Entertainment
Singer Hyder Husyn again suffers heart attack
Singer-songwriter and freedom fighter Hyder Husyn was hospitalised Wednesday following a heart attack.
Hyder is now undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital.
"My father-in-law Hyder Husyn had a massive heart attack last night. After a surgery, he has been kept at the coronary care unit (CCU) of the hospital," the musician's son-in-law Salman Faruque Khan said Wednesday.
Tuesday morning, Hyder felt chest pain and was taken to hospital in the afternoon.
In 2016, the singer had his first heart attack in the US and two stents were placed in his heart at that time.
Born and raised in a music-oriented family in Old Dhaka, Hyder got the opportunity to receive music lessons at home during his adolescence.
As a musician and lyricist, he performed with legendary singer Azam Khan and bands like Winning, Chime and Different Touch.
"Mon Ki Je Chay Bolo," one of the most famous Bangla songs of the 90s, was written by Hyder, one of the founders of Winning. He began his career in Bangladesh Air Force as an aircraft engineer.
Since 1979, Hyder has been a part of the Bangladeshi music scene with his popular albums such as "Faisha Gechi," "Shopno," "Na Bola Kotha," "Prottasha," and "Khola Akash."
"Tirish Bochor," "Saari," "Ami Faisa Gechi," are some of his most popular songs.
Dhanus’s hit movie of month coming as Karnan-Bidrohi
Bongo is presenting the Tamil movie of the month 'Karnan' which is based on a story written and directed by Mari Selvaraj.
Viewers will be able to enjoy the blockbuster "Karnan-Bidrohi" in Bangla for free from June 10 on the Bongo OTT platform.
This highly inspirational film is a cocktail of action, drama and undoubtedly powerful acting surge. The story is based upon a village rebel Karnan belonging to a poor village who revolts against the mistreatment of lower classes by the upper class and high-ranking police officials, said a media release.
Read: Smartphones are changing the filmmaking landscape for youth: Amitabh Reza
Popular Tamil Superstar Dhanush and Rajisha Vijayan play the lead roles. Other renowned appearances are Gouri Kishan, Lal, Yogi Babu, Nataraja Subramanian, Gouri Kishan, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli, Azhagam Perumal, and many more.
'Karnan', first theatrical release was held on April 9, 2021. Later on, 14 May, 2021 it was published digitally on the OTT platform Amazon Prime.
The story narrates how Karnan became his people's hero, how oppression can be insidious, and how the bureaucracy stands by the side of the oppressor and even takes part in the oppression. The plot revolves around the village Podiyankulam.
When the village is refused a bus stop, the oppressed village rises with the help of Karnan to fight this injustice.
Read: ‘Talash’ to hit screens on June 17
Karoline Hoeppner, Head of Licensing and Distribution, Bongo, said, "After Rajnikanth's action loaded Kabali, we are now launching Dhanush's Karnan. The title translates as Bidrohi and is about a simple man who fights injustice and becomes the hero of his village.”
Hoeppner also said, “We all love movies where the good wins against bad, or the small wins over the big. The movie setting is a village with upper- and lower-class families - A place where oppression and privilege intersect. Please watch "Karnan-Bidrohi" on Bongo to see how the villagers boldly stand up against the decision making by the establishment when it all boils down."
Smartphones are changing the filmmaking landscape for youth: Amitabh Reza
The advancement of technology emerged as a blessing for the new generation of filmmakers, as smartphones can play vital roles in quality filmmaking, popular filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury said in a recent social media campaign of international smartphone and technology brand Vivo.
“Every frame is a reflection of reality, and filmmaking has been much easier these days with the advancement of technology. Our young and promising filmmakers should resort to smartphones to create content like short films and even feature films, as the qualities of smartphones have been accelerated through brands like Vivo,” he stated.
The global smartphone brand has recently launched its brand new flagship device Vivo X80 with game-changing photography and videography compatibilities, and brought the model into Bangladesh aligning with its global release.
Marking the occasion, the brand has recently launched a campaign on its official Facebook page titled “Vivo X League”, featuring four talented Bangladeshi leaders of their individual principality: famous cricket commentator and former player Athar Ali Khan, renowned cinematographer Rashed Zaman, eminent filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury and Vivo Bangladesh Product Director David Lee.
“To me, phones are not only the essential means of human communications but also a storytelling tool these days. My phone helps me in shaping my vision, and the lens of its camera is the most vital part of it.”
