Entertainment
Chorki sets tongues wagging with reveal of first-ever Raihan Rafi-Shakib Khan collaboration
After recently announcing a new Redoan Rony directorial film starring Chanchal Chowdhury, ‘Domm’, Bangladeshi OTT giant Chorki alongside Alpha-i Studios and Indian film production and distribution company Shree Venkatesh Films (SVF) announced another major collaboration on Monday.
This time it's the latest feature-length film of one of the industry's most exciting new directors, Raihan Rafi, who for the very first time will get the chance to direct Dhallywood's biggest, most bankable superstar, Shakib Khan, in a film titled ‘Toofan’.
The announcement was made at a press conference Monday at the Pan Pacific Hotel Sonargaon, where the producers, director Raihan Rafi and Shakib Khan, briefed the media about the project.
“As I have always stated, there are infinite possibilities for our Bangladeshi movies. With almost 30 million Bangla-speaking audiences both domestically and outside, we have an enormous market for our cinema. Rafi is directing the film with whom I am working for the very first time, and three big production companies are collaborating on it. All in all, I'm excited about this movie,” Shakib Khan said at the press conference.
Sharing his excitement with the media, Raihan Rafi said, "I am thrilled about the movie because this will be my first film with Superstar Shakib Khan, and also because three enormous film entities are teaming up for this film and the previously announced 'Domm’. This will undoubtedly mark a significant milestone for the Bangladeshi film industry.”
Chorki CEO Redoan Rony, SVF Co-founder and Director Mahendra Soni and Alpha-i Studios Managing Director Shahriar Shakil also spoke about the film, all echoing the unity and expectations that the two films, ‘Toofan’ and ‘Domm’, will take the Bangla films industry to a new height.
Shooting of the film is expected to begin soon and it is going to hit the theatres during next year’s Eid Ul Azha, the makers informed at the press conference.
‘Domm’: Chorki, Alpha-i, SVF announce Redoan Rony’s directorial comeback
Popular Bangladeshi OTT platform Chorki CEO Redoan Rony, also known for his fan-favourite television directorial ventures such as ‘FnF’, ‘Housefull’ and films like ‘Chorabali’ and ‘Ice Cream’, is all set to return as a silver screen director with his new film ‘Domm’.
A first-ever collaboration between Chorki, another Bangladeshi production house Alpha-i Studios and Indian film production and distribution company Shree Venkatesh Films (SVF), the film will star the National Award-winning popular actor Chanchal Chowdhury as its lead cast.
Set to be released across Bangladesh and India in 2025, the film is based on a true story, according to the filmmaker.
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The film's announcement was made at a press conference on Saturday at the Pan Pacific Hotel Sonargaon, joined by the producers, the director and other associates of the film.
"As a storyteller, I have always been inspired by true events, and this narrative motivated me to pursue my long-held desire to return as a director. Whenever a person falls into any dangerous situation, we empathically feel that he is unfortunate; but the reality is events like that make an ordinary man stronger and his enormous mental agility can rescue him from any catastrophic situation. This is the tale I'm attempting to express in the film Domm,” Redoan Rony said at the press conference.
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Chanchal Chowdhury, known and lauded for his stellar performances as a silver screen actor in films such as ‘Monpura’, ‘Aynabaji’, ‘Debi’, and ‘Hawa’, to name a few, shared his excitement to work with Rony in the film.
“Rony and I have been sharing a great relationship for almost two decades, and I was overwhelmed when I first heard the story of this film. This is a big collaboration with three major productions on board including SVF which is known for many legendary films in West Bengal and I am equally excited and nervous for this film, but mostly excited.”
The director also introduced the three-member scriptwriting team for the film, led by young director Syed Ahmed Shawki, known for his much-acclaimed web series ‘Karagar’ starring Chanchal Chowdhury.
Chorki President and Strategic Head Zaraif Hossain said, “From the very beginning, Chorki's goal was to deliver quality content to 300 million Bangla-speaking audiences around the world. Now with Alpha-i and SVF, Chorki has united to advance that mission. This is going to be a great opportunity and a significant milestone to bring our entertainment industry work to the worldwide audience on a larger scale.”
SVF Co-founder and Director Mahendra Soni said, “With this film, SVF is taking another important step to deepen our relationship with the Bangladeshi entertainment industry. We are not just making films but nurturing a community and culture, and we aim to make Bengali language movies to reach every corner of the world.”
Alpha-i Studios Managing Director Shahriar Shakil said, “We realized that our audiences are keen to watch entertaining content made with international standards. We always tried to deliver quality content despite several limitations; now we are eyeing to break the barriers and go even bigger with this film alongside Chorki and SVF.”
The event was joined by several popular personalities in the country’s entertainment industry including Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Raihan Rafi, Adnan Al Rajeev, Masuma Rahman Nabila and others.
