United News of Bangladesh

Apple TV’s horror-comedy series “Widow’s Bay” emerged as the biggest winner at the early Emmy ceremony on Sunday, collecting eight awards for its first season, while HBO Max’s “The Pitt” secured four. The ceremony, held eight days ahead of the main Emmy awards show, also saw “DTF St. Louis” take six trophies in limited-series categories, with David Harbour and Linda Cardellini earning their first Emmy Awards. “Widow’s Bay,” starring Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a small New England town facing an ancient curse, won awards in several technical categories, including cinematography, sound, music and production design. Betty Gilpin also won best guest actress in a comedy for her performance in the series. “The Pitt,” which led this year's nominations with 25 after winning best drama for its debut season, added four awards to its tally. Among its winners was Ernest Harden Jr., 73, who won best guest actor in a drama for his portrayal of Louie Cloverfield, a troubled alcoholic who is a familiar figure in the show's emergency room. Harden, a veteran actor whose career includes a role in the 1975 film “Three Days of the Condor” and appearances on “The Jeffersons,” became a first-time Emmy winner. Andrew Bird and Gavin Brivik won for original music and lyrics for a song written for “The Pitt.” The Television Academy has rebranded the traditionally known Creative Arts Emmys as the opening two nights of the 78th Emmy Awards. The weekend ceremonies mainly recognize behind-the-scenes contributors, although guest acting categories and several other awards featuring prominent performers are also presented. Harbour won best supporting actor in a limited series for “DTF St. Louis,” while Cardellini won best supporting actress in the category. Both were first-time Emmy winners. The ceremony also featured a tribute to late actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner, who posthumously won best guest actor in a comedy for his role in “The Bear.” He received a lengthy standing ovation from the audience, including his “Bear” co-star Jamie Lee Curtis. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed in December. Their son has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with their deaths. Other winners included “Pluribus,” another Apple TV series from “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, which collected four awards, and Shailene Woodley, who won her first Emmy as best guest actress in a drama for “Paradise.” “Spider-Noir,” the Nicolas Cage series canceled by Amazon Prime Video after one season, won five awards, including for visual effects and stunts. Emmy host Mariska Hargitay also received two awards for her documentary “My Mom Jayne,” about her mother, actress Jayne Mansfield. Bad Bunny won his first career Emmy for his Super Bowl halftime show, which earned seven awards at Saturday's ceremony. The weekend's ceremonies will be edited together for broadcast on FXX on Sept. 12 and streaming on Hulu the following day. The main Emmy ceremony will be held Sept. 14 at the Peacock Theater, hosted by Hargitay, and will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock. “Widow’s Bay” and “The Pitt” could each win up to six additional awards during the main ceremony.

Some stars arrive, shine brightly and disappear with time. A rare few, however, remain suspended in the memory of generations, their presence refusing to fade even decades after they are gone. In Bangladesh’s cinematic history, few such stars have left an imprint as enduring as Salman Shah, and today marks his 30th death anniversary. Born Chowdhury Mohammad Shahriar Emon on September 19 during the turbulent period of Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971, the popular actor died on September 6, 1996, at the age of 25. In a career spanning only around four years, Salman Shah became one of the defining stars of 1990s Bangladeshi cinema. He made his debut with “Keyamat Theke Keyamat” in 1993 and went on to win audiences with films, including “Sotter Mrittu Nei”, “Shujon Shokhi”, “Ei Ghor Ei Shongshar”, “Anondo Osru” and more. His screen pairing with Shabnur became particularly popular, while his performances with other leading actresses, including Moushumi with whom he debuted in Dhallywood, Shabnaz, Lima and Shahnaz, further established him as a romantic hero. His fashion, hairstyles and effortless screen presence also turned him into a trendsetter whose influence continues to be felt in popular culture. However, alongside the enduring affection for the star, questions surrounding his death have remained for three decades. Salman Shah was found unconscious at his residence in New Eskaton on September 6, 1996, and was later declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Subsequent investigations did not establish murder. The Criminal Investigation Department of police concluded that he had died by suicide, while the Police Bureau of Investigation reached the same conclusion in its 2020 investigation. His family, however, has consistently rejected those findings and maintained that he was murdered. The issue took a new turn in October 2025 when a Dhaka court ordered that a murder case be filed over Salman Shah’s death. A case was subsequently filed against 11 people, including his former wife Samira Haque, businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai and actor Ashraful Haque Don. The case remains under investigation. Don was arrested in August this year in connection with the case. The investigation report has been deferred several times, with September 29 set as the latest deadline. As Salman Shah’s 30th death anniversary is observed, his legacy remains remarkably undiminished. For audiences who grew up watching him, he remains the young star captured in the frames of his films, forever at the height of his charm. Social media sites have also been flooded with tributes to the iconic actor by his ardent admirers. One of Dhallywood's biggest “what-ifs”, Salman Shah has never truly left the screen or the hearts of those who made him a legend.  

