United News of Bangladesh

Veteran actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar died of cardiac arrest at his home in Goa on Thursday morning at the age of 75. According to Dr Shekhar Salkar, head of the oncology department at Manipal Hospital in Goa, Patekar messaged a friend around 2:30am saying that he was not feeling well. As it was late at night, the friend did not notice the message immediately. Patekar later called him, prompting the friend to go to his home at around 4am. By then, Patekar was reportedly sweating heavily and had started losing consciousness. His caretaker was sent to the hospital to bring an ambulance, and an emergency medical team soon arrived at the actor's residence. Patekar was taken to Manipal Hospital at around 4:20am to 4:30am. Doctors performed cardiac massage, or chest compressions, for nearly 45 minutes to an hour but were unable to revive him. He was declared dead at around 5:30am. As the death was treated as a medico-legal case, police filed a complaint. His body was subsequently taken to Goa Medical College for a post-mortem examination. Dr Salkar said Patekar was not accompanied by his family at the time and was staying with friends and a caretaker. Born Vishwanath Patekar in Maharashtra on January 1, 1951, Nana Patekar began his Hindi film career with Gaman in 1978. He later gained recognition for films including Salaam Bombay! and Parinda. He became the first Hindi film actor to win Filmfare Awards in all three major acting categories — Best Supporting Actor for Parinda, Best Actor for Krantiveer, and Best Villain for Angaar and Apaharan.

Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier-71 are set to host the 13th session of Cosmos Art Echo featuring distinguished Bangladeshi artist Tayeba Begum Lipi on Friday. Titled ‘Being & Belonging’, the art talk will be held at 5pm at Cosmos Centre, 69/1 New Circular Road, Malibagh, Dhaka. The session will bring together artists, art practitioners, researchers, educators and art connoisseurs for an intimate dialogue with Lipi on her artistic journey, creative practice and reflections on art, identity, belonging and contemporary life. Born in Gaibandha, Lipi earned her MFA from the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University. She is also the co-founder and trustee of Britto Arts Trust, an artist-led organisation involved in promoting contemporary art practices and international artistic exchange. Lipi has held 17 solo exhibitions in Bangladesh and abroad, along with six duo exhibitions with her husband, artist Mahbubur Rahman. She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions at home and abroad. Her solo exhibitions and art projects were presented in Singapore, Istanbul, London, Dhaka, New York, Hong Kong and Delhi, while her artistic practice has been featured at major international institutions including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Tate Modern in London, Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in the United States, Modern Art Museum in Shanghai, Arnhem Museum, Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Centraal Museum in the Netherlands and Kunsthaus Zürich. Lipi served as the commissioner of the Pavilion of Bangladesh at the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011. She has also served as a jury and co-jury at various art exhibitions and events in Bangladesh and abroad. She has participated in art workshops, artist residencies and art talks in Bangladesh and different countries around the world. She has also received various awards and honours in recognition of her artistic practice and contributions. Her major international engagements include the Guggenheim UBS MAP Exhibition in New York, Singapore and Hong Kong in 2013-14, SONSBEEK 2016 in Arnhem, Thailand Biennale Chiang Rai 2023, Being and Belonging at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Statement Chairs at Centraal Museum in the Netherlands, Feminist Futures: Art, Activism and South Asian Womanhood in Kathmandu and Colombo, and Sculpture Contemporaine at Fondation Villa Datris in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France. As part of Britto Arts Trust, Lipi has also been involved in major international exhibitions and platforms including documenta fifteen in Kassel, ReCollect at Kunsthaus Zürich, Harewood Biennale in the UK, Asia Now Paris, the 2nd Diriyah Biennale in Riyadh, 1+1 Relational Years at MAXXI in Rome, and the 54th and 56th Venice Biennales in 2011 and 2015. Her works are included in the collections of leading museums and institutions including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Tate Modern, Kunsthaus Zürich, Royal Ontario Museum, Centraal Museum, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Smith College Museum of Art, Devi Art Foundation in India, Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation in Sydney, and Bengal Foundation and Samdani Art Foundation in Bangladesh, among others. Lipi’s work and practice have also been featured in international publications and books, including ‘50 Contemporary Women Artists: Groundbreaking Contemporary Art from 1960 to Now’, edited by John Gosslee and Heather Zises, with a foreword by Elizabeth Sackler and published by Schiffer Publishing in 2018. Her work has also been documented in publications and catalogues associated with Being and Belonging at the Royal Ontario Museum and Artist as Activist at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. The programme will provide participants with an opportunity for meaningful discussion and interaction with Lipi on her artistic practice and contemporary art.

Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker Nana Patekar died Thursday at his home in Goa. He was 75. Patekar died of a suspected cardiac arrest, the Press Trust of India reported, quoting a doctor at the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Born in Maharashtra in 1951, Patekar had a career spanning nearly five decades in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He was widely known for his powerful performances and for playing complex and unconventional characters. Patekar made his film debut in the 1978 Hindi movie “Gaman.” He later earned praise for his roles in “Parinda” and “Krantiveer.” He gained international attention with Mira Nair’s Oscar-nominated film “Salaam Bombay!” Patekar won three National Film Awards, India’s highest film honors, and received the Padma Shri, one of the country’s highest civilian awards. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over his death and praised Patekar for his “intensity, individuality and unmistakable presence” as an actor. “He brought remarkable versatility and creativity to every role and gave us characters that will be remembered for generations,” Modi wrote on X. Patekar is survived by his wife and son.

Eva Marie Saint, the acclaimed actor who won an Academy Award for her film debut in “On the Waterfront” and starred opposite Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest,” has died at 102. Saint, whose acting career continued into her 90s, died at her home in Los Angeles on Tuesday, family representative Jeff Sanderson confirmed. She made one of Hollywood’s most memorable debuts as Edie Doyle, the love interest of Marlon Brando’s troubled character Terry Malloy in “On the Waterfront.” Her first Academy Awards ceremony was equally memorable. Pregnant with her first child, Saint accepted the Oscar from Frank Sinatra and joked, “I think I may have the baby right here.” Her son, Darrell, was born two days later. The 1954 film made her an instant star, but Saint soon became known for carefully choosing her roles. She turned down studio contracts and several major film offers, saying she wanted to spend time with her newborn son. Her daughter, Laurette, was born in 1958. A selective careerDuring her first 10 years in Hollywood, Saint appeared in only seven films. She turned down roles in “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” with Gregory Peck, “Summer and Smoke” with Laurence Harvey and “The Rainmaker” with Burt Lancaster. Her husband, television and stage director Jeffrey Hayden, encouraged her to accept a role in Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest.” In the 1959 thriller, Saint played a spy who seduces Grant before falling in love with him. “I vividly remember him saying, ‘Honey, I think you should find a quiet spot. I’ll take care of the children and I want you to really think about this and reread this script,’” she told Vanity Fair in 2014. “He was so right. And that’s what husbands are for.” Despite her selective approach, studios continued offering her leading roles. She later appeared in films including “Exodus” with Paul Newman, “Raintree County” with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, and “All Fall Down” with Warren Beatty. Saint moved increasingly into television during the 1970s. She became popular again in the 1980s as Cybill Shepherd’s mother in the hit sitcom “Moonlighting” and as Tom Hanks’ mother in the comedy “Nothing in Common.” She won an Emmy in 1990 for the miniseries “People Like Us.” Her later film credits included “Because of Winn-Dixie,” “Superman Returns” and “Winter’s Tale.” In 2021, she appeared as Marisa Tomei’s aunt in “The Bus Ride,” a short audio play from “The Pack Podcast.” Saint was married to Hayden for 65 years until his death in 2016. That was her real nameSaint was born Eva Marie Saint on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. Many people later assumed her name was a stage name because it sounded theatrical. Her family moved to Delmar, a small town near Albany, New York, where her father worked