United News of Bangladesh

Veteran Bollywood actress Meenakshi Seshadri has expressed her desire to return to acting after spending nearly three decades away from the film industry. In a heartfelt video shared on Instagram, the actress said she has moved back to Mumbai from the United States and is now looking for meaningful acting opportunities in films and OTT platforms. Meenakshi said she spent the last 30 years in the US focusing on her family life but has now returned to what she called her “karmabhoomi” or workplace, Mumbai, with renewed hope and passion for acting. Addressing her followers, she thanked fans for their continued love and support and said she is open to strong and impactful roles, whether as a lead actor, supporting character or even in short-format projects. “I’m looking forward to meaningful opportunities. It could be films or OTT shows. The role does not matter as long as it is impactful,” she said. The actress also clarified that she is not trying to prove anything through her comeback. “I’m not here to prove any point. I’m simply doing what truly makes me happy,” she added. Meenakshi revealed that she had received several offers over the years, but some projects were not exciting enough while others did not materialise. She also said she is currently managing her comeback journey on her own without any agency support. In the caption of her post, Meenakshi mentioned that she is currently in Boston, USA, celebrating her son’s graduation from Harvard University. She requested fans to continue supporting her and wished that someone’s blessings might help her find the right opportunity in the entertainment industry. Meenakshi Seshadri was one of Bollywood’s top actresses during the 1980s and 1990s. She made her debut in the film ‘Painter Babu’ and later starred in several hit movies including ‘Hero’, ‘Meri Jung’, ‘Shahenshah’ and ‘Ghayal’. Her performance in the film ‘Damini’ is still widely regarded as one of the most powerful female roles in Hindi cinema. Apart from acting, Meenakshi is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She moved to the United States after marriage at the peak of her career to focus on family life. Source: NDTV

Popular satellite channel Nexus Television will present a five-day special programme to mark Eid-ul-Azha, featuring a dedicated music show titled ‘Ganer Opare’. The festive show will combine musical performances and conversations with leading artistes from across the country and will be broadcast every night for five consecutive days starting from Eid day. Hosted by Dr Jakia Sultana and produced by M Hasan, the programme aims to add colour and entertainment to the Eid celebrations. On the opening night, Rajib, Rumi and Rupkotha will perform and take part in discussions. On the second day, Liza, Rubel and Anjana will entertain viewers with musical performances. The third day will feature Swarna, Farhana and Mamun, while Rimi, Sujan and Babu will appear on the fourth day. The five-day celebration will conclude on the fifth night with performances by Swarlipi, Habib and Mainuddin. The programme will be aired daily at 10:30pm.

Pop superstar Taylor Swift attended Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night alongside her fiancé Travis Kelce as the Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the New York Knicks. The celebrity couple arrived courtside at Rocket Arena shortly before tipoff, drawing loud reactions from fans as cameras focused on them during the game. Kelce, a Cleveland native and longtime Cavaliers supporter, appeared highly engaged throughout the contest, enthusiastically cheering for the home team. During the third quarter, with Cleveland trailing 91-82, the pair appeared on the arena’s giant video board, prompting another wave of cheers from spectators. Kelce showed off his Cavaliers cap and team-colored shirt before chugging a beer, while Swift reacted playfully by covering her mouth in mock surprise. Swift has frequently attended NFL games since beginning her relationship with Kelce several years ago and has also accompanied him to other major sporting events, including a 2024 American League Championship Series game at Yankee Stadium. Kelce, who recently signed a three-year, $54 million contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs, has regularly attended Cavaliers games over the years. In 2024, he and his brother Jason Kelce were honored by the Cavaliers with a special bobblehead giveaway. The couple announced their engagement last year, with media reports suggesting they may marry later this summer. The Knicks currently lead the best-of-seven playoff series 2-0 after winning the opening two games in New York.