Leading Emmy nominees including “The Pitt,” “Hacks,” “Pluribus” and “Widow’s Bay” could collect a significant number of awards Sunday during an early ceremony, eight days before the main Primetime Emmy Awards. The Television Academy presents more than 100 Primetime Emmy Awards, with most of them being handed out over two ceremonies this weekend at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Previously known as the Creative Arts Emmys, the events have been renamed as the first two nights of the 78th Emmy Awards. The two ceremonies will be edited into a program scheduled to air on FXX on Sept. 12 and stream on Hulu the following day. The main Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will take place on Sept. 14 at the Peacock Theater. Hosted by Mariska Hargitay, it will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock. “The Pitt,” HBO Max’s medical drama following a day in the life of hospital workers, is this year’s most-nominated series with 25 nominations. After winning best drama for its first season, the show could take home up to nine awards on Sunday. “Hacks,” also from HBO Max, received a record-tying 24 comedy nominations for its fifth and final season and could win as many as 12 awards during Sunday's ceremony. While most of the awards presented this weekend recognize behind-the-scenes work, several well-known actors are also competing, particularly in the guest acting categories. Rob Reiner, who was killed along with his wife Michele Singer Reiner in December, received a posthumous nomination for guest actor in a comedy for his role in “The Bear.” The nomination comes about 50 years after he won two Emmy Awards for his acting in “All in the Family.” Five-time Emmy winner Michael J. Fox is also nominated in the same category for his role in “Shrinking,” where he plays a patient with Parkinson’s disease. The Television Academy has also moved five categories from the Sept. 14 main telecast to Sunday’s ceremony, adding more star power to the event. The categories include supporting actor and supporting actress in a limited series, with nominees such as Jason Bateman, Charles Melton, Dakota Fanning and Laurie Metcalf. “The Pitt” has a strong presence in the drama acting categories, with two nominees for guest actor and three for guest actress. Among them is Tal Anderson, an autistic actor and advocate for better representation of neurodivergent performers. She received her first Emmy nomination for playing Becca King, the younger sister of Dr. Mel King, portrayed by Taylor Dearden. Dearden, who is one of four women from “The Pitt” nominated for supporting actress, will present an award on Sunday. Noah Wyle, the show's star and a four-time nominee at the main ceremony, will also appear as a presenter. “Hacks” dominates the comedy guest actress category, with five of the seven nominees coming from the series, including Leslie Bibb and Metcalf. Metcalf could potentially win two Emmys. Meanwhile, two new series from Apple TV could also make an early impact. The horror comedy “Widow’s Bay” could win up to 10 awards this weekend, while “Pluribus,” a drama created by “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, could also take home as many as 10 awards. “Pluribus,” which stars Emmy best actress favorite Rhea Seehorn, features Karolina Wydra and Jeff Hiller among its acting nominees. Both are also scheduled to present awards on Sunday. The first night of the Emmy Awards on Saturday focused on unscripted programs, variety series and specials. Sunday's ceremony will spotlight dramas, comedies and limited series, with several of television's biggest shows hoping to gain an early advantage before the main awards ceremony next week.

Hollywood star Robert Pattinson and Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are bringing their own brand of celebrity power to the Venice Film Festival, where both will attend world premieres on Saturday. Pattinson is promoting “Primetime,” a drama based on the controversial NBC reality series “To Catch a Predator” and its host Chris Hansen. The Gallagher brothers are attending for a documentary chronicling Oasis' 2025 reunion tour. Both films are scheduled for release in US theaters this month. The arrival of Pattinson and Oasis comes after several high-profile moments at the festival, including a lifetime achievement award for George Clooney and a strong reception for John Malkovich's performance in “Wild Horse Nine.” Pattinson portrays Chris Hansen “Primetime,” directed by Lance Oppenheim and written by Ajon Singh, examines a 2006 sting operation involving Texas assistant district attorney Bill Conradt, who died by suicide as police raided his home while television cameras were present. The film draws on journalist Luke Dittrich's Esquire article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” which explored the controversial operation. Oppenheim said he wanted to examine the competing ambitions of a journalist, a television producer and a young Hollywood hopeful whose paths eventually converged in a crisis. Hansen was not involved in the film and has publicly questioned the filmmakers' motives. He has also said he once thought actor Denis Leary would have been a better choice to portray him. Hansen was invited to watch the film ahead of its Venice premiere but objected to being asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement. For Pattinson, “Primetime,” which opens Sept. 25, adds to an already busy year that has included appearances in “The Drama” and “The Odyssey.” He is also set to appear in “Dune: Part Three.” Oasis reunion gets documentary treatment “Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger” combines concert footage with a look at the complicated relationship between Noel and Liam Gallagher, whose long-running feud led to the band's breakup in 2009. The documentary features previously unseen rehearsal footage and the brothers' first joint interview in 25 years. Directors Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace said they wanted to tell the story of two brothers overcoming a turbulent relationship while also exploring the enduring influence of Oasis' music. The film will receive an IMAX theatrical release in the United States on Sept. 11 through Disney and is expected to stream later this year on Disney+. Oasis reunited for its 2025 tour after remaining inactive for about 15 years.