as a manager for Goodrich Rubber Co. Saint initially wanted to become a third-grade teacher like her mother. However, while studying at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, she auditioned for a play and won the lead role. After graduating, she returned to live with her parents and looked for acting work in Manhattan. After a year without success, she landed a small radio role as a telephone operator. She soon began working regularly in soap operas and television dramas, including a two-year role as Claudia on “One Man’s Family.” Television was expanding rapidly in the early 1950s, and Saint’s appearance and acting ability made her popular with casting directors and producers. Strasberg helped her overcome shynessA major turning point came when Saint auditioned for director Elia Kazan and was accepted into the Actors Studio, which became influential in shaping a generation of method actors. She later credited acting coach Lee Strasberg with helping her overcome her shyness. “Lee Strasberg, when he got to know me a little bit, gave me a scene to do where I had to cry in front of my peers,” she told The Santa Barbara Independent in 2009. “I worried about it, I worked on it, I tried to use what I was learning at the studio.” Saint was initially rejected for the only female role in the play “Mister Roberts.” However, she was hired as an understudy for Jocelyn Brando, Marlon Brando’s sister. She spent six months waiting for an opportunity to perform but never replaced Brando. She eventually made her Broadway debut in “A Trip to Bountiful,” a play she had previously performed on television. Kazan later invited her to audition for the female lead in “On the Waterfront.” During the audition, she improvised a scene with Brando in which she tried to prevent a young man from entering her apartment. “All I know is that Marlon got in the door and turned on the music. We started dancing. He flicked my skirt. Kazan saw the sparks fly, and that’s how I got the part,” she told the Los Angeles Times in 2001.

AUST EEE Day 2026, the annual fest of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST), concluded with a day-long celebration featuring cultural performances, addresses by distinguished guests and a live concert by popular singer and composer Habib Wahid. The event was held on October 6 at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in Dhaka, bringing together nearly 2,000 students, faculty members, alumni and industry representatives. Organised by Soroikko-50 and co-organised by Trayottik-55, the event also marked the formal welcome of the department's newest students and the farewell of the outgoing batch. The programme featured cultural performances by students from different batches, showcasing their talents beyond academic activities. Alumni, representatives of sponsoring organisations and AUST faculty members addressed the programme, reflecting on the department's journey, achievements and the bonds shared among its students and alumni. Chery was the title sponsor, with the event powered by Neural Semiconductor and driven by Superstar Group. Gigabyte, Polar Ice Cream and Omera Solar were among the other sponsors. The celebration reached its finale with a live performance by Habib Wahid. The singer and composer entertained the audience with his popular numbers, bringing students, alumni and guests together for the closing segment of the event. The presence of the AUST vice-chancellor, professors, faculty members, distinguished alumni and current students added significance to the occasion. The organisers said the event sought to strengthen the bonds among different generations of the EEE department while creating a platform for students to celebrate their creativity, culture and community. AUST EEE Day 2026 concluded with the message that the department's identity extends beyond engineering education, encompassing a strong culture of friendship, creativity and connections among its students, faculty and alumni. United News of Bangladesh (UNB) was the media partner of this celebration.