After a celebrated journey across major international film festivals and receiving widespread critical acclaim worldwide, the award-winning Bangladeshi feature film No Ground Beneath the Feet (Payer Tolay Mati Nai) is set for its global OTT premiere on iScreen on May 30. Directed by Mohammad Rabby Mridha, the film first gained international attention following its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, one of Asia’s most prestigious film festivals, held from October 6–15, 2021. The film later had its Indian premiere in the International Competition section of the FIAPF-accredited International Film Festival of India in Goa, held from 20–30 November 2021. Continuing its remarkable festival run, the film was selected in the Asian Competition section of the Bengaluru International Film Festival and screened in the Global Cinema section of the Pune International Film Festival in March 2022. The film also competed in the Debut Filmmakers Competition section at the Jaffna International Cinema Festival, where it had its Sri Lankan premiere, and was showcased in the Spotlight section of the Osaka Asian Film Festival during its Japan premiere. It further screened at the Critics Week section of the International Film Festival Thrissur and competed in the International Competition section of the Nepal International Film Festival, where it had its Nepal premiere.

Veteran Hollywood actor Bruce Dern received a warm tribute at the Cannes Film Festival this week as a new documentary on his life and career premiered at the festival. The documentary, titled Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern, looks back at Dern’s decades-long journey in Hollywood. The actor, who turns 90 next month, attended the premiere on Thursday. Speaking at Cannes alongside his daughter, actress Laura Dern, Bruce Dern reflected on his long career in films. He recalled that acting legends Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg once warned him that he was unlikely to become a leading man in Hollywood. Instead, they advised him to become “the most honest and unique fifth cowboy on the right.” Dern said he accepted that challenge and focused on building a lasting career. The actor first visited Cannes with legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock during the release of Marnie. In 2013, he won the festival’s Best Actor award for his performance in Nebraska directed by Alexander Payne. Laura Dern, who has often accompanied her father throughout his career, joined him once again at Cannes. She said many people used to tell her they “loved to hate” her father because of the memorable villain roles he played on screen. Bruce Dern became famous for portraying intense and unpredictable characters in films such as The Cowboys, where he shot John Wayne, and Black Sunday, in which he played a troubled Vietnam War veteran planning an attack on the Super Bowl. Acclaimed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino praised Dern in the documentary, calling him “one of the finest and most entertaining examples of great American acting.” The documentary was directed by Mike Mendez, who described Dern as energetic and unpredictable during interviews, often moving from one story to another without warning. Dern also spoke about his famous improvisations on film sets, which friends and colleagues nicknamed “Dernsies.” He credited actor Jack Nicholson for creating the term after noticing one of Dern’s spontaneous acting moments in the film Drive, He Said. He also shared a memory from the set of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, saying actor Brad Pitt became emotional after one of his improvised lines during filming. Despite his age, Dern said he has no plans to retire and wants to continue acting for as long as possible. Over his career, Bruce Dern has appeared in more than 150 productions, including The Great Gatsby, Coming Home, The Hateful Eight and The 'Burbs. He has also received two Academy Award nominations.

Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hollywood actress Eva Longoria shared a warm moment at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival, and the video has quickly gone viral on social media. Aishwarya, who made her much-awaited appearance at the festival, was seen greeting Eva Longoria with cheek kisses on the red carpet. The two stars, who have known each other for years, also posed together for photographs during the event, which concludes on May 23. Eva later shared the moment on her Instagram Stories by reposting a video from Galafr. Dressed in white, she was seen walking the red carpet before meeting Aishwarya. The Hollywood actress also posted several pictures from the event with the caption: “All white for the Palais.” Eva Longoria also met Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez during the festival. Jacqueline praised Eva’s efforts through the Global Gift Foundation, saying the organisation promotes hope, dignity, inclusion and equal opportunity. Sharing her experience on Instagram, Jacqueline thanked Eva Longoria and María Bravo for inviting her to co-chair the Global Gift Foundation event in Cannes. She described the experience as “powerful and inspiring” and said the foundation combines awareness with meaningful action and long-term impact. Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turned heads in a custom-made outfit designed by Amit Aggarwal. The designer shared details of the look on social media, saying the dress featured “Crystal Vein embroidery” with thousands of crystal embellishments arranged in sculptural patterns. According to the designer, the abyss blue gown, inspired by cosmic light and infinite space, took more than 1,500 hours of craftsmanship to complete. Source: NDTV