South Korean police have asked prosecutors to indict Bang Si-Hyuk, the billionaire music executive behind K-pop giant HYBE and supergroup BTS, over allegations that he misled investors before the company went public. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency referred Bang's case to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on Thursday, recommending his indictment for allegedly violating the country's capital markets law, according to police and prosecutors. Bang, HYBE's founder and chairman, has been under investigation over allegations that he misled investors in 2019 by telling them the company had no immediate plans to go public. Police allege that the investors later sold their shares to a private equity fund shortly before HYBE launched its initial public offering. Investigators have previously said the private equity fund may have paid Bang around 200 billion won, or about $147 million, under a separate agreement that entitled him to 30% of profits from stock sales following the company's IPO. South Korean media reported that police also referred four other people to prosecutors on Thursday, including HYBE executives and officials linked to the private equity fund, recommending their indictment. Bang and HYBE have denied any wrongdoing. “We have consistently responded to the allegations with objective evidence and facts,” Bang's legal team said in a statement Thursday, adding that it expects the matter to be resolved fairly and transparently through the legal process. Police had previously sought Bang's arrest twice, in April and May, but prosecutors rejected both requests, saying there were insufficient grounds for his arrest and ordering further investigation. Legal observers say prosecutors may seek additional investigation before deciding whether to formally indict Bang. The latest development comes as BTS returned to the global music scene and launched a highly anticipated world tour earlier this year, following a nearly four-year break caused by the members' mandatory military service in South Korea.

Cassandra Wilson, the acclaimed jazz singer, songwriter and producer who won two Grammy Awards and became known for her distinctive voice and genre-crossing music, has died at the age of 70. Wilson died at her home in her native Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday morning, according to Hinds County Coroner Jeramiah Howard. Her manager said the legendary jazz artist “transitioned peacefully at home,” surrounded by family, close friends and her manager. Named America’s best singer by Time magazine in 2001, Wilson was widely admired for her deep, soulful contralto voice and her ability to blend jazz with blues, folk, pop, R&B, country and other musical styles. Musician Jon Batiste, paying tribute to Wilson on Wednesday, said her voice captured the spirit of the American South. Born and raised in Jackson, Wilson developed an interest in music at an early age. Her father, Herman B. Fowlkes, was a musician, while her mother, Mary Fowlkes, was a teacher. She grew up listening to artists including Motown performers, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Wilson began taking piano lessons at the age of 6 and later played clarinet in marching bands. While studying at Millsaps College and Jackson State University, she performed at coffeehouses and played with cover bands. In the early 1980s, she worked with and learned from leading jazz musicians in New Orleans before moving to New York City. There, she joined saxophonist Steve Coleman’s M-Base Collective and eventually became its main vocalist. Wilson’s distinctive style earned her four Grammy nominations and two awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album. She won in 1997 for “New Moon Daughter” and again in 2009 for “Loverly.” In 2015, Wilson performed a special concert at the Apollo Theater marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary blues and jazz singer Billie Holiday. Later that year, she released “Coming Forth by Day,” her final album, which paid tribute to Holiday. In 2022, Wilson was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts, one of the highest honors for jazz musicians in the United States. Tributes poured in following news of her death. Batiste said Wilson’s unique vocal style and her ability to combine folk traditions, R&B and music from the African diaspora with experimental and popular sounds had a major influence on him. He also praised her deep connection to Mississippi, saying her Southern roots remained at the heart of her music even as her artistry continued to evolve. Jackson Mayor John Horhn described Wilson as an extraordinary daughter of the city and said the world had lost a truly unique musical voice. “Cassandra Wilson carried the sound, spirit and history of Mississippi with her wherever her music reached,” the mayor said in a statement. He said her music had a rare depth and showed a powerful understanding of how songs can move people, tell stories and connect generations.

A group art exhibition titled ‘Untold Story’, exploring memory, identity, heritage and the often unspoken dimensions of human experience, was inaugurated at La Galerie of Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) in the capital's Dhanmondi on Tuesday. Curated by Fareha Zeba, the exhibition brings together artist books and contemporary artworks by a group of artists working across painting, drawing, collage, stitching, textiles, found materials and experimental book forms.

