Munsur Ali
Munsur Ali (born 25 May 1978) is a Bangladeshi-born British film producer, screenwriter, director and social entrepreneur, Labour Party politician, and 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.
Munsur Ali
- Name
- Munsur Ali
- Born
- 25 May 1978
- Birthplace
- Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Education
- [London Metropolitan University]], [[Bachelor of Arts
- Occupation
- Film producer, screenwriter, [[Film director
- Spouse
- {{marriage
- Nationality
- India
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
wikidata · Q16146304 · wikipedia · Munsur Ali
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Munsur Ali • Native Name — মুনসুর আলী • Born — 25 May 1978 • Birthplace — Sylhet, Bangladesh • Education — [London Metropolitan University]], [[Bachelor of Arts • Occupation — Film producer, screenwriter, [[Film director • Years Active — 2002–present • Political Party — [[Independent politician • Other Party — [[Labour Party (UK) • Spouse — {{marriage • Website — {{URL
Early life
Early life
Ali was born in Bangladesh, arrived in England at the age of two in 1980 and grew up in Aldgate where he still lives. He attended a Church of England school, studied Arabic/Islam on weekends and Bangla after school, and also taught himself to speak in Urdu. From an early age, Ali was influenced by films and in his late teens he took an interest in looking at alternative points of view in mainstream cinema. Going to the cinema a lot as a teenager gave him his inspiration. 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. In 2004, he graduated with a 2:1 in BA Film and Broadcast Productions from London Metropolitan University. Ali's father was born in British India (now Bangladesh). Ali's father has been in the UK since early 1950s. He gave up his Bangladeshi citizenship and became a British citizen. The majority of Ali's relatives live in the UK.
Filmmaking career
Filmmaking career
After graduating, Ali made documentaries and short films on social issues such as policing, knife crime and gang violence. In 2003, he set up an independent video and film production company Spotlight UK before formalising it as a company in 2005. Since then he has worked alongside global US, UK and Bollywood names. 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. In 2009, he founded Epic Media Wedding Productions and set about specialising in producing cinematic quality wedding videos. In 2014, Ali wrote, directed and produced his debut feature film Shongram. The film is a romantic drama set during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. He worked on the project for three years and it was the first time a British film was simultaneously written, produced and directed by a British Bangladeshi. In February, March and June 2014, he was interviewed by Nadia Ali on BBC Asian Network. 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.
Key facts
Key facts
• Honorific Prefix — Cllr • Name — Munsur Ali • Office — City of London Councillor for Portsoken • Term Start — 23 May 2017 • Party — Independent (since 2022) • Other Party — Labour (until 2022)
Political career
Political career
On 23 March 2017, Ali was elected as a Labour Party councillor for Portsoken ward in Aldgate in his home town of the City of London, where Labour won five seats. 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. 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.
Personal life
Personal life
Ali is a Muslim. He lives in Aldgate, London. In December 2011, 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, this was followed by a gaye holud ceremony on 4 September and a wedding reception on 5 September.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Credit — Notes • 2014 — Shongram — Writer, director, producer • Spirit2Power — Editor
Identity
Identity
Munsur Ali is recorded with the occupation film producer. Recorded with the occupation screenwriter. Recorded as having studied at London Metropolitan University, Epping Forest College and Stepney All Saints Church of England Secondary School. Formation and teaching. Ali studied at London Metropolitan University, Epping Forest College and Stepney All Saints Church of England Secondary School.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1978
Munsur Ali was born on 25 May 1978.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Aldgate
Residences
Bangladesh.
Birth place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Munsur Ali”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q16146304: Munsur Ali
General reference · Wikidata
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.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Munsur Ali, revision 1368771545 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Islam, Zia Nazmul. Munsur Ali -The Man Behind Shongram. The Daily Star. 29 March 2014.
- 2.Hayes, Simon. War of independence has been largely forgotten despite its significant impact. The Wharf. 5 January 2012.
- 3.Brooke, Mike. Limelight awards ready to name winners of 240 hopeful young film-makers. Docklands and East London Advertiser. 29 March 2014.
- 4.Brooke, Mike. Limelight awards ready to name winners of 240 hopeful young film-makers. Lifestyle. 29 March 2014.
- 5.Guide & Inspire. Munsur Ali: CEO, Spotlight UK. 30 June 2012.
- 6.Mutambara, Cherish. Writer/Director – Munsur Ali. Shongram.
- 7.Sainbhee, Kiran. Love And Loss. Asiana.tv. 28 June 2013.
- 8.Ullah, Ansar Ahmed. Shongram has its first screening. GBNEWS24.com. 11 February 2014.
- 9.Singh, Shiv Sahay. A craving for my identity. The Hindu. 23 November 2015.
- 10.Multinational stars starred Shongram releases soon. New Age. 28 June 2013.
- 11.Tower Hamlets. Munsur Ali.
- 12.Allen, Annika. Nominations announced for Limelight, East London's Oscars. Flavour Magazine. 16 June 2011.
- 13.Box Office Superstars. Asiana.tv.
- 14.Grape Vine. The Daily Star. 8 February 2014.
- 15.BBC Asian Network. Director of Shongram, Munsur Ali. 9 February 2014.
- 16.BBC Asian Network. Bangladesh Independence Day celebrations. 24 March 2014.
- 17.BBC Asian Network. Nadia Ali, 23/06/2013. 23 June 2014.
- 18.Karim, Mohammed Abdul. British Bangladeshi Who's Who. British Bangla Media Group. 12. October 2015.
- 19.Bangladesh-origin Munsur elected London councillor. Prothom Alo. 28 March 2017.
- 20.Brooke, Mike. Limelight founder from Aldgate elected to City of London Corporation. Docklands and East London Advertiser. 27 March 2017.
- 21.Bangladesh-origin Munsur elected London councillor. Dhaka Tribune. 28 March 2017.
- 22.Raybe, Tovonya. Shongram. Flavour Magazine. 11 January 2012.
- 23.Mansoor Chatak, Hasan. Ruhee's new journey. Dhaka Tribune. 2 September 2014.
- 24.Moutushi, Patracia. Ruhee's new journey. Priyo News. 2 September 2014.
- 25.Ruhi gets married. Prothom Alo. 25 August 2014.
- 26.Mansoor Chatak, Hasan. Dilruba Yasmin Ruhi getting married. The Daily Ittefaq. 25 August 2014.
- 27.Ruhi going to marry. Takkizbd.com. 26 August 2014.
- 28.Islam, Dhorbin. Actress Ruhi and Mansur Ali gets married. Brill News. 28 August 2014.
References
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Born at
1- BangladeshPlace
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Citizenship
1- IndiaPlace
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