"With Waqt, both sides have embraced it.”
Bangladeshi filmmaker Nuhash Humayun continues to expand his international footprint as his anthology episode Waqt is heading to the South by Southwest (SXSW) Sydney festival.
It has officially been selected for the Episodic strand. The festival will kick off on October 13, 2025.
Part of the second season of Chorki’s anthology series Dui Shaw, the episode first premiered in December 2024.
It quickly became one of the platform’s most talked-about titles.
Co-written by poet Gultekin Khan and Nuhash himself, Waqt follows five friends whose hidden sins lead them toward five chilling and supernatural destinies.
The cast includes Allen Shubhro, Rizvi Rizu, Refat Hasan, Abdullah Al Sentu, Rafayatullah Sohan, Saikat, Sahana Sumi, and Yashrib Habib.
Each contributes to the eerie yet emotionally charged narrative that has earned both local and international praise.
Speaking about the project’s reception, Nuhash shared: “This project has received equally strong responses from both festival curators and local audiences, which is rare.
“Usually, it’s one or the other, but with Waqt, both sides have embraced it.”
For Gultekin Khan, Waqt also marks her debut as a screenwriter.
She revealed: “In the beginning, I was terrified. But when Nuhash said he truly liked my writing, I knew he wasn’t just being polite.
“We ended up co-writing the story together.
The four-part anthology Dui Shaw also features three other stories, Bhaggo Bhalo, Beshura, and Antara.
Each of these explores distinct psychological and supernatural themes within contemporary Bangladeshi society.
The series builds on the success of Nuhash’s earlier anthology Pett Kata Shaw, which won Best International Feature at the Raindance Film Festival’s Jury Awards in 2022.
In July 2025, Dui Shaw was also showcased at the prestigious Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada.
Organisers praised Nuhash’s storytelling innovation and his ability to elevate Bangladeshi horror to new creative heights.
In a statement shared on its official page, the festival praised:
“Nuhash has taken horror projects in Bangladesh to a whole new frontier.”
According to Nuhash, festival recognition has increasingly become organic rather than procedural.
“Earlier, we had to submit projects for consideration. But now, curators often reach out personally after watching my previous work.”
Waqt’s inclusion at SXSW Sydney reinforces both his international presence and the growing global recognition of Bangladeshi streaming originals.
Nuhash Humayun’s success story is fast becoming a symbol of how Bangladeshi storytelling is finding its well-deserved space on the world stage.
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