Dhaka, Jun 3 (UNB) - Actress-singer Ruma Guha Thakurta passed away on Monday morning at her residence in Kolkata. She was 84.

Ruma was suffering from old age-related ailments, reports The Indian Express.

After making her silver screen debut with Hindi film Jwar Bhata in 1944, Ruma Guha Thakurta, a niece of filmmaker Satyajit Ray, went on to star in Bengali movies like Ganga, Abhijaan, Palatak, Antony Firingee, 80 Te Asio Na, Balika Badhu, Dadar Kirti, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Amrita Kumbher Sandhane, Bhalobasa Bhalobasa and Wheelchair. She was last seen in English film The Namesake.

Apart from acting, Ruma was a popular playback singer too.

Ruma Guha Thakurta also founded the Calcutta Youth Choir, a song and dance troupe, in 1958, which is known for its performance of folk and mass songs.

Ruma Guha was singer-actor Kishore Kumar’s first wife. The two got married in 1951. They have a son, Amit Kumar. The couple divorced in 1960, after which Ruma tied the knot with Arup Guha Thakurta. Ruma and Arup have two chilren, Sromona Guha Thakurta and Ayan Guha Thakurta.

Ayan said his mother had returned to Kolkata only a month back after a three-month stay with Amit Kumar in Mumbai.

“Dada (Amit) is coming here this evening. He will be taking all the decisions (about her last rites),” Ayan said.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee shared her condolences on Twitter. She wrote, “Saddened at the passing away of Ruma Guha Thakurta. Her contribution to the field of cinema and music will always be remembered. My condolences to her family and her admirers.”
 

Miami, Jun 1 (AP/UNB) — Antonio Banderas waited 40 years to receive one of the most prestigious awards an actor can obtain: the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. And he says he prefers it that way.

"When awards come at an early age, they make you make many mistakes, but I haven't made any mistakes," said Banderas, 58, in an interview this week with The Associated Press in Miami.

Banderas, whose credits in Hollywood include "The Mask of Zorro", was honored for his role as Salvador Mallo in Pedro Almodóvar's latest drama, "Pain and Glory."

It is their eighth film together, but the first in which Banderas portrays a version of his friend-director. In "Pain and Glory," Mallo is a famous filmmaker reflecting on his life and his career that is based on Almodóvar, including a recreation of the director's Madrid apartment.

"Pedro Almodóvar is a very private person and I understood him", Banderas said. He took a step to "show a part of himself that he had never revealed before."

The film was a favorite for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, but Banderas was the one honored.

"It's a bittersweet feeling," said Banderas, who was in Florida for Miami Fashion Week.

When he took the stage to receive the award, he did it in his name and in the name of his character, or Almodóvar himself.

"I played him and because of that it is an award that I share with him," said Banderas, whose credits with the director include "Labyrinth of Passion," ''Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" and "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown."

"I am extremely grateful and I have incredible respect and love for this person that has given me so much," he said.

Dhaka, May 29 (UNB) – Today is the 67th birthday of Humayun Faridi, one of the most iconic actors of Bangladesh.

The legendary actor is remembered for his extraordinary works in Bangladeshi television and cinema industry.

Born to ATM Nurul Islam and Begum Farida Islam at Dhaka’s Narinda in the year of the Language Movement, he fought in Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.

He completed his SSC from Islamia Government High School in 1968 and passed the HSC examination from Chandpur Government College in 1970. In the same year, he entered the Dhaka University to study organic chemistry but could not continue studies due to the Liberation War.

After independence, he got admitted to Jahangirnagar University to study Economics, where he became a friend and close associate of drama doyen Selim Al Deen. They collaborated in many notable creative projects in theatre and drama.

Faridi’s expedition in showbiz began as a leading organiser of Jahangirnagar University’s 1976 Drama Festival. There he was noticed by renowned cultural persona Nasiruddin Yousuff, who was attending the festival as a judge.

After his all-round performance as an organiser, writer, director and actor in the festival - Faridi joined the famous Dhaka Theatre (founded by Yousuff and Selim Al-Deen) in 1978.

As a dedicated and passionate theatre artist, he always delivered quality works, and it all started with his debut performance in the ‘Shakuntala’ rendition by Selim Al-Deen, where he played the character ‘Tokkhok’.  He continued his journey in theatre with dramas such as ‘Phoni Monsha’ (1980), ‘Kirtankhola’ (1981), ‘Keramat Mangal’ (1985) and ‘Bhuut’ (1990).

In 1982, Faridi made his television debut with ‘Nil Nokshar Shondhaney’. From then on, he performed in dramas and serials such as ‘Nikhoj Shongbad’, ‘Hothat Ekdin’, ‘Pathor Somoy’, ‘Somudre Gangchil’, ‘Kachher Manush’, ‘Mohona’, ‘Durbin Diye Dekhun’, ‘Vangoner Shobdo Shuni’, ‘Kothao Keo Nei’, ‘Pret’ and many more - and became a fan favourite for his extraordinary acting.

