United News of Bangladesh

The 98th Academy Awards on Sunday delivered one of the most exciting Oscars ceremonies in years, with a mix of thrilling winners, historic milestones, and heartfelt tributes that kept audiences captivated. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerged as the big winner, taking six Oscars including best picture, while Ryan Coogler’s Sinners won four, marking a rare box-office and awards success for both films. Netflix’s Frankenstein and KPop Demon Hunters also earned multiple wins, proving that popular streaming films could compete with traditional cinema. The ceremony saw historic firsts, including Autumn Durald Arkapaw becoming the first woman to win an Oscar for cinematography for Sinners, and Jessie Buckley becoming the first Irish woman to win best actress. Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler made history as among the few Black recipients in leading acting and screenwriting categories. Host Conan O’Brien set a lively tone, blending humor and political edge, while the In Memoriam segment stood out with emotional tributes, including Barbra Streisand’s homage to Robert Redford. Unlike recent years, the 2026 Oscars avoided major mishaps, running smoothly with no envelope mix-ups or on-stage controversies, and even included a rare tie in the best short film category. The ceremony reflected both cinematic achievement and commercial appeal, signaling a rejuvenation of the Oscars experience for audiences worldwide.   With inputs from BBC

The film One Battle After Another dominated the 98th Academy Awards, winning six Oscars including the coveted best picture award at the ceremony in Los Angeles. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the dark comedy action thriller also secured awards for best director and best casting, marking a major triumph for the filmmaker after multiple previous nominations. The film features a star-studded cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. It received 13 nominations this year. In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan won best actor for his role in the film Sinners, while Jessie Buckley took home the best actress award for her performance in Hamnet. Buckley’s win made her the first Irish actress to claim the Oscar for best actress. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.” Meanwhile, Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for best cinematography for her work on Sinners. In another historic moment, the films The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva shared the award for best live-action short film, marking only the sixth tie in the category in the nearly century-long history of the Academy Awards. The ceremony was hosted by US comedian Conan O'Brien and took place in Los Angeles.   With inputs from BBC

Actor Madhu Malhotra, known for her supporting roles in Hindi films during the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 72. Although she never emerged as a leading star, Malhotra became familiar to audiences through appearances in several popular Bollywood productions. One of her most memorable performances was in Hero, directed by Subhash Ghai. In the 1983 hit action romance, she portrayed a gypsy woman featured in the well-known song Lambi Judai, sung by Reshma. The film is also remembered for launching the careers of Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Seshadri. Malhotra also appeared in the 1982 action-comedy Satte Pe Satta, directed by Raj N. Sippy and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. In the ensemble film, she was paired opposite actor Paintal. She made her film debut in the horror movie Andhera by the Ramsay Brothers. Her entry into mainstream Hindi cinema came with The Great Gambler (1979), directed by Shakti Samanta, where she played the sister of the character portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan. A regular collaborator of Subhash Ghai, Malhotra also appeared in the 1980 hit Karz alongside Rishi Kapoor, Simi Garewal and Tina Munim. Before gaining recognition through “Lambi Judai,” she played the love interest of Prem Chopra in the romantic drama Aas Paas, which starred Dharmendra and Hema Malini. Despite appearing in numerous films, her career largely remained limited to secondary and supporting roles. She later portrayed the sister of Anil Kapoor in the 1992 adaptation of Heer Ranjha, which featured Sridevi in the title role. In 1993, she played Mrs Malik in King Uncle, directed by Rakesh Roshan and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Jackie Shroff and Nagma. She also appeared in Ghulam, directed by Vikram Bhatt and headlined by Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji. Her final screen appearance came in the 2000 film Woh Bewafa Thi, directed by Mohan Bhakri, which featured Sudesh Berry among its cast.  source:The Indian Express 

Cast members of the hit comedy Bridesmaids reunited at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday as they rehearsed for their role as presenters at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. Actors Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig and Ellie Kemper gathered on stage to run through their lines a day before the awards ceremony. Fifteen years after the film’s release, the group appeared delighted to reunite, sharing laughs and chatting while preparing for their cue. During the rehearsal, Wiig took on a directing role, asking about lighting and camera timing to ensure the segment would run smoothly. Byrne is also among the nominees at this year’s ceremony for her leading performance in the film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Other presenters were also seen rehearsing ahead of the event. Javier Bardem and Adrien Brody attended the practice session in casual outfits, both wearing sneakers. Bardem briefly stepped into the auditorium to greet Lynette Howell Taylor, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the academy’s chief executive Bill Kramer. The atmosphere inside the theatre was calm as producers, technicians and camera operators continued final preparations for the show. Rehearsals have been taking place for several days and will continue through Saturday evening. Producers have also teased several reunion moments during the ceremony, including appearances by Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow. Another reunion will feature Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor from the film Moulin Rouge!. The awards ceremony, hosted by Conan O'Brien, will take place Sunday at the Dolby Theatre and will be broadcast live on ABC.  