Also Read: Rickshaw Girl: A Movie by Amitabh Reza won Award in International Film Festival
“This is why the collaboration between Vivo and German optoelectronics brand Carl ZEISS excited me. The technology they provided to use through this collaboration, we can use it to make short films and tell stories of international standard,” according to the acclaimed filmmaker.
One of the most celebrated filmmakers in the country, Reza has made several popular films and web-films including ‘Hawa Ghor,’ ‘Aynabaji,’ ‘Munshigiri,’ and ‘Rickshaw Girl’ that have left a mark in audiences’ minds.
With his widely acclaimed film Aynabaji, he has created an astounding hype among audiences, also through his popular television and web series like Dhaka Metro and Bandhan.
Mobile phone-based filmmaking is getting popular these days among the new generation content makers, and festivals are also taking place dedicated to this genre, such as the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) by the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
“You can go to any festival with your stories, and what can be more fascinating than the fact that you can now express yourself in the global platforms with just a single device! Utilizing technological advancement, the youth of this country will tell the stories of this soil and people in the coming days,” the acclaimed filmmaker hopes.
END/UNB/MIH/ssk/2307
India tightens Salman Khan's security after death threat
Indian authorities on Monday tightened the security for Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's and his father Salim Khan after the two allegedly received death threats.
"The security for the Khan family has been beefed up in the wake of a threat letter the Khans received on Sunday," a senior officer of Mumbai Police told the local media, after he visited Salman's house this morning.
In fact, Salman's father spotted the "threat letter" outside the family's house at Bandra Bandstand promenade in a posh Mumbai locality during his morning walk on Sunday.
Read: Shah Rukh, Katrina test positive for Covid
"You will meet the same fate as Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala," the letter stated.
The popular singer was recently shot dead by assailants in the state of Punjab after the local authorities reduced his security cover.
Police said they were taking the threat letter seriously as the Punjabi singer was killed by suspected members of infamous Lawrence Bishnoi gang that threatened to eliminate Salman Khan in 2018.
Born as Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan in December 1965, the superstar has acted in over 80 films in his 33-year-long career. He is the third-richest Bollywood actor, with an estimated net worth of USD 360 million.
Apart from playing a range of popular roles from a romantic hero to a flashy action star, Salman is also a film producer.
Salman began his career in Bollywood in 1988, with a supporting role in Biwi Ho To Aisi. But his real success came a year later after his award-winning performance in romantic blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya.
Read: JK 1971: First English-Language Bangladeshi Film featuring Independence War
Action thriller Karan Arjun (1995), comedy film Biwi No 1 (1999) and the family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999) were his other commercial hits.
After a brief decline in his career graph in the 2000s, Salman got greater stardom in next decade by playing the lead role in action films like Dabangg (2010), Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Kick (2014) and Sultan (2016).
The 55-year-old is also a television presenter and runs a charity, Being Human Foundation.
But the bachelor has a dark side too -- one of his former girlfriends accused him of abusing her, and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2018 for killing two black bucks, a protected antelope species, on a hunting trip. He is currently out on bail.
Shah Rukh, Katrina test positive for Covid
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and leading actress Katrina Kaif are the latest Bollywood celebrities to have contracted coronavirus. Both are currently in home isolation in the city of Mumbai.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to wish Shah Rukh a fast "recovery".
"Just came to know that our Brand Ambassador Shahrukh Khan has been detected covid positive. Pray for the fastest recovery for the superstar," Mamata wrote.
Shah Rukh is considered the most talented Bollywood star. Popularly called the "King Khan", he has acted in over 80 films in a career spanning over 25 years. And he has a net worth of USD 700 million.
Basically a model, Hong Kong-born Katrina began her Bollywood career with 'Boom', an action film, in 2003 that flopped.
Two years later, she earned commercial success in the Hindi film industry with her romantic comedy 'Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya'. And what followed was a series of box-office hits.
In December last year, the 38-year-old tied the knot with Bollywood heartthrob Vicky Kaushal at a fort in the princely state of Rajasthan in northwestern India.
A number of Bollywood celebrities, right from singer Kanika Kapoor to actors Aamir Khan, Sunny Deol and Amitabh Bachchan, have tested positive for Covid since the pandemic broke out in March 2020.
Also read: Shah Rukh Khan's son gets clean chit in drugs case
Shakira confirms split with soccer star Piqué
Colombian pop star Shakira and her partner, Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué, are splitting up, the pair said in a statement released Saturday.