Every year on the final Thursday of the Cannes Film Festival, celebrities, business tycoons and socialites leave the famous Croisette and travel to the luxurious Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes for the annual amfAR Gala, one of the festival’s most glamorous charity events. The gala raises funds for AIDS research. This year’s event is hosted by Geena Davis, with performances expected from Robbie Williams, Lizzo and Zara Larsson. Since 1985, amfAR has raised nearly $950 million (841 million euros) for AIDS-related programmes and funded more than 3,800 research grants worldwide. The Associated Press has been covering the event for more than 10 years and will livestream arrivals from the gala on Thursday from 1600 GMT on YouTube and APNews.com. Getting to the exclusive venue is no easy task. Guests need special car passes to approach the hotel, while taxis and limousines slowly move through narrow French coastal roads before reaching the famous gates. Visitors are repeatedly reminded not to leave their cars and walk the final stretch to the venue. After entering, guests receive wristbands and assigned table numbers before joining another line for the red carpet, where celebrities and invited guests pose together for photographers. Others quietly skip the spotlight and enter from the back. Beyond the red carpet, guests move to the hotel’s scenic lawn overlooking the sea, with yachts visible offshore as the sun sets. Bars serve Champagne, cocktails and wine, while waiters offer snacks and DJs play soft music. Celebrity encounters are common throughout the evening. Last year, Spike Lee and Adrien Brody were seen chatting over Champagne. Inside the gala, artworks are displayed before being auctioned later in the evening to raise money for charity. At around 8 pm, organisers begin calling guests into the dinner tent, though many continue socialising and taking photos before finally heading inside. Last year, Jeff Bezos drew attention as he moved between tables greeting guests. Dinner continues late into the night alongside the charity auction. This year’s auction items include a walk-on role in season six of the hit TV show Emily in Paris, a seven-day Arctic adventure with explorer Inge Solheim, and artworks by Tracey Emin and Andy Warhol. One of last year’s most expensive items was a Dodge Charger driven by Vin Diesel in the movie Fast X, which sold for 475,000 euros. Music performances are another major attraction during the dinner. Last year, Ciara opened the event, while Adam Lambert performed alongside Duran Duran, encouraging guests to sing along to popular songs including Notorious and A View to a Kill. Fashion also plays a major role at the gala. Last year, a James Bond-inspired fashion collection curated by Carine Roitfeld raised 450,000 euros for the charity. After dinner, the auction and live performances, guests head to the hotel’s poolside after-party, where celebrations continue until early morning.

Actor Tom Selleck is returning to the crime genre after a break from acting following the end of Blue Bloods. Selleck, who played New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan in the long-running CBS drama from 2010 to 2024, has not appeared on screen since the series concluded. He will now host, narrate and serve as executive producer of a new History Channel docuseries titled Crime and Justice, which will run for 10 episodes and focus on real-life criminal cases from American history. The series will “trace the enduring battle between law and lawlessness and the lawmen who ultimately brought some of the nation's most dangerous criminals to justice.” Speaking about the project, Tom Selleck said, “Throughout my career, I've been drawn to stories about consequences and the pursuit of justice. This series looks at real cases from across American history and the people tasked with seeing them through—moments when the pressure was intense, the outcome uncertain, and the decisions carried lasting consequences.” Although Blue Bloods has ended, CBS has continued the franchise with a spin-off titled Boston Blue, starring Donnie Wahlberg. Meanwhile, the History Channel has announced several new programmes to expand its lineup, including History’s Strange Fortunes hosted by Kevin Bacon, Extraordinary Origins with Ted Danson, History’s Greatest Machines featuring Dolph Lundgren, and 102 Minutes Inside the Towers, which revisits the September 11 attacks. #From NDTV

