United News of Bangladesh

Actor Arjun Bijlani opened up about the heartbreak he felt after the death of his colleague and neighbour, Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead in his Bandra apartment on June 14, 2020. Speaking to TV host Siddharth Kannan, Arjun described Sushant as “a remarkable artist, a wonderful friend, and incredibly committed to his craft.” He shared a personal memory of swapping T-shirts with Sushant and said he still keeps the orange tank top Sushant wore. Arjun also revealed the last message he sent to Sushant on Instagram, expressing concern and wishing him happiness. On Sushant’s first death anniversary in 2021, Arjun posted a throwback picture, writing, “You will always be alive in millions of hearts, my friend. I’m sure you’re happy in your happy place.”   Source: NDTV

Stars from various sectors of showbiz including Dhallywood megastar Shakib Khan Have extended their heartfelt wishes to legendary Bangladeshi singer Sabina Yasmin on her  71st birthday. Sharing an emotional tribute from his verified Facebook page on Thursday, the actor praised her timeless voice and enduring impact on generations of listeners. Shakib wrote, “There is a strange magic in her voice that touches the morning light as well as the silence of the night. Sometimes through songs of old films, sometimes behind the radio, or in the echoes of our lives, yet her name remains immaculate in our hearts — Sabina Yasmin.” He added, “Generations have changed, times have shifted, technology has brought a new era. Yet, the charm of her voice remains equally popular and relevant.” “Listening to any song she sang 50 years ago still touches the heart and soothes the soul today. On the birthday of this legendary singer, I offer my heartfelt greetings and love. Wishing you good health and a long life,” Shakib concluded. Born Dilshad Yasmin on September 4, 1954, Sabina Yasmin made her first playback debut in the 1967 film 'Agun Niye Khela', produced by Zahir Raihan with music by Altaf Mahmud. She had earlier sung as a child artist in the film 'Notun Sur'. Sabina Yasmin returns home from hospital Over her illustrious career, Sabina Yasmin has recorded thousands of songs and won countless admirers. Her accolades include the Independence Award, Ekushey Padak, and 14 National Film Awards. Celebrating 71 years today, she continues to mesmerize listeners with her music. Age has not dimmed her voice, which still shines as brightly as it did on her very first day.

After a seven-year break, iconic British rock band Radiohead is set to return to live performances, following a summer marked by the Oasis reunion. The band — Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Colin Greenwood, and Phil Selway — will play 20 shows across five European cities this November and December: Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin, performing four nights in each city. Ticket registration opens Friday on Radiohead.com, with general sales starting Sept. 15. Radiohead last toured in 2018 supporting their 2016 album, A Moon Shaped Pool. While no new studio album has been announced, the band will release a live album, Hail to the Thief — Live Recordings 2003-2009, on Oct. 31. Selway said rehearsing together last year reignited their musical connection and inspired the upcoming shows. In the meantime, members have pursued solo projects: Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with The Smile, Colin Greenwood with Nick Cave’s band, O’Brien with his solo debut Earth (2020), and Selway with Strange Dance (2023).

A woman known as the “Ketamine Queen” pleaded guilty Wednesday to selling the drug that killed actor Matthew Perry. She became the fifth and final defendant to admit guilt in the case. Jasveen Sangha, 42, a citizen of both the U.S. and U.K., admitted to five federal charges, including providing the fatal ketamine dose. She faces up to 65 years in prison when sentenced on December 10, though prosecutors said they will recommend less than the maximum. Sangha was portrayed by prosecutors as a major drug dealer with wealthy clients. In court, she admitted her role while standing beside her lawyer, Mark Geragos. Perry’s mother Suzanne Perry and stepfather, journalist Keith Morrison, were present for the first time during the proceedings. The actor, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, 2023. The medical examiner ruled ketamine overdose as the primary cause of death. Sangha’s guilty plea followed earlier deals by four others, including doctors and a middleman, who also admitted involvement in supplying drugs. Perry had been legally using ketamine for depression but sought extra supplies, leading him to Sangha through a friend. According to prosecutors, Perry bought 25 vials for $6,000 in cash just four days before his death. Sangha has been in custody for nearly a year, while the other defendants remain free on bond.

Janhvi Kapoor opened up about the challenges she faced after her mother Sridevi’s death in 2018. Despite making her Bollywood debut with Dhadak just months later, she said public empathy was lacking. In an interview with Vogue, Janhvi said both she and her sister Khushi hid their grief, which led people to treat them harshly. She called the experience “cynical,” noting that media scrutiny amplified their pain. “Imagine losing your mother and it’s entertainment for half the nation,” she said, recalling constant paparazzi attention and criticism over her every reaction. On the work front, Janhvi’s latest film, Param Sundari, starring Sidharth Malhotra, is currently in theatres.   Source: NDTV

French cinema icon Gérard Depardieu has been ordered to stand trial in Paris on charges of rape and sexual assault involving fellow actor Charlotte Arnould. Arnould welcomed the decision, writing on Instagram Tuesday that she felt “relieved” by the judge’s order, calling it “a form of judicial truth.” Her lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, told Franceinfo she was “extremely satisfied,” describing the ruling as a key step in the case. The allegations date back to 2018, when Arnould accused Depardieu of raping her at his home. Prosecutors launched an investigation and last year requested the case be sent to trial. “The acts of rape and sexual assault have been acknowledged,” Arnould said, adding that she now awaits the next stage of the proceedings. Depardieu, 76, was convicted earlier this year of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021, receiving an 18-month suspended sentence and being added to France’s sex offender registry. Once nominated for an Oscar for Cyrano de Bergerac in 1991, the veteran actor has appeared in more than 250 films. Over 20 women have accused him of sexual misconduct in recent years, but most cases were dismissed for lack of evidence or expired limitations.

