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Netflix's 4Q subscribers surge, long-time CEO passes baton
Netflix’s subscriber growth is surging again, providing an early sign that its shift to include ads in a cheaper version of its video streaming service is helping to combat tougher competition and attract cost-conscious customers grappling with inflation.
The company on Thursday disclosed a gain of 7.7 million subscribers during the October-December period, a stretch that included the debut of an ad-supported option for $7 per month — less than half the price of its most popular commercial-free plan. The performance followed subscriber gains that topped analysts’ modest expectations during a July-September period that followed Netflix’s second consecutive quarter of customer losses.
Having regained its momentum, Netflix also announced its co-founder Reed Hastings will relinquish its title of co-CEO, completing a transition that began in July 2020 with the appointment of its programming chief, Ted Sarandos, as co-CEO. Greg Peters, Netflix's chief operating officer, will join Sarandos as co-CEO while Hastings becomes executive chairman.
Hastings, 62, had been Netflix's CEO for more than 20 years after taking over the role from his friend and fellow company co-founder Marc Randolph in the late 1990s.
Losing Hastings as co-CEO “leaves some big shoes for me and Greg to fill," Sarandos said during a conference call late Thursday. “Fortunately, we have four feet to do it with."
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As he handed off the CEO baton, Hastings said Sarandos and Peters were “more than ready" to succeed him. “They both have such amazing talents and gifts," Hastings said during the conference call. “Frankly, more and more, they have already been leading the company."
Insider Intelligence analyst Paul Verna interpreted the new leadership as another step in Netflix's evolution from its roots as a technology company led by a mathematical whiz in Hastings to an entertainment service led by Sarandos, who has long negotiated deals with Hollywood studios, and Peters, who oversaw the expansion into advertising.
“The current shift puts advertising in the center of the picture, alongside content,” Verna said.
The upturn in Netflix's subscribers didn't boost profits, largely because the strong dollar weighed on international results. The Los Gatos, California, company earned $55.3 million, or 12 cents per share, during the fourth quarter, a 91% decline from the same time in the prior year. Revenue rose 2% from the previous year to $7.85 billion, a modest gain that suggest some ongoing subscribers may have hopscotched from a more expensive plan to the lower priced ad-backed option.
The earnings fell below the predictions of analysts who shape investors’ expectations. But investors appeared to be more focused on the subscriber gains that were far above projections. Netflix’s shares climbed nearly 7% in extended trading to $337.60. The stock price has double from a five-year low of $162.71 reached last May, but is still far below its all-time high of nearly $701 in November 2021.
Last year’s subscriber downturn, unprecedented since Netflix separated its streaming and DVD-by-mail services in 2011, prompted management to embrace advertising for the first time. The company is now preparing to crack down on the rampant sharing of passwords that has enabled an estimated 100 million people worldwide to watch popular shows such as “The Crown” and “Stranger Things” for free.
Read more: Netflix aims to curtail password sharing, considers ads
Bolstered by its holiday-season uptick, Netflix now boasts nearly 231 million worldwide subscribers – more than any rival in an increasingly crowded field of video streaming competition that includes the likes of Amazon, Hulu, Google’s YouTube, Walt Disney Co. and Apple, the world’s richest company.
Now that consumers have so many choices with only so much discretionary income to spend, Netflix has conceded it will be difficult to attract more customers as it historically has done. Its growth peaked during the first phase of the pandemic when the video streaming service added more than 36 million subscribers during 2020 while most people were corralled at home. By comparison, Netflix picked up fewer than 9 million subscribers for all of last year.
The slowdown prompted Netflix to stop its long-standing practice of projecting how many subscribers it expects to gain from one quarter to the next, an attempt to lessen investors’ focus on that number. Instead, Netflix is putting more emphasis on revenue and profits growth, a goal that figures to be helped by more money pouring in from ad sales.
Reports: David Crosby, rock star and CSNY co-founder, dies
David Crosby, the brash rock musician who evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and an ongoing troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash & (sometimes) Young, has died at 81, several media outlets reported Thursday.
The New York Times reported, based on a text message from Crosby's sister in law, that the musician died Wednesday night. Several media outlets reported Crosby's death citing anonymous sources; The Associated Press was unable to reach Crosby's representatives and his widow.
Crosby underwent a liver transplant in 1994 after decades of drug use and survived diabetes, hepatitis C and heart surgery in his 70s.
While he only wrote a handful of widely known songs, the witty and ever opinionated Crosby was on the front lines of the cultural revolution of the ’60s and ’70s — whether triumphing with Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young on stage at Woodstock, testifying on behalf of a hirsute generation in his anthem “Almost Cut My Hair” or mourning the assassination of Robert Kennedy in “Long Time Gone.”