Actor R Madhavan has praised Raja Karuppasamy's latest Tamil film Modha Rathiri, calling it a "brilliant" movie and recommending it as a must-watch. Madhavan, who recently appeared in the Dhurandhar franchise, shared his review of the film on Instagram. Starring Rishikanth and Anishma Anilkumar in key roles, Modha Rathiri was released in theaters on Aug. 21 and is now streaming on Netflix. "What a brilliant brilliant film," Madhavan wrote while praising the movie. He also lauded its screenplay, visual storytelling and performances, saying he had not enjoyed a Tamil film this much in a long time. "Enjoyed a Tamil film after a really long time. Brilliant screenplay, wonderful visual storytelling, extraordinary performances," he wrote. "I laughed hard after a long, long time and cheered and clapped as well." Madhavan also congratulated the entire cast and crew, giving them a standing ovation and wishing them continued success. Modha Rathiri follows a couple who marry under unusual circumstances. After they disappear on their wedding night, secrets begin to emerge, creating tension between their families. As they deal with the turmoil, heartbreak and other challenges, the newlyweds gradually develop a stronger bond. Besides Rishikanth and Anishma Anilkumar, the film features Shelly Kishore, Chetan and Bagavathi Perumal in key roles. Meanwhile, Madhavan recently grabbed attention online after revealing a new look. In a video shared on social media, the actor appeared with messy hair, a beard and glasses. "Another day, another film, another look," he said while smiling at the camera. Madhavan was most recently seen in the Dhurandhar franchise. #From NDTV

The realities of married life, from changing patterns of communication to small misunderstandings and everyday compromises, take centre stage in Chorki Original film ‘Happily Married’, which had its premiere in Dhaka on October 5. The romantic comedy-drama, directed by Jahid Preetom, will be released on Chorki on October 8. The premiere was held at the Liberation War Museum auditorium in the capital, where audiences enjoyed the film’s blend of humour and emotion while following its portrayal of different experiences within married life. The film’s story, screenplay and dialogues were written by Jahid Preetom, who said his own experience of marriage helped him understand the different layers of a relationship and influenced the story. “I have been married for about one and a half years, and I am gradually understanding the different layers of a relationship. The four or five hours of communication during a relationship eventually become 24 hours of being together after marriage. I am understanding the changes that come with that,” he said. “My friends told me that after getting married, I would understand and would no longer feel like telling love stories. But that did not happen to me. Rather, it has become more serene. I am learning to deal with reality,” he added. Preetom said the story originated from an idea of presenting a relationship-focused narrative that would make audiences laugh while also allowing them to reflect on their own relationships. “I tried not to make anything too critical in the story. Understanding each other is actually what makes a married couple happy. Small doubts and small decisions can create distance between people. Instead of that, take care of the person you love and love them every day,” he said. ‘Happily Married’ marks the first collaboration between Preetom and actor Arifin Shuvoo, while the director had previously worked with actress Keya Payel. Describing his experience of working with the lead actors, Preetom said Shuvoo was very supportive during the shoot. “Shuvoo bhai does not bring his phone to the set or watch the monitor during shooting. During breaks, he stays by himself, listens to music and reads books. On the other hand, Keya Payel is quite active on social media, and her character Anamika is also like that. So, I felt they were very good casting choices for these two characters,” he said. For Payel, ‘Happily Married’ marks her first work for an OTT platform. She said the project attracted her because of its story and the opportunity to work with Preetom, Shuvoo, Chorki and Chabial. “It is a very good project for me because the story is beautiful, the director is Jahid Preetom, my co-actor is Arifin Shuvoo, and Chorki and Chabial are involved with it. Anyone would want to be part of a project like this,” she said. The film also marks Arifin Shuvoo’s return to Bangladeshi OTT after a considerable gap. His last released content on Chorki was ‘Unish20’ in 2023. Shuvoo has said that he considers every project a new challenge and a comeback in its own way. He has also invited audiences to watch ‘Happily Married’. Chorki CEO Redoan Rony said the film presents a story that is relevant to contemporary life. “People are so concerned about everything around them that they often forget to enjoy their time and life. This content will, to some extent, give audiences an opportunity to spend some time in their own way,” he said. Producer Nusrat Imrose Tisha, representing co-producer Chabial, said the response at the premiere was encouraging. “Judging by the response we received at the premiere, I feel others will also enjoy it and be able to relate it to their own experiences,” she said. Presented by Sensation, ‘Happily Married’ is the seventh film under the ‘Ministry of Love’ (MOL) project. Previous releases under the project include ‘Something Like an Autobiography’, ‘Last Defenders of Monogamy’, ‘Kacher Manush Dure Thuiya’, ‘Forget Me Not’, ‘36-24-36’ and ‘Dimlight’. The film stars Arifin Shuvoo and Keya Payel in the lead roles, alongside Salahuddin Lavlu, Tushar Khan, Deepa Khandakar, Cristiano Tanmoy, Umme Jamilatun Naima, Parvez Suman and Twink Carroll. For Jahid Preetom, ‘Happily Married’ is his second film for Chorki, following his directorial debut ‘Ghumpori’.