“We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the two said in a statement released by Shakira’s public relations firm. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”
Also Read: India bids adieu to Bollywood singer KK
Shakira, 45, met the Barcelona defender while she was promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” The couple have two children, Sasha and Milan.
In recent days, rumors of the demise of the couple’s 11-year relationship had gripped Spanish media, fueled by media reports that Piqué, 35, had left the family’s home in Barcelona and was living by himself in the city.
10 Best South Indian Movies to Hit Silver Screen in June 2022
South Indian movies keep the silver screen busy every month to meet the expectations of their huge audience. Once the production work is over, every film enters the queue and the release chain starts eventually. Some outstanding movies from the South Indian film industries have got in line this month. This article has enlisted the 10 most hyped South Indian films set to release in June 2022. If you are a fan of Tamil, Kannada, Telugu or Malayalam cinemas, stay with us to know about the latest films of these industries.
Top 10 South Indian Movies in June 2022
Vikram | June 3, 2022
Tamil Action Film Starring Kamal Haasan
Film writer and director Lokesh Kanagaraj highlights two siblings here, one a gangster and the other a politician. The action movie follows the efforts of a retired police officer to rescue a high-ranking government official from their clutches.
This Raaj Kamal Films International production stars Kamal Haasan in the titular role of a police officer. The film also stars Vijay Sethupathi, Kalidas Jayaram, Fahadh Faasil, Narain, Arjun Das, and Antony Varghese. Anirudh Ravichander has taken care of the music composition for this thriller movie.
Read: 10 Best South Indian Movies Released in May 2022
777 Charlie | 10 June 2022
Kannada Comedy Movie Starring Rakshit Shetty
Kiran Raj has directed and written this upcoming adventure film. Apart from Rakshit, this film stars Raj B Sethi and Sangeeta Sringeri in the lead roles. The film was produced by GS Gupta and Rakshit Sethi under Parambah Studios.
The setting of the comedy-drama revolves around a dog named Charlie, who revolutionises the life of the movie's protagonist Dharma. Nobin Paul is the music composer of 777 Charlie. Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu dubbed versions of the film are also going to be released.
Read: JK 1971: First English-Language Bangladeshi Film featuring Independence War
Maamanithan | June 23, 2022
Tamil Drama Starring Vijay Sethupathi
The title of the film means Great Human. Yuvan Shankar Raja has made the drama film under the banner of his own company YSR Productions. He even composed the soundtrack for the film along with his father Ilayaraza.
Apart from Vijay, this film, directed and written by Seenu Ramasamy, stars KPAC Lalita, Gayatri, Shaji Chen, and Guru Somasundaram. The story of the film depicts the miserable condition of an auto driver's family life.
Read Netflix K-Dramas: Top 10 Korean Series Dubbed in English
Major | 3 June 2022
Telugu Action Film Produced by Sony and Mahesh Babu
This action film is a biography of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, an army officer who was killed by the Mumbai attacks in 2008. The movie is directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka and scripted by Adivi Sesh, who is also the lead actor in the film.
The cinema was co-produced by A+S Movies along with Sony and Mahesh Babu and was filmed in Telugu and Hindi at the same time. The film also stars Prakash Raj, Saiee Manjrekar, Sobhita Dhulipala, Anish Kuruvilla and Murali Sharma.
Read Best Rainy Day Movies to Excite Homebound Ecstasy
Maha | June 10, 2022
Tamil Thriller Film Starring Hansika Motwani
In this crime film, a police officer chases a killer to avenge the murder of a girl. This Dato Abdul Malik presentation is directed by UR Jameel and Mani Maran Seenivasan.
Sensational star Hansika Motwani played the title role in the movie. Besides writing the story and screenplay, director Jamil has also acted in this mystery movie. Srikanth, Silambarasan Rajendra and Sanam Sethi have also played important roles.
V Mathiyalagan produced this thriller film under the banner of Etcetera Entertainment. And the Music director was M. Ghibran.
Read: ‘Talash’ to hit screens on June 17
Made In China | June 17, 2022
The First Kannada Virtual Film
This is the first Kannada virtual movie where the interactions of its characters will be shown through digital media such as text or video chat. Apart from directing the film, Preetham Tegginamane has worked on the camera, VFX, and editing.