He was a founder and focus of the Los Angeles rock music community from which such performers as the Eagles and Jackson Browne later emerged. He was a twinkly-eyed hippie patriarch, the inspiration for Dennis Hopper’s long-haired stoner in “Easy Rider.” He advocated for peace, but was an unrepentant loudmouth who practiced personal warfare and acknowledged that many of the musicians he worked with no longer spoke to him.
“Crosby was a colorful and unpredictable character, wore a Mandrake the Magician cape, didn’t get along with too many people and had a beautiful voice — an architect of harmony,” Bob Dylan wrote in his 2004 memoir, “Chronicles: Volume One.”
Crosby's drug use left him bloated, broke and alienated. He kicked the addiction in 1985 and 1986 during a year’s prison stretch in Texas on drug and weapons charges. The conviction eventually was overturned.
“I’ve always said that I picked up the guitar as a shortcut to sex and after my first joint I was sure that if everyone smoked dope there’d be an end to war,” Crosby said in his 1988 autobiography, “Long Time Gone,” co-written with Carl Gottlieb. “I was right about the sex. I was wrong when it came to drugs.”
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He lived years longer than even he expected and in his 70s enjoyed a creative renaissance, issuing several solo albums while collaborating with others including his son James Raymond, who became a favorite songwriting partner.
“Most guys my age would have done a covers record or duets on old material,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013, shortly before “Croz” was released. “This won’t be a huge hit. It’ll probably sell nineteen copies. I don’t think kids are gonna dig it, but I’m not making it for them. I’m making it for me. I have this stuff that I need to get off my chest.”
In 2019, Crosby was featured in the documentary “David Crosby: Remember My Name,” produced by Cameron Crowe.
While his solo career thrived, his seemingly lifetime bond with Nash dissolved. Crosby was angered by Nash’s 2013 memoir “Wild Tales” (whiny and dishonest, he called it) and relations between the two spilled into an ugly public feud, with Nash and Crosby agreeing on one thing: Crosby, Stills and Nash was finished. Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president did lead Crosby to suggest that he was open to a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young protest tour, but his old bandmates declined to respond.
Crosby became a star in the mid-1960s with the seminal folk-rock group The Byrds, known for such hits as “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Clean-cut and baby-faced at the time, he contributed harmonies that were a key part of the band’s innovative blend of The Beatles and Dylan. Crosby was among the first American stars to become close to The Beatles, and helped introduce George Harrison to Eastern music.
Troubled relations with bandmates pushed Crosby out of The Byrds and into a new group. Crosby, Stills and Nash's first meeting is part of rock folklore: Stills and Crosby were at Joni Mitchell’s house in 1968 (Stills would contend they were at Mama Cass'), working on the ballad “You Don’t Have to Cry,” when Nash suggested they start over again. Nash’s high harmony added a magical layer to Stills' rough bottom and Crosby’s mellow middle and a supergroup was born.
Their eponymous debut album was an instant success that helped redefine commercial music. The songs were longer and more personal than their individual prior outputs, yet easily relatable for an audience also embracing a more open lifestyle.
Their spirited harmonies and themes of peace and love became emblematic of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their version of the Mitchell song “Woodstock” was the theme for the documentary about the 1969 rock concert during which the group made only its second live appearance together. Crosby had produced Mitchell’s first album, “Song to a Seagull,” in 1968, and for a time was her boyfriend (as was Nash).
Now wearing the drooping, bushy mustache that would define him ever after, Crosby provided harmony and rhythm guitar, and his songs reflected his own volatile personality. They ranged from the misty-eyed romanticism of “Guinevere,” to the spirituality of “Deja Vu,” to the operatic paranoia of “Almost Cut My Hair.”
Some critics panned the group as soft-headed and self-indulgent.
“If you’re into living-room rock, fireplace harmonies and just a taste of good old social consciousness, this is your group,” reported Rolling Stone, which nonetheless rarely missed a chance to write about the band.
But CSN, as they would soon be called, won a best new artist Grammy and remained a worldwide touring act and brand name decades later.
The first album was an easy, happy recording, but the mood darkened during the second album, “Deja Vu.” The band was joined by Neil Young, who had feuded with Stills while both were in Buffalo Springfield and continued to do so.
Everyone in the band was troubled: Nash and Mitchell were splitting up, and so were Stills and singer Judy Collins. Crosby, meanwhile, was so devastated by the death of girlfriend Christine Hinton in a car accident, that he would lay on the studio floor and sob.