Renowned artist and cultural personality Mustafa Monwar was celebrated on his 90th birthday through a special television programme titled 'Amader Mustafa Monwar', aired on Channel i at 6:15 pm on Monday. The programme, directed and produced by Anonna Ruma, highlighted Monwar’s illustrious life and contributions to art, puppetry, theatre, and television.  Eminent painter Monirul Islam and renowned actor-filmmaker–painter Afzal Hossain joined the show to share their reflections on Monwar’s extraordinary career. Fulfilling the artist’s birthday wish, over a hundred birds were released into the sky as a symbolic gesture of freedom. A group of young performers also sang to honour him, while rare artworks painted by Mustafa Monwar were showcased at the programme. Born on September 1, 1935 in Jashore, Monwar was the youngest of six siblings. His father was renowned poet Golam Mostafa. Mustafa Monwar studied at Narayanganj Government School before briefly enrolling in science at Scottish Church College, Kolkata. He later shifted to the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata, graduating in 1959 with first class first in Fine Arts. After beginning his professional career as a lecturer at the then East Pakistan College of Arts and Crafts, Mustafa Monwar went on to serve as Deputy Director General of Bangladesh Television, Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and National Institute of Mass Communication.  In his illustrious career Mustafa Monwar also held the positions of General Manager at BTV's Dhaka station, and Managing Director of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC). He also chaired the Population Development Centre and directed the Educational Puppet Development Centre. An eminent cultural personality in the country, Mustafa Monwar made remarkable contributions to fine arts, puppetry, theatre, and television. He received the Ekushey Padak in 2004, along with numerous other honours including the Tenashinas Award for television drama (1990), Bangladesh Charushilpi Sangsad Award for fine arts (1992), Kids Honour Medal from Chittagong’s Kids Cultural Institute (1999), and special recognition from Shishu Kendra in 2002 for his contributions in painting, theatre direction, and puppet-making. Mustafa Monwar married Mary Monwar in 1965, and the couple has a son, Sadat Monwar, and a daughter, Nandini Monwar.

Pop star Sabrina Carpenter’s seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, chronicles a messy breakup, contrasting the romance celebrated in her earlier work Short n’ Sweet. Known for blending pop with R&B and country influences, Carpenter has never hidden her sensuality. The album’s original cover, showing her in a submissive pose with a suited man, drew mixed reactions online, with some calling it misogynistic and others seeing it as satirical. The album opens with Manchild, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in June, portraying the immature men Carpenter often encounters. Subsequent tracks like Tears and My Man on Willpower explore disappointment in relationships, leading to the breakup-themed songs Nobody’s Son and We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night. While expressing heartbreak, Carpenter maintains her signature sensual edge, with tracks like When Did You Get Hot? and House Tour highlighting post-breakup confidence and fun. With a mix of catchy choruses, playful lyrics, and emotional depth, Man’s Best Friend offers a varied, provocative, and engaging take on love, loss, and moving on.

Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi are set to attend the Venice Film Festival on Saturday for the world premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, marking the start of what is expected to be a major awards season campaign for the film. Isaac stars as Victor Frankenstein, while Elordi takes on the role of the monster in del Toro’s long-anticipated adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel. “It’s the movie that I’ve been in training for 30 years to do,” del Toro recently told The Associated Press. Some disruption is possible around the premiere, as an anti-war march is scheduled that evening near the festival, aiming to draw attention to the crisis in Gaza. Del Toro last attended Venice in 2017 with The Shape of Water, which won the festival’s top prize and later went on to claim the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 2018. Netflix, which has yet to secure a Best Picture Oscar, is betting heavily on Frankenstein. Del Toro’s previous project, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, earned the streaming giant its first Oscar for Best Animated Film. Like The Shape of Water, Frankenstein is considered a strong contender for Venice’s top awards, competing against films including Yorgos Lanthimos’s Bugonia, Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, and Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab. The winners, chosen by an Alexander Payne-led jury, will be announced on Sept. 6. Netflix plans to release Frankenstein in theaters on Oct. 17, followed by streaming on Nov. 7.

Julia Roberts and director Luca Guadagnino faced questions about feminism and #MeToo at a Venice Film Festival news conference on Friday for their film After the Hunt. The movie, set in academia, follows a philosophy professor (Roberts) whose colleague is accused of misconduct by her mentee (Ayo Edebiri). The screenplay by Nora Garrett avoids easy answers, sparking debate about its stance on feminist issues. Roberts said the film does not pit women against each other, adding it aims to provoke discussion and reflection. Guadagnino described it as exploring “clash of truths” rather than promoting any manifesto. After the Hunt screened for press Thursday and premieres publicly Friday. Roberts emphasized the film encourages conversation, capturing characters in complex, self-deceptive moments. The film, releasing in North America on Oct. 10, uses a Windsor-style font for its opening credits, a nod to Woody Allen’s 1985–1991 films, which Guadagnino said reflects on the responsibilities of working with an artist one admires. Not in the main competition, the film won’t compete for awards on Sept. 6. Roberts and Guadagnino are familiar faces at Venice, with past films and premieres, though this is Roberts’ first visit. The 82nd Venice Film Festival continues with major upcoming premieres including Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, and Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite.