Produced by Anushka Sharma owned Clean Slate Films, the movie Bulbbul has been directed by Anvita Dutt. This movie is streaming on Netflix since 24th June 2020. The storyline of Bulbbul centers on ancient folklore of witch or demon-woman (Chudail) who resuscitates after succumbing to an unnatural death. Though the concept of witch carrying inverted legs mostly refers to the evil spirit in the supernatural horror stories, the director gives it a feminist twist in the movie Bulbbul.

The movie represents the story of a Jamindar family who used to live in a massive palace (haveli) at Bengal under the Indian Sub-continent during the 19th century. The story starts with the title character Bulbbul, who gets married to Indranil – an aged royal man. Before marriage, the child Bulbbul used to climb trees and pluck mangos like a free spirit. Being unconscious about the true meaning of marriage or husband, the child bride Bulbbul gets inclined to her similar-aged brother-in-law Satya.

Indronil’s mentally challenged twin brother Mahendra and his wife Binodini are other significant characters of the story. The innocent friendship of Satya and Bulbbul creates jealousy in the minds of Indranil and Binodini who are secretly involved in promiscuous relationships. The story turns to a new spin when Satya is sent to London for study purposes by the big brother Jamindar Indronil whose real intention is to break up the attachment between Satya and Bulbbul.

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When Satya returns to his village after several years, he discovers the changed and grown-up Bulbbul. Satya gets surprised how Bulbbul has left her naive personality far behind. In the meantime, mysterious serial murders have occurred in that village, where all the victims are males who used to abuse their own wives. The superstitious villagers suspect the witch for murder allegations. Finding it difficult to believe the story of a witch, Satya starts the investigation in his own way. Initially, he becomes suspicious of Dr. Sudip – another dominant male character – who has a friendly relation with Bulbbul.

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The story advances when an unfortunate violence incidence happens in the life of Bulbbul. Though horrifying to watch, this brutality has led the film to its climax. Dr. Sudip enters the life of Bulbbul as a doctor. Though he is a true well-wisher of Bulbbul, complying with the traditions and norms of the society he chooses to limit their relationship within a boundary. 

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The movie Bulbbul speaks for feminism in a novel style. The director has showcased the plight of rural women who silently endure domestic violence. The storyline depicts how Bulbbul and her sister-in-law Binodini get tortured by the male members of their family. Instead of being sympathetic to each other’s distress, those two female roles had a bumpy relationship that spots light over the disorganized distressed women of the society. While Bulbbul chooses to take revenge against the violence against her and some other tormented women of the village, Binodini decides to suppress her feelings; they acted like two ends of the same sword.

This movie is starred by Tripti Dimri as Bulbbul, who is the lifeline of the story. Her captivating, bashful, inviting, and mystifying smile along with strong performance is truly commendable. Rahul Bose proves his talent once again playing double roles as Mahendra and Indranil. The veteran Bengali actress Paoli Dam played the role of Binodini with great proficiency. The powerful presence of Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Dr. Sudip enriches the film. And, Avinash Tiwary as Satya complements the story quite well. The whole cast has done a wonderful job of making the film vigorous and enjoyable.

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From beginning to end, the movie Bulbbul charms the audiences with a rich setting, regal costumes, enormous palace, and mysterious forest. This film combines classic pre-Renaissance Bengal and local horror gothic. Amit Trivedi’s beguiling lull music made the scenes more thrilling. What is more? The gripping effect of the deep crimson palette nicely signifies the bloody goings-on, which will amuse the fans of horror stories.

Thanks to the director and dialogue-writer Anvita Dutt, for successfully presenting an intricate, suspenseful, but magnificent story in a period of one hour and 34 minutes. The visually fascinating, and charismatic screenplay has made this movie a must-see for your next movie night.

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Popular Bangladeshi singer Andrew Kishore’s physical condition worsened on Sunday.

The singer has been receiving treatment in his hometown Rajshahi.  

According to his family sources, he has been undergoing treatment at his sister Shikha Biswas’s clinic. Along with cancer, he is suffering from kidney and hormone-related issues.

His acquaintance, singer Momin Biswas informed about Kishore’s latest physical condition in a Facebook Live session on Sunday. Kishore has been battling cancer since September last year and returned home on June 11 this year.

He was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer that originates in the lymphatic system. He received several chemotherapies during his nine-month battle with cancer.

Explaining his condition, Momin said that on June 8, doctors in Singapore informed Kishore that he is out of cancer-related complications. However, he felt extremely unwell on June 9 and after re-evaluating his condition, doctors informed him on June 10 that his cancer has returned. He did not want to continue living in Singapore anymore and returned home on June 11 by a special flight.