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Model-choreographer Shahadat Hossain Sumon honoured in New York
Model-choreographer Shahadat Hossain Sumon was honoured for his contribution to choreography at the 13th NRB Awards 2023, recently held at the Queen's Palace in Queens, New York, in the US.
The award ceremony was held on December 3, organised by Show Time Music, to honour the contributions of those who have made significant contributions in various fields, including art, literature, culture, and commerce in the Diaspora, according to a press release.
About 50 awardees from diverse backgrounds who have contributed to various professions, including artists, journalists, musicians, businessmen, doctors, and lawyers, were honoured and felicitated at the event.
Sumon is a successful model and choreographer in Bangladesh. The award was handed over to him by popular actress Moushumi.
Sumon was born in Sonai-muri Upazila in Noakhali. After finishing high school, he came to Dhaka and got involved with modelling.
In 2006, he officially joined the profession through the popular entertainment programme Sapta-Dinga.
He joined Skyler Modelling School in New York for higher knowledge to learn about the use of lights, stage design, music tracks, and occasional themes in choreography. He worked on several events at five-star hotels and different venues in Dhaka and Chattogram. He also participated in various domestic and foreign fashion shows.
Mousumi, Show Time's leader, Alamgir Khan Alam, artist Moin Chowdhury, and other dignitaries were present at the Show Time music event.
The cultural programme included dances by actress and model Pia Bipasha and her troupe and performances by emerging young Bangladeshi singers based in New York.
Is Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki look inspired by son AbRam?
Shah Rukh Khan is on cloud nine after releasing the “Dunki” teaser on Tuesday morning and walking the red carpet with daughter Suhana at her debut feature “The Archies” screening.
Shah Rukh opened his “Ask SRK” session yesterday by discussing these two events.
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A fan created a collage using pictures of Shah Rukh Khan from “Dunki” and AbRam, reports NDTV.
He wanted to know if Shah Rukh Khan's “Dunki” appearance was inspired by AbRam's look. The fan also praised Shah Rukh Khan's two "handsome" sons.
Shah Rukh responded to this with his trademark humour, "My entire family is good looking. It was a dialogue in ‘Yes Boss’ and I love it."
During a recent “Ask SRK” event, the “Jawan” actor was asked to explain the source of his youthful energy. He went on to say, "I have a little baby at home. So I try and keep his innocence and energy in songs."
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“Dunki”, directed by Rajkumar Hirani and produced by Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, is set to hit theaters on December 21. It is SRK's first collaboration with Rajkumar Hirani. The film also stars Boman Irani and Vicky Kaushal in addition to Taapsee Pannu.
Coke Studio Bangla to launch Season 3 next year
Coke Studio Bangla, the popular global music platform which has been enthralling music lovers in the country since 2022 with its fan-favourite tracks such as "Deora," "Darale Duaarey," "Nasek Nasek" and more, is gearing up to launch its next season in early next year.
The organisers of Coke Studio Bangla revealed this in a recent press meet, while showing the analytics of its successful two seasons.
Momshad Khan, Country Head, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Bangladesh Limited said at the event that over two groundbreaking seasons, CSB has refreshed the music landscape, transcended borders, earning accolades from fans and artistes alike. So far, the platform brought music from different regions including Chattogram, Sylhet and Mymensingh, among others.
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The platform has introduced nearly 100 talented singers, including many undiscovered musicians such as Animesh Roy, Hamida Banu, Aleya Begum, Mukul Mojumder Ishaan, to name a few; kickstarting some of their careers.
While all the applauds have rightly gone to the 20 plus songs created in two seasons and the musicians behind them, the platform itself has been generating numbers that are commendable and had a direct impact on the music industry itself, according to Coke Studio Bangla Music Producer and acclaimed singer-music director Shayan Chowdhury Arnob.
Revealing the analytics, the organisers showcased that Coke Studio Bangla's YouTube channel boasts a total of 2.86 million+ subscribers, surpassing the combined subscriber count of some of Bangladesh's biggest brands, including leading telcos, & MFS. All this was achieved in just 20 months since its inauguration, and additionally, Coke Studio Bangla remains the only Bangladeshi FMCG brand to have both a Silver and Gold YouTube Play Button, a testament to its significant impact.
Furthermore, with an engagement rate of 20%, CSB's YouTube channel surpasses the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry average of below 10%, showcasing the platform's ability to connect with its audience.
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The global appeal of CSB is evident with 3,700 organic review and reaction contents from 15+ countries worldwide. The top hits of the two seasons are "Bhober Pagol," "Bulbuli," and "Nasek Nasek" from Season 1, and "Deora" and "Kotha Koiyo Na" from Season 2.