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu stumbles in its transition to the big screen, delivering a disjointed and uneven expansion of the popular Disney+ series that fails to match the scale and ambition of earlier Star Wars films, according to a review. The film, directed by Jon Favreau, brings the bounty hunter Mandalorian from television to cinemas as part of a summer tentpole release. However, the story is described as overlong and cluttered, leaning heavily on computer-generated visuals and action sequences that feel repetitive rather than expansive. Pedro Pascal returns as the masked warrior, portrayed as a relentless fighter moving from one mission to another. The review notes that the character’s personal depth is largely absent, while the tone shifts mid-film to give more focus to Grogu, the small Force-sensitive companion whose presence remains the emotional center of the franchise. Sigourney Weaver appears as a New Republic colonel who criticizes the Mandalorian’s violent methods, a sentiment echoed by the film’s own uneven handling of action and tone. The plot follows a straightforward bounty mission involving a former Imperial commander and a detour tied to Jabba the Hutt’s criminal family, introducing a new character voiced by Jeremy Allen White. The narrative is filled with chase scenes, space battles, and creature-filled set pieces, but the review suggests these elements feel formulaic and overly familiar to genre audiences. The film also includes unexpected cameos and voice roles, including one by Martin Scorsese, but the reviewer argues that such additions do little to elevate the overall experience. Musically, the score by Ludwig Göransson is described as inconsistent, while the visual design is said to rely too heavily on digital effects that weaken the tactile charm associated with earlier Star Wars storytelling. Ultimately, the review concludes that the film lacks narrative stakes, as it avoids galaxy-shaping conflicts and instead focuses on a smaller, less compelling mission. While fans may still enjoy familiar Star Wars imagery and characters, the overall execution is described as underwhelming, leaving the galaxy feeling less magical than before.

Cannes Film Festival is becoming a major forum for debate over artificial intelligence, with filmmakers and industry leaders divided over whether the technology will help cinema evolve or threaten creative jobs. At this year’s festival, AI has emerged as one of the most discussed topics, reflecting growing concern over how the technology could reshape the global film industry. Scott Mann, co-chief executive of AI company Flawless, said the industry appears to be reaching a turning point. “It feels like a major shift,” he said, adding that AI could provide the technological boost the film business needs. AI is more visible than ever at Cannes this year. Meta has signed a multiyear partnership with the festival and set up a presence at the Majestic Hotel. Meta’s AI tools were also used in Steven Soderbergh’s documentary John Lennon: The Last Interview. The film explores a detailed interview that John Lennon and Yoko Ono gave on the day Lennon was killed in 1980. Soderbergh used AI to create surreal visuals to accompany the conversation. While some critics objected to the use of AI, Soderbergh said experimentation is necessary to understand the limits of the technology. Views at Cannes vary widely. Actor Demi Moore, a member of the festival jury, said resisting AI is likely to be futile. Filmmaker Peter Jackson compared AI to any other special effect, while director James Gray said AI may be useful but cannot replicate the depth of human emotion and creativity. Gray urged young people to study literature and the humanities to better understand human nature. The debate comes as Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently introduced new rules stating that only performances actually given by human actors, with their consent, will be eligible for acting awards. At the same time, the Academy said the use of AI tools will neither help nor hurt a film’s Oscar chances. SAG-AFTRA has also reached a tentative agreement with studios to establish safeguards for the use of digital replicas and synthetic performers. Some developments have alarmed Hollywood, including the unveiling of Tilly Norwood, a fully AI-generated virtual actress, and a planned AI recreation of late actor Val Kilmer for a new film approved by his family. Kent Sanderson, CEO of Bleecker Street, said AI is likely to reduce production costs and make filmmaking more accessible. Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux said the festival supports artists and workers whose jobs could be affected by AI. He stressed the need for clear laws and regulations to ensure the technology is used responsibly. Mann agreed that unlicensed generative AI poses risks, but said the technology should not be viewed as a single, all-encompassing threat. He said AI, if used carefully and ethically, could help revitalize the film industry rather than replace the people who power it.