Guitarists in Dhaka are not just individual artists; many of them see themselves as part of a close-knit musical family. An iftar gathering recently brought them together under a platform called ‘Guitarist’s Community of Dhaka’, planting the seed of a stronger sense of brotherhood that participants hope will lead to larger musical events, collaborations and workshops in the future. The event was organised by young guitarists Emil, Shawon, Prince and Debashish, while it was conducted by Rashed Shibli. The gathering was particularly meaningful for young guitarists, as it offered them a rare opportunity to interact directly with experienced musicians associated with popular bands such as Dalchhut and Prometheus, allowing them to exchange experiences and receive feedback.  

Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees says he will not be able to attend this weekend’s Academy Awards due to a US travel ban affecting Palestinian citizens. Malhees plays a call centre operator in the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which has been nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. The movie tells the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024. The actor said he cannot travel to the United States because people holding Palestinian citizenship are currently barred from entering the country. “I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship,” Malhees wrote in a post on Instagram, adding that it “hurts” not to be able to attend the prestigious awards ceremony. The film is based on a tragic incident in which five members of Hind Rajab’s family and two ambulance workers who tried to rescue her were also killed by Israeli fire. Israeli authorities have said the incident is under review. The travel restriction stems from a December proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump, which limits the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or approved by the Palestinian Authority. The order cited security concerns for imposing the restrictions. The U.S. Department of State did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Malhees’s claim. Source: NDTV

Indian actress Fatima Sana Shaikh, who gained widespread recognition with the 2016 film Dangal, has once again spoken about her struggle with epilepsy. She recently shared an incident from the film’s set when she experienced a seizure and received support from co-stars Aamir Khan and Sanya Malhotra. Speaking on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast All About Her, the actress explained that during the time she was training for the movie, she often experienced “auras”—a warning sign before a seizure. At that time, however, she did not understand what the symptoms meant. She described seeing a growing flash of light on one side of her vision that gradually intensified and caused fear because she did not know when a seizure might occur. Shaikh said that while training during the filming of Dangal, the sensation appeared again. Initially she tried to ignore it, thinking it would pass, but it became stronger. Realizing something serious was about to happen, she informed people around her that she felt a seizure coming on. Since no one on set knew how to respond, Aamir Khan, Sanya Malhotra, and their wrestling trainer Kripa Shankar Bishnoi quickly searched online for guidance and helped manage the situation. She added that the production team later took responsibility for identifying the problem because the film’s progress depended heavily on her performance. They arranged medical tests, including MRIs and EEG scans, and took her to a neurologist in Mumbai, who prescribed medication. However, Shaikh said the medication had strong side effects. She felt disoriented, struggled to walk normally, and experienced mood swings, including anger and depression. Because of these difficulties—especially while she was still training for wrestling scenes—she eventually stopped taking the medication without informing anyone. The actress admitted that after stopping the treatment, she continued experiencing seizures. Out of fear that others might see her during an episode, she would hide in the bathroom whenever she sensed an aura, lock the door, and wait for it to pass. This situation continued for nearly four years. Shaikh also recalled her earliest memory of having a seizure, which occurred during a dance class. She said she suddenly collapsed while dancing and later woke up in a hospital with little memory of what had happened. One of her classmates had tried to help by putting her hand in Shaikh’s mouth during the seizure, believing it would prevent injury, but Shaikh accidentally bit her, causing the girl to bleed. She said the experience was frightening, as she regained consciousness surrounded by people and did not understand where she was. At the time, a doctor mistakenly suggested the episode might have been for attention or possibly related to drug use, as epilepsy had not yet been diagnosed. On the professional front, Fatima Sana Shaikh was last seen in the film Gustaakh Ishq, where she starred alongside Vijay Varma.  source: NDTV