In terms of fanbase, Coke Studio Bangla's fans primarily falls under the aged group of 18-34, hailing from various countries. A little over 80% of the total subscribers are from Bangladesh, with India, and the USA in second and third spot. They are followed by countries in the Middle East & Europe, the organizers said.
While Coke Studio Bangla is greatly celebrated in major cities of Bangladesh, like Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, there is a significant fanbase in Kolkata who have embraced the platform with enthusiasm, the organisers stated.
Coke Studio Bangla's Spotify data highlights the platform’s staggering success the most, with a total streaming duration of over 13.8 million streams to date which is equivalent to 75million minutes. As per data from Spotify, since the launch of the platform, Bangla music consumption on Spotify has increased by 4 times. The most streamed CSB songs include "Bulbuli," "Chiltey Roud," "Bhober Pagol" (Season 1), and "Deora," "Kotha Koiyo Na," "Darale Duaarey" (Season 2).
There has been a total of over 1 million user-generated content pieces on TikTok that accumulated more than 400 million views based on the songs from Coke Studio Bangla. The most trending CSB songs on TikTok are "Deora," "Kotha Koiyo Na," and "Darale Duaarey."
With over 1 million user generated reels on Instagram Reels, "Kotha Koiyo Na" stands out as the most trending CSB song on that platform, according to the organisers.
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Apart from music, Coke Studio Bangla has also had an impact on the art and creative community of Bangladesh, the organizers stated. Since its inception, thousands of fans and artists have shared their creative artwork as a form of tribute to the wonderful songs and musicians.
‘I'm on medication’: Karan Johar
Bollywood producer, director Karan Johar, who has always been upfront about his mental health struggles, recently opened up about his experience with anxiety during a press conference for his programme “Koffee With Karan 8”.
“What happens to me or anybody else, it can happen to anybody. It doesn't mean you need a trigger, sometimes it is a result of many things, sometimes there's a trigger. When I spoke about my anxiety, it was to share a part of life that exists. That exists today as well, while I speak. I've no fear in saying that I'm on medication,” PTI quoted Karan Johar as saying, reports NDTV.
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Karan Johar and actress Deepika Padukone discussed their mental health experiences on an earlier episode of “Koffee With Karan 8”. Karan Johar discussed his "legit (anxiety) attack" during the unveiling of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) earlier this year.
“The legit attack I had was at the NMACC launch. I remember Varun Dhawan was staring at me. I was sweating. I didn't even realise my face was full of sweat. Varun came and he was like, 'Are you okay?' My hands were shaking. And then he took me to an empty room. I first thought it was a cardiac arrest. I didn't know what I was going through. I got out of my jacket, which was long and elaborate. I just left in half an hour. I went back home and I just went to my bed and I cried. I didn't know why I was crying,” Johar said recalling the incident.
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“Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”, “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna”, “My Name Is Khan”, and “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” are among the films Karan Johar directed.
“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”, starring Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, was his latest film which became a blockbuster. Karan Johar is also producing a film starring Kartik Aaryan and another project with Sidharth Malhotra, according to the report.
Sabbir Romeo's short film ‘Nibhe Jawa Pradeep’ to release on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Marking the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Sunday, Ahmed Sabbir Romeo has directed a touching short film, ‘Nibhe Jawa Pradeep’.
The short film portrays the heartfelt story of a child with disability whose only sister becomes helpless and faces physical abuse from a masked wealthy individual in society while covering medical expenses for her brother.
In addition to the director, Priyanka Islam and child artist Al Shahriar also feature in the film.
AK Azad served as the Director of Photography, while film director Monir Hossain Mithu handled overall management.
The film will be released tomorrow (Sunday) evening on the Priyanka Vision YouTube channel.
December 3rd is globally recognized as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
This year, the day marks the 32nd celebration of this day, dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and safeguarding the well-being of individuals facing physical and mental disabilities worldwide.
Additionally, Bangladesh is commemorating its 25th National Day of Persons with Disabilities this year.
Sam Bahadur: Manekshaw's daughter moved to tears
“Sam Bahadur” was released on Friday, and the film has received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Sam Manekshaw, India's first field marshal, is played by Vicky Kaushal in the film.
Apart from Vicky Kaushal's industry colleagues, the film touched Sam Manekshaw's daughter Maja Daruwala to tears, reports NDTV.
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Maja Daruwala attended The Indian Express' Adda with director Meghna Gulzar and Vicky Kaushal. At the ceremony, she said, "They have made the film to make the country proud of whatever it was. But, the time that I tear up, every time, I've seen the film twice now and I teared up both times, is the last two seconds of the film when you turn to the audience and you're smiling. That just kills me every time."
