personal dream project of mine and I think it took so long to start because only Allah knows best when something needs to start. "
“I took permission for this from Humayun Ahmed a very long time ago. I stopped working on it and left it behind after he passed away. I was recently working on other stories for my Uncanny Episodes project but suddenly remembered that I have permission to produce Misir Ali and now, no matter what happens I want to bring this to life.”
When asked about this anthology series, Nafee said: “I am thinking to bring out well known Bangladeshi stories within this title for a global audience. Especially on Amazon Prime.”
While talking about the cast of the series creator said: “I am having a conversation with quite a few well known senior Bangladeshi artists for Misir Ali’s role in that episode. Didn't finalize anyone yet. If possible, I want to keep the role a secret until it is released online.”
“The series will be shot in Bangla with English subtitles. It will be dubbed in English later on if needed. All of that depends on foreign audience reaction,” added Nafee.
Uncanny Episodes will be produced by a London based production company named Cup of Tea Studio. The series is not an Amazon Prime original content but will be jointly released on Amazon Prime Video (as video on demand) and YouTube (for Bangladeshi audience).
The project also completed a fundraising campaign back in May on JustGiving, a global online fundraising social platform.
Nafee Muhammad Anam, 34, currently resides in London and wrote numerous horror, thriller fiction in Bangla which was published by multiple popular publishers in Bangladesh. His first book titled The Miracle Hours was published in 2005. He became the editor of Horror Potrika, the first international Bangla horror magazine printed and distributed by Amazon. Some of his stories were adapted into TV dramas and aired on television channels of Bangladesh.
