Pakistani producer Abid Merchant has launched an international co-production film based on Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s 1893 short story Shasti (Punishment).

The project, which will involve industry professionals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Australia, will be directed by Bangladeshi filmmaker Leesa Gazi, according to PTI.

“We have chosen Leesa Gazi, a filmmaker from Bangladesh, to direct the film,” Merchant, who will produce the movie through his banner Sanat Initiative, said.

The main cast includes Bangladeshi stars Pori Moni and Chanchal Chowdhury alongside co-writer Aanon Siddiqua and Australian-Bengali actor Arka Das.

Merchant said the film is a reimagining of Tagore’s short story, which revolves around two brothers and their wives. The film will be a murder mystery and courtroom drama.

“It's not an art-house project. It is a commercial venture but one that we want to release internationally in several languages,” he said.

Asked about the absence of Pakistani actors from the cast, the producer said, “It is rooted in Bangladesh's cultural context, so authenticity is crucial. The script has completed its first and second drafts and is currently being polished, with dialogue writing underway. Budget discussions are also in their final stages”.

According to Variety, the film will draw from Tagore’s source material. “The film follows the mysterious death of influencer Lucky, allegedly at the hands of her sister-in-law Meera, which triggers a media frenzy. As a rigged trial unfolds, the narrative explores themes of family secrets, betrayal and manipulation within a city hungry for punishment,” the report said.

Pre-production is scheduled to begin in September, with filming planned for October and November in Dhaka.