Vicky Kaushal has garnered widespread acclaim from friends, colleagues, and his family. Among the accolades, a heartfelt note arrived from actor Abhishek Bachchan. Bachchan posted on X, “Saw #SamBahadur last night. The enormity of all that #FieldMarshalSamManekshaw did and achieved is overwhelming! And so beautifully told on celluloid by my favourite @meghnagulzar. It's a huge responsibility to portray one of India's greatest sons and she does it wonderfully. To...the entire cast and crew, you should be very proud and thank you for telling this story. @vickykaushal09, what do I even say about you... you continue to set the bar so high for all of us and then so effortlessly jump over it as only Sam can.”
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Vicky's performance was also lauded by wife and Bollywood star Katrina Kaif. In an Instagram post, she said, “Maghna Gulzar, such a poetic beautiful classic film, was transported to another era .. can see your passion to telling his story and attention to detail in every shot.”
"And SAM !!!!.....GRACE, HEROISM, GRIT. What a performance, flawless, I'm just astounded, you are too inspiring , true to your craft in the most brilliant integral way, was so proud to watch you shine your way across the screen. I've seen you this last year pour yourself into this film and transform into sam. A performance to be remembered,” she added.
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"One of the most striking aspects of Sam Bahadur is that it eschews flag-waving militarism while celebrating the bravery of India's soldiers. It treads gently and thoughtfully through the life-threatening minefields that infantrymen have to negotiate in the line of duty. There are battle scenes and punchlines aplenty in the film, but they do not overshadow the less flashy components with which the lively biopic is constructed," Saibal Chatterjee, a film reviewer for NDTV, noted in his review.
‘Forced to Flee’: Mobile filmmaking workshop ends with MoU signing at ULAB
A five-week-long mobile filmmaking workshop organized jointly by the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) came to an end on Friday.
The workshop was held at the permanent campus of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
Inaugurated with the welcome speech by ULAB Pro-Vice-Chancellor Jude Willian Genilo, the event observed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) underscoring the commitment to fostering filmmaking as a means of amplifying refugee narratives by the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Sumbul Rizvi, the country representative, UNHCR, Bangladesh.
Prof Jude William Genilo shared insights into the importance of storytelling and commended the young students for their passion and commitment to filmmaking, emphasizing the profound impact such narratives can have on raising awareness and fostering empathy.He also shared that the MoU signing and the partnership with UNHCR aims to empower storytellers to amplify the voices of those 'Forced to Flee' and create a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the refugees.The chief guest of the event, Sumbul Rizvi, the country representative of UNHCR, graced the occasion with her valuable insights into the world of filmmaking and the role it plays in presenting the stories of refugees as well as the transformative impact of mobile films in capturing the nuances of forced displacement and human resilience.She handed over the certificates to the dedicated participants after that, who completed the workshop.
Following this, the films were screened, based on the theme ‘Forced to Flee’ - written, produced, and directed by the student filmmakers. The workshop was attended by a total of 20 students from different universities. This workshop was coordinated by Md Rayhan Kabir Shuvro.
Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) Advisor Syeda Sadia Mahjabin and Instructor Humayun Farid, presented the vote of thanks at the end of the five-week-long workshop on ‘Forced to Flee’. After the main event, a cultural segment was held by ULAB students.
Established as a unique platform to showcase the creativity of young filmmakers, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) started its journey in 2015 with the motto ‘New Generation, New Technology, and New Communication’. This event aims to encourage filmmaking through mobile phones.
The 10th edition of the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF'24) is scheduled to be held in February next year.
Girls Squad is Back!
Zara, Tonni, Riya, Faria, Mim, and Sabrina - six bachelor friends with unique personalities sharing the same flat - captivated audiences in 2021 with their tales of life, mishaps, love, and adventures in the popular drama series 'Girls Squad' on the renowned Bongo OTT platform.
The series swiftly gained immense popularity, and its title resonated across the nation.
Now, after two successful seasons, 'Girls Squad' is back with its much-anticipated third season.
Adding a new dynamic to the Squad, Bangladesh's beloved TikTok sensation, Shamima Afrin Omi, joins the cast for an exciting twist in Season 3.
The stories of the Girls Squad continue to unfold, with the latest season featuring the squad members engaged in various endeavors.
Tiktoker Omi takes on the role of the Squad's new flatmate, while Zara, portrayed by Nabila, is preparing for her wedding.
The squad attends the wedding, only to discover that Zara's marriage is to someone unexpected, deviating from the expected match with Gangua Bhai.
This pivotal moment sets the stage for the main storyline, with numerous incidents and adventures unfolding in the lives of the squad members.
Hridoy Zulfikar, Content Manager at Bongo, expressed enthusiasm about Girls Squad Season 3, stating, "Girls Squad has already become a popular series among viewers. The anticipation for the new season has been palpable for a long time, and we are receiving a positive response right after the release. We hope that, like the previous two seasons, this season will also be well-received by the audience."
Girls Squad Season 3 was released on the Bongo OTT platform on December 1 at 12:01am, said a media release on Friday.