Winning an Oscar remains one of Hollywood's highest honours, but the famous golden statuette comes with a long history of mystery, controversy and unusual rules. The Academy Awards have grown far beyond their modest beginnings in 1929, when the first ceremony reportedly lasted just 10 minutes. Today, the Oscars are the centrepiece of a huge awards season involving studios, campaign consultants, critics, media outlets, stylists and thousands of people working behind the scenes. The origins of the Academy itself were also far from simple. Hollywood producer Louis B. Mayer helped establish it at a time when the film industry was trying to improve its public image and strengthen the influence of major studios. Even the origin of the name “Oscar” remains uncertain. One popular story says Academy librarian Margaret Herrick nicknamed the statuette after her uncle, though no one knows for sure who first gave the award its famous name. Over the years, the Oscars have produced both celebrated choices and controversial decisions. Classic films such as Citizen Kane and Brokeback Mountain lost the Best Picture award, while Crash and Green Book won the top prize. Other acclaimed films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Do the Right Thing and Hoop Dreams, were not even nominated for Best Picture. Acclaimed filmmaker David Lynch, meanwhile, never won a competitive Oscar. Despite such criticism, an Oscar remains the most widely recognised award in the film industry. The statuette itself is worth far less than its symbolic value. It costs about $400 to produce, but studios can spend tens of millions of dollars campaigning for awards. Winning can lead to higher salaries and greater career opportunities, although an Oscar is no guarantee of long-term success. The trophy also comes with strict ownership rules. Winners of Oscars awarded after 1951 cannot sell or dispose of their statuettes without first offering them to the Academy for $1. The popularity of the Oscars has also changed over the decades. Television audiences have risen and fallen since the ceremony was first broadcast in 1953, while the Academy has repeatedly faced criticism over its membership and lack of diversity. In 2015, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite sparked widespread criticism and pushed the Academy to make major changes in its membership. Critics have questioned the Oscars' relevance almost since the awards began. Yet the ceremony continues to attract global attention every year. For Hollywood, the Oscar remains both a symbol of artistic achievement and a reminder of the industry's flaws — shaped by talent, ambition, money, power and, often, controversy.

Dulquer Salmaan has revealed that his upcoming film I’m Game has more to offer than what viewers have seen in its trailer, including a fantasy element that has been deliberately kept under wraps. The film is set to hit theatres on September 3. Speaking to students at a college in Hyderabad, Dulquer said the makers intentionally avoided revealing the film’s main surprise in the trailer to preserve the experience for cinema audiences. According to Pinkvilla, the actor said the film has a fantasy-related core concept that has not yet been shown to viewers. The revelation adds a new dimension to the film, as earlier reports had suggested that its story could involve a man receiving a transplanted hand from someone who had died, with the hand somehow linked to avenging its former owner’s death. However, the trailer tells a different story. Dulquer plays Dan John, a carefree and risk-taking man who knows how to make quick money. Instead of relying only on luck while betting, he uses an algorithm to decide where to place his money. But his life takes an unexpected turn when the algorithm begins producing results that work against him. His carefully planned world starts to fall apart, leaving audiences wondering what is really happening. Dulquer’s latest comments suggest that the trailer has revealed only part of the story, while the fantasy element and the film’s main concept have been kept secret ahead of its release. The actor also said his character, Dan John, would surprise audiences. He added that it had been some time since he last played a somewhat bratty and carefree character. Directed by Nahas Hidhayath, I’m Game also stars Antony Varghese Pepe, Kayadu Lohar, Kathir, Mysskin, Samyuktha, Vinay Forrt, Jayasudha and Shyamaprasad. The film was originally scheduled for release on August 21 during the Onam festival but was later postponed to September 3.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has cancelled a planned exhibition honouring British fashion designer John Galliano following strong criticism over his past antisemitic and racist remarks. The exhibition had been scheduled as the Costume Institute’s spring 2027 show and was expected to coincide with the annual Met Gala. The museum said another exhibition would be announced later. “Following thoughtful discussions with John Galliano, we have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition,” the museum’s director and CEO Max Hollein said in a statement. Galliano said he supported the decision and expressed regret over his past remarks, particularly the pain caused to Jewish and Asian communities. Galliano was once one of the fashion industry’s most celebrated designers and served as creative director of Christian Dior. However, he was dismissed after racist and antisemitic remarks he made in 2010 and 2011 became public. He was later convicted in France over antisemitic comments. After several years away from the spotlight, Galliano returned to the fashion industry in 2014 as creative director of Maison Margiela, where he worked for a decade. He would have been only the third living designer to receive a solo exhibition at the Met’s Costume Institute. The planned exhibition had faced growing opposition, including from New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who welcomed the museum’s decision to cancel it. Menin said she had repeatedly opposed honouring Galliano, arguing that the exhibition had caused deep pain to the Jewish community at a time of rising antisemitism. She described the cancellation as the right decision, saying the harm and distress caused by the planned exhibition were unacceptable. I can also make it shorter and sharper for direct UNB website publication.