After spending a week at his Mirpur residence, Andrew Kishore decided to move to Rajshahi and has been living there since then.

Rumours started to circulate on social media on Sunday that the singer is no more, and Momin Biswas requested everyone not to spread rumours and fake news about the iconic singer.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and several noted music artists-celebrities have contributed during his treatment.

Also read: PM gives financial assistance to Andrew Kishore

The Horizon Sessions, a charitable initiative by students, held its second week’s special concert ‘The Horizon Sessions: The Nationals’ on Saturday night to collect donations to support the people in need, who have been suffering due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and cyclone Amphan.

Streamed live on ‘The Horizon Sessions’ Facebook page, the concert was supported by Friendship NGO and hosted by Dameer Khan, one of the organizers of the event.

The concert session is a three-week long musical tribute by the students of Sunbeams School to its founding principal Niloufer Manzur, who passed away on May 26 due to COVID-19.

Joining from Sylhet, the first performer of night-two and popular Bangladeshi rock band ‘Nemesis’ frontman Zohad Reza Choudhury performed Nemesis’s one of the highest acclaimed tracks 'Obocheton', followed by a Bob Marley song cover.

Academician and guitarist of eminent Bangladeshi band 'Renaissance', former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and currently the Dean of its School of Business Imran Rahman covered some of the iconic English classics including ‘Listen to the Rain’, ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, ‘Imagine’, ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ and ‘Yesterday’.

Singer Tashfee, known for her mesmerizing song covers among young fanbase, performed her original song ‘Jodi Tumi’, ‘Prodeep’ and an English song.

The showstopper of night two, acclaimed Bangladeshi singer-composer Arnob performed some of his celebrated tracks including ‘Ei Shohor Amar’, ‘Tomar Jonno’, ‘Majhe Majhe Keno Dekha Pai’ and an unreleased track.

The organizers told UNB that almost 60% of their targeted donations (10-12 lac Tk) were collected during the performances of these two nights. Donors from home and abroad donated in this noble initiative and the performing artistes have also urged the audiences to donate for the initiative and personally contributed to this noble venture.

The online music festival, kicked off on June 26, featured popular Bangladeshi music artist Habib, Naquib Khan, Pilu Khan, Dameer Khan and Chotu Khan on Friday and Zahra Zillur, Saif Anam, Sharaf Momen, Azaan Khan, Wasti Farzana Khan, Ashreen Mridha, Ace, Ayman Raakin, Shayan Husain, and Shafaat Mridha during its first week.

The donations collected from the series of virtual concerts will be used for setting up  COVID-19 testing booths in rural areas and rebuilding homes, reservoirs, and embankments destroyed by cyclone Amphan in the southern parts of Bangladesh.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, country’s leading music artistes enthralled audience through their live musical performances at a virtual programme organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Wednesday.

The event, titled ‘Art Against Corona’ was streamed live on BSA’s official Facebook page at 5pm as part of the academy’s stream of live events for the past couple of days.

Liaquat Ali Lucky, Director General of BSA gave the welcome speech at the event, which was anchored by renowned news presenter Imtiaz Ahmed Siddiqui and co-ordinated by BSA Public Relation Officer Hasan Mahmud.

Featuring a plethora of celebrated music artists of the country, the event was joined by noted ‘Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra’ singer Bulbul Mahalanobish, popular singer Agoon, music composer-singer Bappa Mazumder, Imran Mahmudul, Porshi, Suchitra Suchi, child artist Marissa, musician Ashok Kumar Sarker and special addition to the programme, Lebanese singer Tara Maalouf.

“In these unprecedented times, we all have been suffering from the socio-economical havoc the coronavirus pandemic has created for us. Culture has always been our strength as a nation and we must continue our passion. This virus will eventually disappear, but till that we need to remain hopeful and strong. This special event is part of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s virtual cultural programmes to honour and provide a platform to all our talented artists and connect them with the audience in this challenging period,” said Liaquat Ali Lucky.

Lucky welcomed Lebanese singer Tara Maalouf at the live programme who thanked BSA and the audience for the opportunity. Covering two popular Bengali songs - ‘Shono Ekti Mujibor’ and ‘Orey Neel Doriya’, along with a spiritual Lebanese song - Tara reminisced about her past performances before Bangladeshi audiences and also the entertaining performance of Bangladeshi artists such as Agoon who grooved the audiences at Lebanon in the past.