Along with Preetham, Nischal V has co-written the story, screenplay, and dialogues of the movie. The lead actors in this NK Studios production are Nagbhushan and Priyanka Thimmesh.
A year and a half ago, the Malayalam cinema C U Soon directed by Mahesh Narayan was shown as a computer screen film.
Read KGF Chapter 2: Expensive Kannada film made record for fastest grossing
Thuramukham | 10 June 2022
Malayalam Action Cinema on Historical Event
This movie plot is set on the labour movement against an immoral practice named 'Chappa' in the Cochin port of India. The title of the film means Harbor. Gopan Chidambaran wrote the screenplay for the movie based on the story of a play of the same title by his father K M Chidambaran.
‘Talash’ to hit screens on June 17
Movie buffs rejoice! National award-winning director Shaikat Nasir’s new movie ‘Talash’ will hit the screens across Bangladesh on June 17.
The movie features Shabnam Bubli and newcomer Ador Azad in leading roles. Asif Ahsan Khan, Masum Basher, Mili Basher and Jojon Mahmud are also part of the cast.
The movie has been made under the banner of Kleopetra Films. Asad Zaman has written the script jointly with the director.
Read: JK 1971: First English-Language Bangladeshi Film featuring Independence War
A total of five songs have been used in the movie, which have already been released. Besides, the first look, the trailer and the poster of the film have also been published.
Shaikat told UNB that the plot of the movie revolves around the protagonist, which has been played by Ador Azad.
“This is a small budget movie. Viewers have already liked its trailer and the songs. Almost all the major theaters have already been booked for the premier. I can say with confidence that the viewers are going to see something interesting," he said.
Actress Bubli said that the country’s cinema halls have incurred huge losses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Things started to change with the new releases during this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr vacation. It’s definitely a blessing for us," she added.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard: Uphill battle to rebuild images
After an explosive six-week libel trial followed by millions on social media and live TV, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard each face an uphill battle: trying to rebuild their images and careers.
Depp already has a head start, with a jury verdict Wednesday largely favoring his narrative, that his ex-wife defamed him by accusing him of abusing her.
“Depp has a hill to climb. Heard has a mountain to climb,” said Eric Dezenhall, a crisis mitigator in Washington with no involvement in the case. “If Depp keeps his expectations proportional and understands that he’s unlikely to hit his former heights, he can have a solid career if he takes things slowly. After all, he was vindicated in court, not declared a saint.”
The challenge for Heard, Dezenhall said, is that rightly or wrongly, some believe she abused and perhaps even tarnished a worthy movement, #MeToo.
With a he said-she said edge to the drawn-out trial, the verdict handed down in Fairfax County, Virginia, found that Depp had been defamed by three statements in a 2018 op-ed piece written by Heard, who identified herself as an abuse victim. The jury awarded the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star more than $10 million. Jurors also concluded Heard was defamed, by a lawyer for Depp who accused her of creating a hoax surrounding the abuse allegations. She was awarded $2 million.
Given that such cases are notoriously hard to win, was the defamation route the way to go? Some observers with experience in high-profile cases believe Depp's decision to sue — even though it meant dragging his and Heard's personal lives through the mud — was a last-ditch attempt to bolster his star power after his failed London libel lawsuit against The Sun for describing him as a “wife beater."
Also read: Depp and Heard face uncertain career prospects after trial
“I think the defamation case was a Hail Mary,” said David Glass, a Los Angeles family law attorney with a Ph.D in psychology.
Married just 15 months, Depp sued Heard for $50 million over the op-ed for The Washington Post in which she called herself “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” She didn't identify Depp by name and it was published two years after she began making public accusations against him.
Heard countersued for $100 million, accusing the star of defaming her via the hoax accusations of attorney Adam Waldman. Many of the waning days of the trial focused on the aftereffects of both claims, with Depp testifying: “I lost nothing less than everything" and Heard accusing him of trying to erase her ability to work.
“Now as I stand here today, I can’t have a career,” Heard testified at the close of the trial. “I hope to get my voice back. That’s all I want.”
But does a verdict of any kind hold the power to reverse the courtroom accusations: of Depp as a physically and sexually abusive aging drunk and drug addict, and Heard as unhinged and capable of faking bruises allegedly inflicted by the man she said she stayed with out of love?
Despite it all, Depp's fan base remains solid. Fans often camped out overnight for the chance to attend proceedings. But unlike rockers and stand-up comedians ensnared in #MeToo moments who can still earn through live shows, Depp and Heard need the crisis-averse studio machines to make big money.
