Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka is a 2026 Bangladeshi action thriller film. The film is directed by Abu Hayat Mahmud and produced by Shirin Sultana under the banner of Creative Land Films. The film is distributed by Jaaz Multimedia. The film stars Shakib Khan, Tasnia Farin, Jyotirmoyee Kundu, Paean Sarkar and Dibyendu Bhattacharya in the lead roles. The film was released on 21 March 2026, coinciding with Eid-ul-Fitr.

This is the first collaboration between Khan, Farin and Jyotirmoyee. This is also the first collaboration between Khan and Kundu. The film is based on Bangladeshi gangster Kala Jahangir where Khan played as a gangster during the 1990s. Prince marks as the directorial debut in film of Abu Hayat Mahmud and the producerial debut of Shirin Sultana.

Film dialogue is written by Mezbah Uddin Sumon while the screenplay is written by Mezbah Uddin Sumon and Mohammad Nazim Uddin. The cinematographer is Amit Roy and music director is Arafat Mohsin.

Production

Development

The film was initially developed following with an announcement on 27 February 2024 at a press conference held in Eskaton, Dhaka, by director Abu Hayat Mahmud. At the time, the project was titled Once Upon a Time in Dhaka: Ami Kala. Mahmud stated that the film would be a thriller with elements of suspense and that shooting was planned to begin in May.

It was also announced at the press conference that the screenplay was written by Mezbah Uddin Sumon, and that the two principal roles would be played by actors from Dhaka and West Bengal, respectively. In addition, Tariq Anam Khan, Shahiduzzaman Selim, Salahuddin Lavlu, and musician Pritom Ahmed were announced as part of the cast.

At the time, speculation emerged that the film's story was largely inspired by real events and centered on the life of Kala Jahangir, an underworld figure active in Dhaka during the 1990s. Reports suggested that Mosharraf Karim was being considered for the lead role; however, director Abu Hayat Mahmud stated that additional time was needed before making any official casting announcement. Media speculation also mentioned Sariful Razz as a possible choice for a lead role. However, in early July 2025, multiple media reported that Shakib Khan had been selected to portray the title character of Kala Jahangir, with sources claiming that initial discussions with Khan had already been finalized.

Reports circulating across social media platforms and mainstream news outlets asserted that the film was conceived as a biographical depiction of Kala Jahangir, a figure associated with Dhaka's underworld during the 1990s. In response, producer Shirin Sultana issued an official statement rejecting the claims in their entirety. She emphasized that the project is not intended as a biographical representation of any individual, but rather a fictional narrative set against the socio-cultural backdrop of Dhaka in the 1990s, combining elements of crime, romance, action, emotional conflict, and family drama.

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka is directed by Abu Hayat Mahmud, marking his feature film directorial debut after previously directing more than two hundred fiction and documentary projects. The film is produced by Creative Land Films, with Shirin Sultana served as producer. According to film-related sources cited by Channel i, filming is scheduled to take place in Dhaka for four days, followed by the remaining portions scheduled to be shot in Sri Lanka. In a report by Channel i about the film's budget, director Abu Hayat Mahmud stated that the film's initial budget was planned to be around ৳7–8 crore, adding that the budget would be increased if necessary.

The film's makeup artist was Amit Amberkar, who confirmed his involvement via an Instagram post. Arafat Mohsin Nidhi was signed to compose the background score for the film on 5 August 2025. He had previously composed the background scores for Toofan, Borbaad, and Taandob, all starring Shakib Khan. Nidhi stated that the background score will include character-specific themes and will reflect the popularity of rock music in Bangladesh during the film's time period.

A report published by bdnews24.com on 5 January 2026 stated that several Bollywood professionals would be involved in the film, handling cinematography, choreography, action direction, and makeup. Director Abu Hayat Mahmud said that cinematography would be handled by Amit Roy, known for his work on Animal (2023). The makeup artist from the same film was also reported to be responsible for Khan's look in the film. He confirmed that the film's story was written by Mezbah Uddin Sumon, while the screenplay was co-written by Sumon and Mohammad Nazim Uddin. Later Amit Roy was signed as the director of photography for the film. Roy is known for his work on Animal (2023), Dunki (2023), and Sarkar (2005), among other projects. His involvement was confirmed by the production company Creative Land Films through a social media announcement. According to media reports, Roy is scheduled to work on the film for approximately forty days and is reported to be receiving a remuneration of around ৳1 crore taka.

Alongside Roy, cinematography was also handled by Shaillesh Awasthi, who had earlier worked on Borbaad (2025).

Casting

Actor Shakib Khan signed his contract for the film on 2 July 2025, a development confirmed by the production company to The Daily Star. According to media reports, Shakib Khan received a remuneration of ৳3 crore for the film, as confirmed by the producer. The producer also stated that Khan was briefed on the film's story during a 45-minute narration session prior to signing on to the project. On 11 September, actor Rashed Mamun Apu was signed for a key role in the film, marks his on-screen collaboration with Shakib Khan following their appearance together in the 2020 film Nabab LLB.

On 4 September, the production company Creative Land Films announced auditions for the film's principal female character, Mili. Director Abu Hayat Mahmud stated that the film would feature three female roles, two of which would be portrayed by established performers, while the third role was intended to introduce a newcomer. He added that the selected actor would share screen space with Shakib Khan and make her film debut through the project. In late October 2025, initial reports suggested that Idhika Paul would be cast as the female lead in the film. According several media reports, she reportedly demanded a remuneration of around ৳30 lakh. Subsequently, several individuals associated with the film told The Daily Star that she was dropped from the project due to disagreements over remuneration.

The report also stated that Indian television actress Jyotirmoyee Kundu was being considered as her replacement. In late November, Creative Land Films officially confirmed the involvement of Kundu in the film. It marks the second film of her acting career, following her debut in the Indian Bengali film Projapati 2 (2025) alongside Dev.

In early November 2025, several media outlets reported that Tasnia Farin was being considered for the role of the film's female lead as a replacement. On 15 November, her casting was officially confirmed after she signed a contract for the film, as announced by Creative Land Films on social media. Jugantor reported that she was cast as Dilruba. Sabila Nur also acted in this film, which is Sabila Nur's second commercial film. She previously acted opposite Shakib Khan in the film Taandob (2025).

Veteran actor Nasir Uddin Khan joined the cast in early December. Intekhab Dinar also appears in the film. In an interview, he described his experience working on the project positively and praised director Abu Hayat Mahmud's approach to the film.

According to a report by Anandabazar Patrika on 23 February 2026, actor Loknath Dey was cast as Gopal Kaur, an associate of Shakib Khan in the film, marking his second collaboration with Khan after Toofan (2024). Actress Paean Sarkar was reported to portray Kaur's wife, who becomes a female crime leader following her husband's death and later forms an alliance with Khan. Television actor Mrityunjoy Bhattacharya was cast as Babu.

Filming

The director initially stated that the film's production was expected to commence in the first week of December. Following months of speculation, filming of Prince began on 6 January 2026 in Dhaka. A large portion of the film was initially scheduled to be shot in Hyderabad, with Kolkata later added to the filming plan. Following political changes after the July Revolution of 2024 and subsequent strains in Bangladesh–India relations, reports indicated that several members of the production team were unable to obtain visas despite repeated applications. Consequently, the producers decided to relocate the portions originally planned for filming in India to Sri Lanka. Shakib Khan traveled to Sri Lanka on 15 January to take part in the film's shooting and began filming on 17 January. According to a 27 January report by The Daily Star, filming was scheduled to continue for the following ten days across multiple locations in Sri Lanka. According to a report published by News24 on 4 February 2026, Tasnia Farin completed filming her portions in Sri Lanka.

Subsequently, on 8 February, multiple media outlets reported that filming in India had commenced after visa-related issues were resolved. However, the director did not comment on the reports at the time, stating that an official announcement would be made later.

After completing the Sri Lanka schedule, filming began in Kolkata in the second week of February. Scenes were filmed across locations in Howrah, Bowbazar, Alipore Central Jail, and Bharat Lakshmi Studio. Key action sequences were shot at an abandoned factory in Howrah beginning on 9 February, followed by filming at Madho Bhavan in Bowbazar on 11 February. After completing the Kolkata schedule, the production team planned to continue filming in Hyderabad.

As of 2 March 2026, Channel i reported that filming of the was nearly complete, with only the songs sequences remaining.

Themes and influences

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka

The story of Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka is set in Dhaka during the 1990s and centres on crime and violence within the city. According to director Abu Hayat Mahmud, the film is conceived on a larger-than-life scale and is intended to appeal to a wide audience. He stated that the narrative combines elements of crime, romance, action, emotional drama, and family relationships.

Music

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka

The first song of the film, "Pori", was released on 19 March 2026, became very popular with audiences. The song was performed by Imran Mahmudul and Konal, written by Robiul Islam Jibon, and composed by Imran himself. The second song, "Jala Jala", was released on March 20, which is basically an item song. The song was sung by Pritom Hasan and Runa Laila. The song was written by Russell Mahmud and composed by Pritom himself. The third song of the film, "Disco Shundori", was released on 26 March. The song was written and sung by G. M. Ashraf and composed by Adib Kabir. Ashraf's co-singer was Dola Rahman.

Release

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka

The film was released in theaters in Bangladesh on Eid-ul-Fitr on 21 March 2026, clashing with Rakkhosh, ​​Domm, Bonolota Express and Pressure Cooker. The film was shown simultaneously in 133 theaters. However, due to server complications, there were problems with the screening in several theaters. Even incidents of vandalism occurred in some theaters. Prince got its first show in STAR Cineplex on 25 March 2026.

Online piracy

On 26 March 2026, Jugantor reported that the film had been pirated and several images and video clips had been leaked onto social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.

Controversy

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka

The teaser of the film was released on 12 March to criticism on social media. Questions were raised about the film's VFX. There were also locational errors in the teaser, which Towheed Feroze of bdnews24.com criticised as sacrilege, such as the Nakhoda Mosque in Kolkata shown as a mosque in Old Dhaka. Another scene showed a WiFi router, which did not exist in the 1990s.

There were also problems with the film's screening due to server problems, although they were later resolved.