Binodon Desk:

Depicting the adventures of popular Bangladeshi spy character Masud Rana, Asif Akber-directed ‘MR-9: Do or Die’ will be released in three countries, namely Bangladesh, USA and Canada on August 25.

ABM Sumon played the character of Masud Rana in the film, which also stars Michael Jai White, Frank Grillo, Omi Vaidya, Anisur Rahman Milon, Sakshi Pradhan and others.

Although Rasel Rana won the reality show titled Ke Hobe Masud Rana, ABM Sumon was given the role in the film, which is based on the book Dhwangsha Pahar from Masud Rana series.

‘MR-9: Do or Die’ has been jointly produced by Jaaz Multimedia, Al Bravo Films and Chasing Butterflies Pictures.

Jaaz Multimedia, Avail Entertainment, Premiere Entertainment and Swapna Scarecrow are distributors of the film.

According to Jaaz Multimedia, the budget for the film is Tk 83 crore.

Earlier, one Masud Rana novel named Bismaran was adapted into a film in 1974.

Publishing house Sheba Prokashoni has published over four hundred books on Masud Rana since 1966.

In 2020, the copyright registrar in a verdict asked Sheba Prokashoni to stop the printing, publication and sale of popular spy thrillers of the Masud Rana series and declared Sheikh Abdul Hakim as the writer of 260 books of the series instead of Qazi Anwar Hussain, the founder of Sheba Prokashoni.

Abdul Hakim lodged a complaint with the Bangladesh Copyright Office claiming to have written 260 books of the series.

The registrar observed that Abdul Hakim penned 260 books of the Masud Rana series but the inventor of the Masud Rana character was Qazi Anwar Hussain.

Later, The High Court stayed the copyright registrar’s verdict that recognised Sheikh Abdul Hakim as the owner and writer of the Masud Rana thriller novel series instead of Qazi Awnar Hossain.