Rehabilitation is necessary for both, whether it's dueling traditional sit-down interviews or another secret weapon in their PR teams' arsenals.
Also read: Jury sides with Johnny Depp in libel case, awards him $10M
Heard, who was in the room for Wednesday's verdict, plans to appeal. Depp, who wasn't in court, said “the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”
Danny Deraney, who's done crisis PR for some of Hollywood’s #MeToo accusers, said men in general are more likely than women to find new work in the entertainment industry "when it comes to forgiveness and when it comes to the things that they’ve done.”
He added: “I think it’s going to be easier for Johnny. For Amber, whether she’s innocent or guilty or whatever it is, it’s going to be difficult. I don’t think her career is necessarily over. But I’m sure it’s going to take a nice hit because I think everyone now is going to look at her as a difficult woman to work with, seeing her emotions the way they’ve been, whether wrong or right. I think they’re going to look at that and say, ‘Do we want this on our set?’”
Danielle Lindemann, a Lehigh University associate professor of sociology who researches gender, sexuality and culture, said Depp's ability to earn big had already been affected, whether due to his own self-destruction or fallout from Heard's accusations.
“But I don’t think he’s 'canceled,'” said Lindemann, author of “True Story: What Reality Says About Us.”
The damage to his career is also likely to be a lot less severe in Asian and European markets, where his popularity remains strong. And he is likely to still get work on indie productions like those that helped along his 38-year run.
Since the former couple began slinging allegations, Heard has faced intense backlash on social media. She said Depp fueled campaigns to get her fired as an ambassador for L'Oreal and cut as the character Mera from an “Aquaman” sequel, though a production executive testified she remains in the film due out next year.
Mads Mikkelsen replaced Depp as Gellert Grindelwald for “Fantastic Beasts 3.” Depp's future is also uncertain in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, something he blamed on Heard's allegations. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has revealed that two more “Pirates” scripts are in development, but neither will include Depp’s Capt. Jack Sparrow, a role that earned the actor an Oscar nomination. His last appearance in the Disney-owned franchise was in 2017’s “Dead Men Tell No Tales.”
Dior has long used Depp to promote a men's fragrance, Sauvage. The fashion house has been silent on the abuse allegations and is still using him in ads.
Attorney Brett Ward, a family law specialist in New York, said it could take years to know whether Depp's case will eventually lead to his return as an A-list actor.
"And if he doesn’t? I think he’s made a terrible mistake because most people aren’t going to remember his rather distinguished Hollywood career. They’re going to remember this trial. It’s like O.J. Simpson. People know him more for what happened in that trial than they did for his football career.”
Dezenhall disagreed. He said the case that captured the world's attention might just be a bellwether for people and corporations facing existential threats to their reputations and livelihoods. The old logic that bringing defamation suits was riskier than any benefits no longer necessarily applies, he said. They're too hard to win because proving malice is so tricky, traditional thinking went. Why publicly recycle the negative when people are likely to forget?
Today, he said, the stakes have become too high to avoid such defamation court fights. He wrote on Substack, “If you’re already covered in muck that is suspended online forever, what’s a little more muck if your life has been ruined?”
India bids adieu to Bollywood singer KK
Leading Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, was cremated in India's entertainment capital Mumbai on Thursday.
The cremation took place at Mumbai's Versova Hindu crematorium, barely a kilometre from his apartment complex in the presence of his family members and close friends from Bollywood.
Local TV channels aired live the footage of his last rites performed by KK's son Nakul.
The 53-year-old playback singer died of a suspected cardiac arrest, shortly after a concert in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata late on Tuesday night.
Read: Celebrities in Bangladesh mourn Bollywood singer KK's death
Soon after the news of his death broke, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Bollywood celebrities took to Twitter to express their condolences.
"His songs reflected a wide range of emotions and struck a chord with people of all age groups. We will always remember him through his songs. Condolences to his family and fans," Modi wrote.
"Extremely sad and shocked to know of the sad demise of KK. What a loss! Om Shanti," Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar wrote.
Read: Shah Rukh Khan's son gets clean chit in drugs case
Regarded as one of the most versatile singers of his generation, KK recorded over 3,500 songs across 11 Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Assamese and Hindi.
His glorious career began in 1994, but he shot to fame in 1999 for 'Pal,' his debut album that became massively popular as a school-farewell song in the subcontinent.