His biggest breakthrough in television came with the drama ‘Shangshaptak’, in which he incredibly portrayed the character known as ‘Kankata Ramjan’ and became an instant hit with the audience.

After successfully making a name for himself in television, Faridi debuted as a film actor with the movie ‘Din-Mojur’, directed by Shahidul Islam Khokon. Faridi proved his worth as a versatile actor in the film industry with his performances in different genres of movies, but he is best known for his incredible performances in Bangla commercial films portraying negative roles.

Perhaps this was the reason that Khokon cast Faridi in 25 of his 28 movies. ‘Hulia’, ‘Dohon’, ‘Shontrash’, ‘Bachelor’, ‘Joy Jatra’, ‘Ekatturer Jishu’, ‘Loraku’, ‘Bir Purush’, ‘Bishwa Premik’, ‘Ajker Hitler’, ‘Mayer Odhikar’, ‘Bidrohi Charidike’, ‘Mone Pore Tomake’, ‘Shamol Chhaya’, ‘Meherjaan’- these are some of his renowned films.

He won the National Award in 2004 for his amazing performance in the movie ‘Matritwa’.

Humayun Faridi was first married to Nazmun Ara Begum Minu in 1980, but the couple got separated four years later. Faridi then married prominent actress Subarna Mustafa in 1984 but also got divorced in 2008. He was the son-in-law of prolific actor Golam Mustafa.

This actor passed away on February 12, 2012 after a long battle with chronic lungs disease. In recognition for his contribution, he was rewarded a posthumous Ekushey Padak in 2018.

Humayun Faridi will remain alive in the heart of his fans as one of the greatest actors of all time, for all of his tremendous performances.

Dhaka, May 25 (UNB) – Time was when television drama was the genre of choice for the middle class’s entertainment, and Bangladeshi ‘natok’ was known to maintain a certain standard. Now though, despite a proliferation of television channels, tv drama is losing its audience day by day, and the crisis can be said to be peaking at the moment, following the advent of the latest threat to in the form of web services such Netflix.

To shed light on possible solutions through an open discussion among stakeholders in the presence of Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, a seminar and iftar was organised by the Director’s Guild, an association of filmmakers, titled ‘The crisis of professionalism in television drama and its solution’ at Gulshan’s Emannuels Banquet Hall on Saturday.

The program featured a serious discussion regarding the ongoing crisis in the television industry. Several media personalities expressed their grievances and disappointment over issues such as getting dominated by unprofessionalism in the industry, not getting proper recognition and remuneration, not getting sufficient opportunities to show their calibre due to the autocracy of media owners, etc.

After giving them a patient hearing, the information minister expressed his solidarity and gratitude towards the artists and association members, and promised the government is working to prepare proper law and regulations in order to resolve the problems.

Later the minister and members of Director’s Guild honored the 2019 Ekushey Padak winner artist Lucky Enam and notable writer and dramatist Imdadul Haque Milon.

Hosted by the general secretary of Director’s Guild S A Haque Alik, the program was attended by country’s renowned media personalities including television personality Syed Hasan Imam, playwright Masum Reza, actor Shahidul Alam Sacchu, dramatist and filmmaker Mannan Hira, several actors and directors such as Azizul Hakim, Sazzad Hossain Dodul, Sohel Arman and Mahfuz Haque, dramatist Zeenat Hakim, notable director Shahidul Haque Khan, actor and former president of the Director’s Guild’s Gazi Rakayet,  as well as its current president, notable actor and director Salahuddin Lavlu.

Dhaka, May 25 (UNB) - The 120th birth anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was celebrated in the country on Saturday in a befitting manner.

Born on May 25, 1899 at Churulia village in Burdwan district of West Bengal in India, Nazrul through his fiery poems had inspired people to fight against injustice and repression of the colonial rule.

The government and different socio-cultural and political organisations celebrated the day with elaborate programmes.

This year’s theme of the birth anniversary was “Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh in Nazrul’s Conscience.”

The birth anniversary of the poet was also celebrated at Trishal in Mymensingh, Daulatpur in Cumilla and Chattogram with due respect by local administration.

Different educational institutions across the country as well as all the Bangladeshi embassies abroad also observed the day.

The Nazrul Institute and Shilpakala Academy organised programmes marking the day.

The Cultural Affairs Ministry and different organisations paid tributes to the poet placing wreaths at his grave by the Central Mosque of Dhaka University in the morning.

Newspapers published special supplements while Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar broadcast various programmes on the occasion.