Saad the new 'Ghatak' of Bengali cinema

Abdullah Mohammed Saad is billed as the new enfant terrible of Bengali cinema, whose films can leave viewers unsettled emotionally and madly appreciative in adulation.

He resembles the great Ritwick Ghatak whose Partition themed films would make Bengalis across generations cry and weep, even react violently and leave all with deeply unsettling questions.

Saad's "Rehana Maryam Noor", a 107-minutes exploration of moral dilemma and a woman's emotional turmoil received huge ovation at 74th Cannes Film Festival on July 7.

Legendary French actress Catherine Deneuve described the film as "fantastic".

A French lady on the streets recognised lead actress Ajmeri Haque Badhon despite her Covid-19 face mask and asked her if she was 'Rehana'.

Badhon, 34, said she wept at the recognition that the French only bestow on quality cinema.

"Rehana Maryam Noor" is marked by Saad's directorial style that one commentator says, "grips like steel".