Popular music artist Bappa Mazumdar said, “Ever since the pandemic began, artists like us who have been heavily relying on live musical events are passing extremely hard times, as we all are being forced to be in home-quarantine with no concerts or live programmes. I think it is a good opportunity to focus on how we can showcase this type of events with better quality, and I personally thank BSA for arranging this programme and all the participating artists for joining in this wonderful venture.” 

The singers then enthralled the audience rendering several popular Bangla songs. Bulbul Mahalanobish performed ‘Valobashi Ekti Shei Naam, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’ as a tribute to the Father of the Nation and ‘Amaro Desher o Matir o Gondhe’, a song she called a universal ode from every patriot to their individual countries.

Among others, Bappa performed his evergreen song ‘Joler Daamey Kinechhi’, Agoon performed 'Prithibi te Shukh Bole Jodi Kichhu Theke Thake', Porshi sang ‘Vromor Koiyo Giya’, Suchi performed ‘Gaan Noy, Jibon Kahini’, 'Dukhho Amar Bashor Raater Palongko tributing the legendary singers Runa Laila and Sabina Yasmin and child artist Marissa sang 'Jodi Tor Daak Shune Keu Na Ashe' & 'Esho Malobika'.

BSA started this live initiative since the World Music Day on June 21, its Public Relation Officer Hasan Mahmud told UNB.

Artists, animators, and cartoonists have shared their views on how they are making the best use of their lives within four walls of home amid coronavirus epidemic keeping it in mind that every cloud has a silver lining.

They converged on a virtual platform to reflect on different aspects of life saying they should never feel hopeless because difficult times always lead to better days. 

Centre for Research and Information’s (CRI) youth platform Young Bangla hosted the thought sharing session titled ‘New Normal’ on Monday night. 

Britto Art Trust Coordinator and himself an artist, Mahbubur Rahman,Nadia Samdani, Co-Founder and President of the Samdani Art Foundation and Director of the Dhaka Art Summit; her partner in each of these ventures as well as life itself, Rajeeb Samdani; two very talented, up-and-coming Bangladeshi artists - the London-based Ayesha Sultana and Dhaka-based Sabyasachi Mistry; artists, Samir Asran Rahman, an animation artist, Syed Rashed Imam Tonmoy, an artist and cartoonist participated in the session. 

Meghdol Band Vocalist Shibu Kumar Shil conducted the session.

Shedding light on the life lived inside four walls during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mahbubur Rahman said, “Due to the socio-economic crisis emerging from the (health)crisis, people are undergoing depression."

But, he said, like every cloud has a silver line, this time brings about blessings as well. "People are endowed with ample time to reflect on themselves, reshaping thoughts, and spending time on books."

He also shared his plans that he may work out while staying home.

A few days into Dhaka Art Summit calling it a day, its organizers Rajeeb Samdani and Nadia Samdani had to shut themselves up inside home due to the spread of Coronavirus across the world. 

As observed by Nadia, it was quite a difficult task to restrict themselves inside home for weeks in a row but they adjusted with it well with time.

As part of the ‘New Normal’ life, they are conducting all of their activities online. 

Samdani Art Foundation is organizing a workshop titled ‘Art Around the Table’ with participation of artists and art enthusiasts in the country and abroad, highlighting on how to master art and photography.

“Jaago Foundation has teamed up with us on this project. We carried it out not just for artists but for everyone else as well. Artists are donating their remunerations to Jaago Foundation,” said Rajeeb.

Staying in home quarantine in London, Artist Ayesha Sultana said that she had also been planning for new ideas to work on.

In her view, though the art galleries in Europe have been reopened following its closure due to the spread of Covid-19, it will not be easy to organize art exhibitions in South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.

“I cannot say for sure when our country will be able to organize exhibitions again. The government can take initiative in this regard,” she said.

Sabyasachi Mistry said, “I am carrying out my office tasks from home and spending my time on reading books and listening to music. Currently, I am not getting my hands on the creative works.”

Animation Designer Samir Asran Rahman said that he had been missing his time in the studio as he had to do all the tasks from home. 

Cartoonist and Artist Syed Rashed Imam has been working on the graphic novel on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The gigantic initiative of creatively presenting the life stories of Bangabandhu, based on his Unfinished Memoirs, for children, teenagers, and youths was taken by Bangabandhu’s grandson Radwan Mujib Siddique.

Awami League’s research wing Centre for Research & Information (CRI) has been publishing the books since 2015.

Recounting that experience, Tonmoy said there is no precedent of such a well-researched graphic novel in Bangladesh. "At first, it took time to design the characters. Then we managed it well. We are done with seven books. There will be graphic novels on 10 issues.”

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