An Israeli documentary accusing the country's military of recklessly killing civilians in Gaza is opening in U.S. theaters, potentially reviving debate over American military support for Israel ahead of congressional elections. "NAZA," named after the Hebrew acronym for collateral damage, features anonymous Israeli military insiders who allege that Israel used sophisticated, including artificial intelligence-powered, systems to identify suspected militants and conduct strikes despite knowing that many civilians could be killed. The documentary received a record 25-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. Its release has also triggered strong criticism in Israel, which will hold elections later this month. The Israeli military has categorically rejected the filmmakers' findings and threatened to identify soldiers who spoke to them. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the film antisemitic, while a Cabinet minister threatened to revoke the filmmakers' citizenship. Co-director Yuval Abraham has said he fears returning to Israel. At the film's New York premiere last month, protesters displayed images from the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Abraham condemned the attack but said it could not justify the killing of civilians in Gaza. Abraham and co-director Rachel Szor previously made "No Other Land," which won an Oscar but drew anger in Israel. "NAZA" consists largely of nighttime interviews on Tel Aviv rooftops, with the interviewees' faces and voices concealed. Some use drawings to explain the systems they describe. The filmmakers say the sources spoke anonymously because of fears of retaliation and that their claims were thoroughly checked. The interviewees describe AI systems that analyze surveillance footage, identify people with alleged Hamas links and create databases containing tens of thousands of names. Another system, they say, recommends buildings for attacks. One source alleged that an operation targeting a single Hamas militant was approved despite an estimate of 500 civilian deaths. The military denied the claim. Much of the reporting had previously appeared in +972 Magazine, Local Call and The Guardian, which collaborated on the documentary. The Israeli military said its orders clearly distinguish between militants and civilians and that it seeks to minimize civilian casualties. It acknowledged using AI but said intelligence officers select targets and operational commanders decide whether to strike. The film's reporting is based on interviews with more than 100 confidential sources conducted with The Guardian's investigation desk between 2023 and 2025. Rights groups and experts have accused Israel of genocide over civilian deaths, destruction and restrictions on aid. Israel rejects the allegations, saying it sought to protect civilians while fighting Hamas. Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 others in the Oct. 7 attack. Israel's offensive has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, including over 1,400 since a fragile ceasefire began a year ago, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry's figures do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children account for about half the deaths. "NAZA" is being released in the U.S. without a traditional distributor. It is playing at New York's IFC Center and will expand to cities including Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle on Oct. 9. It will be available for free streaming on The Guardian's website in late November. The Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Documentary Association have condemned threats against the filmmakers. More than 2,000 people, including prominent Israeli filmmakers, have signed a petition supporting Abraham and Szor. The filmmakers say they want audiences in both Israel and the United States to understand the situation in Gaza and America's role in supporting Israel. A study published last year estimated that the Biden and Trump administrations provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel during the first two years of the war. "Much of what is being described was done with American taxpayer money," Abraham said.