Actress Priyanka Chopra, who made her film debut in the Tamil movie ‘Thamizhan’ and later in Hindi cinema with ‘The Hero: Love Story of a Spy’, revealed why she left Bollywood at the height of her career to pursue opportunities in Hollywood. In a recent podcast, the former Miss World said she dislikes staying “in the shit” and believes in pivoting when life gets tough. “We all have battles, but I don’t like getting used to the smell,” she said. “I pick myself up, grieve, feel the pain and then pivot. I have done that many times in my career.” Priyanka admitted she had no clear roadmap when she took the leap abroad. “There wasn’t much precedent. I just gave it a shot. I knew I was a hard worker and could hold my own with any filmmaker or co-actor,” she said. She also cited a lack of Indian representation in global entertainment as a motivation. “In American pop culture, I had only seen people like Mindy Kaling and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Very few Indians, male or female, were working in Hollywood. I wanted to explore why and create more space for Indian talent,” Priyanka explained. The actress, last seen in the Hindi film ‘The Sky Is Pink’ (2019), will return to Indian cinema with Mahesh Babu in SS Rajamouli’s pan-India project ‘Varanasi’(2027). She has also expanded into film production and appeared in international films including ‘Love Again’, ‘Tiger’ (2023), ‘Heads of State’ (2025), and ‘The Bluff’ (2026). Priyanka Chopra’s journey reflects her drive to constantly challenge herself and broaden the global presence of Indian actors. Source: NDTV

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has praised Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar since its release and expressed high expectations for its sequel, Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh. Varma suggested that if the sequel earns between ₹1,500–2,000 crore at the box office, it could significantly challenge the business of South Indian films. In an interview with Variety India, Varma said audiences are deeply invested in the characters and story from the first film. “They shot both parts simultaneously, so it’s essentially one film split into two,” he noted, adding that he expects Dhurandhar 2 to outperform its predecessor. Varma also highlighted the strong promotional efforts for the film in South India. He further credited the original Dhurandhar with redefining action choreography in Bollywood. “You can’t have people flying in the air and kicking mid-air anymore; the action has to be realistic. If Dhurandhar 2 makes ₹1,500–2,000 crore, all South films could be affected since they’re designed in the old-school way,” Varma said. The trailer for Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge was released last Saturday, with Varma praising it on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “STRATOSPHERIC LEVEL” and commending Aditya Dhar’s direction. Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is among the most anticipated Hindi films in recent years. Directed by Aditya Dhar, it sees Ranveer Singh return as Hamza, also known as Jaskirat, an Indian spy operating in Pakistan. The film also stars R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Danish Pandor, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun. The first part, released in December last year, was a mega hit, earning ₹1,300 crore worldwide. Initially, the sequel was expected to clash at the box office with Yash’s Toxic, but the release of Toxic was postponed from March 19 to June 4. Dhurandhar 2 will now face competition from Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh, a remake of Vijay’s Theri, both films set to release on March 19 with paid previews on March 18. #From Hindustan Times

Director Aditya Dhar says he is not worried about a possible ban on his upcoming film ‘Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge’ in Pakistan. The action film, starring Ranveer Singh, is scheduled to hit theatres on March 19, with paid preview shows beginning on the evening of March 18. Dhar, who has directed only two films so far, has already gained wide recognition in India. He began his career as an assistant director under filmmaker ‘Priyadarshan ‘and also worked as a lyricist before establishing himself as a director and producer. He currently runs B62 Studios with his brother Lokesh Dhar. His first film, ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ (2019), was based on India’s military response to the 2016 Uri attack carried out by Pakistan-based militants. The film, starring Vicky Kaushal, became a major box-office success and won four National Film Awards, including Best Director for Dhar and Best Actor for Kaushal. It also earned awards for Best Audiography and Best Music Director, with composer Shashwat Sachdev returning for the ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise. Responding to questions about a potential ban in Pakistan, Dhar said it does not concern him. According to the filmmaker, if Pakistani audiences watch the film, they will understand that it does not target the people of Pakistan but speaks only against terrorism. “If viewers trust us and watch the film once, they will realise it says nothing against the Pakistani public. It only speaks against terrorism,” he said. Despite restrictions, the first ‘Dhurandhar’ gained significant attention in Pakistan. Pirated DVDs reportedly sold for about Rs16, while the film saw more than two million illegal downloads in the country within 12 days of its release. When the film later arrived on Netflix in January, it reportedly became the platform’s top title in Pakistan. Source: NDTV