Munsur Ali

Munsur Ali (Bengali: মুনসুর আলী; born 25 May 1978) Bangladeshi-born British film producer, screenwriter, director and social entrepreneur, Labour Party politician, councillor for Portsoken ward. He is best known for his film Shongram, the first time a British film has been simultaneously written, produced and directed by a British Bangladeshi.

Not to be confused with Mansur Ali.

Munsur Ali
মুনসুর আলী
Born (1978-05-25) 25 May 1978
Bangladesh
NationalityBritish
EducationBA Film and Broadcast Productions
Alma materLondon Metropolitan University
OccupationFilm producer, screenwriter, director, social entrepreneur
Years active2002–present
Political partyLabour
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 2014)​
Websitewww.munsur.co.uk

Early life

Ali was born in Bangladesh, arrived to England at the age of two[1] in 1980[2] and grew up in Aldgate where he still lives.[3][4] He attended a Church of England school, studied Arabic/Islam on weekends[1] and Bangla after school, and also taught himself to speak in Urdu.[5]

From an early age Ali was influenced by film and in his late teens he took an interest in looking at alternative points of view in mainstream cinema.[6] Going to the cinema a lot as a teenager gave him his inspiration.[3][4]

Ali attended Sir John Cass Redcoat School and says he "didn't do too well at GCSE." He learned film and photography at Epping Forest College. However, he "was confused and couldn't commit to A-level," so he left in the second year.[3][4] In 2004, he graduated with a 2:1 in BA Film and Broadcast Productions from London Metropolitan University.[5][7][8]

Ali's father was born in British India (now Bangladesh).[9] Ali's father has been in the UK since early 1950s.[1] He gave up his Bangladeshi citizenship and became a British citizen.[9] The majority of Ali's relatives live in the UK.[1]

Filmmaking career

After graduating, Ali made documentaries and short films on social issues such as policing, knife crime and gang violence.[10]

In 2003,[1] he set up an independent video and film production company Spotlight UK before formalising it as a company in 2005.[6][11] Since then he has worked alongside global US, UK and Bollywood names.[5] In September 2006, he founded Limelight Film Awards, an initiative to identify and celebrate emerging film talent. With the first event taking place in 2007, it is one of the largest independent short film awards ceremony.[10][12] In 2009, he founded Epic Media Wedding Productions and set about specialising in producing cinematic quality wedding videos.[7][13]

In 2014, Ali wrote, directed and produced his debut feature film Shongram.[7] The film is a romantic drama set during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.[14] He worked on the project for three years[8] and it was the first time a British film was simultaneously written, produced and directed by a British Bangladeshi.[14]

In February, March and June 2014, he was interviewed by Nadia Ali on BBC Asian Network.[15][16][17]

Ali is working on two new films: Cinema which is about a young actor who enters the world of cinema and discovers a whole world of exploitation, corruption, drugs, thugs and betrayal, and The Final Message which is a supernatural horror based around Hebrew scriptures, Christian scriptures and the Quran.[18]

Cllr

Munsur Ali
City of London Councillor
for Portsoken
Assumed office
23 May 2017
Personal details
Political partyLabour

Political career

On 23 March 2017, Ali was elected as a Labour Party councillor[19] for Portsoken ward in Aldgate[20] in his home town of the City of London,[19] where Labour won five seats.[21] Ali's decision to contest came after he was unhappy with the recent multimillion-pound housing development plans that is affecting his community's future.[19]

In June 2017, he was inaugurated at the Guildhall in London as a member of the Court of Common Council that governs the City of London.[20]

Awards

In 2012, Ali was presented with a Civic Award by Tower Hamlets, in recognition for his contribution of promoting young artists through the Limelight Film Awards.[10]

Personal life

Ali is a Muslim.[1] He lives in Aldgate, London.[3][4][22] In December 2011,[17] while working on the film Shongram, Ali met and became close friends with Bangladeshi actress Dilruba Yasmeen Ruhee. On 3 September 2014, Ali married Ruhee in Dhaka, Bangladesh,[23][24] this was followed by a gaye holud ceremony on 4 September[25][26][27] and a wedding reception on 5 September.[23][28]

Filmography
Year Title Credit Notes
2014 Shongram Writer, director, producer
Spirit2Power Editor

See also

References
  1. Islam, Zia Nazmul (29 March 2014). "Munsur Ali -The Man Behind Shongram". The Daily Star. Bangladesh. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  2. Hayes, Simon (5 January 2012). "War of independence has been largely forgotten despite its significant impact" (PDF). The Wharf. London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  3. Brooke, Mike (29 March 2014). "Limelight awards ready to name winners of 240 hopeful young film-makers". Docklands and East London Advertiser. London. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  4. Brooke, Mike (29 March 2014). "Limelight awards ready to name winners of 240 hopeful young film-makers" (PDF). Lifestyle. London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  5. Mutambara, Cherish. "Writer/Director – Munsur Ali". Shongram. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  6. "Munsur Ali: CEO, Spotlight UK". Guide & Inspire. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  7. Sainbhee, Kiran (28 June 2013). "Love And Loss". Asiana.tv. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  8. Ullah, Ansar Ahmed (11 February 2014). "Shongram has its first screening". GBNEWS24.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  9. Singh, Shiv Sahay (23 November 2015). "A craving for my identity". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  10. "Multinational stars starred Shongram releases soon". New Age. Bangladesh. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  11. "Munsur Ali". Tower Hamlets. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  12. Allen, Annika (16 June 2011). "Nominations announced for Limelight, East London's Oscars". Flavour Magazine. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  13. "Box Office Superstars". Asiana.tv. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  14. "Grape Vine". The Daily Star. Bangladesh. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  15. "Director of Shongram, Munsur Ali". BBC Asian Network. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  16. "Bangladesh Independence Day celebrations". BBC Asian Network. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  17. "Nadia Ali, 23/06/2013". BBC Asian Network. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  18. Karim, Mohammed Abdul; Karim, Shahadoth (October 2015). British Bangladeshi Who's Who (PDF). British Bangla Media Group. p. 12. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  19. "Bangladesh-origin Munsur elected London councillor". Prothom Alo. Bangladesh. 28 March 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  20. Brooke, Mike (27 March 2017). "Limelight founder from Aldgate elected to City of London Corporation". Docklands and East London Advertiser. London. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  21. "Bangladesh-origin Munsur elected London councillor". Dhaka Tribune. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  22. Raybe, Tovonya (11 January 2012). "Shongram". Flavour Magazine. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  23. Mansoor Chatak, Hasan (2 September 2014). "Ruhee's new journey". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  24. Moutushi, Patracia (2 September 2014). "Ruhee's new journey". Priyo News. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  25. "Ruhi gets married". Prothom Alo. Bangladesh. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  26. Mansoor Chatak, Hasan (25 August 2014). "Dilruba Yasmin Ruhi getting married". The Daily Ittefaq. Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  27. "Ruhi going to marry". Takkizbd.com. Bangladesh. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  28. Islam, Dhorbin (28 August 2014). "Actress Ruhi and Mansur Ali gets married". Brill News. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
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