Former Ohio music pastor and “American Idol” contestant Caleb Flynn was sentenced Monday to life in prison without parole after a jury convicted him of murdering his wife while having an affair. The judge said Flynn, 40, used his Christian faith to manipulate others and showed no remorse for actions involving “layers of deceit, manipulation and cruelty.” Flynn wept as he apologized to his family before sentencing, beginning with his two young daughters, who were home when he shot their mother, Ashley Flynn, while she slept. He described their births as the “greatest joy in this life.” Although Flynn said he accepted responsibility for his words and decisions, he continued to insist he was innocent. “As I stand here before God, who is my ultimate judge, I am not lying when I say I did not kill my wife,” he said. Prosecutors said Flynn staged a home invasion in February and falsely claimed that a burglar had killed Ashley, a 37-year-old schoolteacher and volleyball coach. Flynn briefly appeared on “American Idol” in 2013, crediting Ashley with encouraging him to pursue his singing ambitions. He did not advance to the main Hollywood competition. Flynn did not testify during the trial, and no witnesses testified on his behalf. Ashley’s family supported the harsh sentence but said they had forgiven Flynn because they did not want hatred to define her legacy. Her sister, Kayla Keyt, said the killing had deeply affected their church community, with children running into their parents’ bedrooms to make sure their fathers had not killed their mothers. Prosecutors said Flynn wanted to end his marriage and sent his lover a message the night before the shooting saying, “I choose you. I’m free. Actions will come tomorrow.” His lover, Alleigha Botner, testified that she met Flynn in 2022 and had an affair with him for more than a year. She said he told her he hated his wife and had considered killing her. The murder weapon was not found, but prosecutors said Flynn’s fingerprints and DNA were at the scene and electronic data showed him moving around the house despite claiming he was asleep. The jury convicted him of murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence.

British bestselling novelist Jeffrey Archer, whose political career was ruined by a conviction for perjury, has died at the age of 86. Archer died “suddenly and peacefully” at his home on Monday, a day before the worldwide release of his final novel, Adam and Eve, publisher HarperCollins said. Like his bestselling novel Kane and Abel, the new book follows two characters named after biblical figures who are born on the same day but grow up in different social classes. Archer enjoyed a decades-long career as a successful author while facing repeated political and personal controversies. He continued writing through a prison sentence and later returned to the political arena. His literary career spanned five decades and helped him recover from financial difficulties caused by unsuccessful investments. His debut novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, was published in 1976 and was reportedly inspired by his own experience of coming close to bankruptcy. According to HarperCollins, Archer spent 14 years and five months on Britain's Sunday Times bestseller lists and more than five years on The New York Times bestseller lists. His books sold 300 million copies worldwide. Archer rose through the ranks of Britain's Conservative Party under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. In 1992, he was appointed to the House of Lords by her successor, Prime Minister John Major. However, his political career collapsed after allegations emerged that he had lied under oath during a libel case more than a decade earlier. The allegations surfaced in 1999 while he was running for mayor of London. Archer had sued a newspaper that accused him of paying a sex worker and won £500,000 in damages. A jury later found that he had fabricated an alibi during the 1987 case against the Daily Star. He was convicted of perjury and jailed for four years in 2001, after being expelled from the Conservative Party. He was released early in 2003 after serving slightly more than two years. Despite his conviction, Archer retained his seat in the House of Lords as there was no legal mechanism at the time to remove him. He continued as a politically unaffiliated member until retiring in 2024. Archer later documented his prison experiences in a three-volume memoir series titled A Prison Diary. The books, Hell, Purgatory and Heaven, offered insights into life inside British prisons, including the high-security HMP Belmarsh and the open prison North Sea Camp. Before his imprisonment, Archer had also campaigned to change royal succession laws to give daughters equal rights with sons. His efforts later helped inspire the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which ended the centuries-old practice of giving younger sons precedence over their older sisters in the line of succession. Gender inequality and social differences also featured in his literary work. His final novel, Adam and Eve, tells the story of an earl's daughter, whose father wanted a son to inherit his estate, and a shepherd's son, whose father wanted a daughter because he feared a son would be sent to war. Describing the book as a love story and a reflection on social class set against the backdrop of war, Archer said Adam and Eve had been “the most satisfying thing I have ever written.” Archer is survived by his wife of 60 years, Dame Mary Archer, their two sons, two granddaughters and three grandsons, HarperCollins said.