Featuring a rougher, less unified sound, the album released in 1970 and was another commercial smash. Yet within two years, the quartet had broken up, destined to continuously reunite and splinter for the rest of their lives.
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They worked in every combination possible — as solo artists, as duos, trios and, occasionally, all four together. They played stadiums and clubs. They showed up at the Berlin Wall in 1989 as the Cold War was ending and turned up in 2011 for the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.
In recent years, Crosby toured often, and candidly answered questions on Twitter with a blend of affection and exasperation, whether commenting on rock star peers or assessing the quality of a fan’s marijuana joint. He loved sailing and his greatest regret, besides hard drugs, was selling his 74-foot boat because of money problems. Among the songs completed on the boat was the classic “Wooden Ships,” co-written with Stills and Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner.
Crosby was born David Van Cortlandt Crosby on Aug. 14, 1941, in Los Angeles. His father was Oscar-winning cinematographer Floyd Crosby of “High Noon” fame. The family, including his mother, Aliph, and brother, Floyd Jr., later moved to Santa Barbara.
Crosby was exposed early to classical, folk and jazz music. In his autobiography, Crosby said that as a child he used to harmonize as his mother sang, his father played mandolin and his brother played guitar.
“When rock ‘n’ roll came in during that era and the Age of Elvis possessed America, I wasn’t into it,” he recalled.
His brother taught him to play guitar and, still in his teens, he began performing in Santa Barbara clubs. He moved to Los Angeles to study acting in 1960 but abandoned the idea and became a folk singer, working around the country before joining The Byrds. Like so many folk performers, Crosby was dazzled by the Beatles’ 1964 movie “A Hard Day’s Night” and decided to become a rock star.
Crosby married longtime girlfriend Jan Dance in 1987. The couple had a son, Django, in 1995. Crosby also had a daughter, Donovan, with Debbie Donovan. Shortly after he underwent the liver transplant, Crosby was reunited with Raymond, who had been placed for adoption in 1961. Raymond, Crosby and Jeff Pevar later performed together in a group called CPR.
“I regretted losing him many times,” Crosby told the AP of Raymond in 1998. “I was too immature to parent anybody, and too irresponsible.”
In 2000, Melissa Etheridge revealed that Crosby was the father of the two children she shared with then-partner Julie Cypher. Cypher carried the children Crosby fathered by artificial insemination, Etheridge told Rolling Stone. One son, Beckett, died in 2020.
Crosby didn’t help raise the children but said, “If, you know, in due time, at a distance, they’re proud of who their genetic dad is, that’s great.”
USA fashion designer, model R’Bonney Gabriel crowned Miss Universe
R’Bonney Gabriel, a fashion designer, model and sewing instructor from Texas who competition officials said is the first Filipino American to win Miss USA, was crowned Miss Universe on Saturday night.
Gabriel closed her eyes and clasped hands with runner-up Miss Venezuela, Amanda Dudamel, at the moment of the dramatic reveal of the winner, then beamed after her name was announced.
Thumping music rang out, and she was handed a bouquet of flowers, draped in the winner’s sash and crowned with a tiara onstage at the 71st Miss Universe Competition, held in New Orleans.
The second runner-up was Miss Dominican Republic, Andreina Martinez.
In the Q&A at the last stage of the competition for the three finalists, Gabriel was asked how she would work to demonstrate Miss Universe is “an empowering and progressive organization” if she were to win.
“I would use it to be a transformational leader,” she responded, citing her work using recycled materials in her fashion design and teaching sewing to survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence.
“It is so important to invest in others, invest in our community and use your unique talent to make a difference,” Gabriel continued. “We all have something special, and when we plant those seeds to other people in our life, we transform them and we use that as a vehicle for change.”
According to Miss Universe, Gabriel is a former high school volleyball player and graduate of the University of North Texas. A short bio posted on the organization’s website said she is also CEO of her own sustainable clothing line.
Nearly 90 contestants from around the world took part in the competition, organizers said, involving “personal statements, in depth interviews and various categories including evening gown & swimwear.”
Miss Curacao, Gabriela Dos Santos, and Miss Puerto Rico, Ashley Carino, rounded out the top five finalists.
Last year’s winner was Harnaaz Sandhu of India.
‘Nobo Opens a Door’: Engaging storytelling enthrals children at DLF
On Friday, the ongoing 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest (DLF) featured a handful of exciting and interesting events for the little ones, including a storytelling session by Hong Kong-based Bangladeshi writer-scholar Maria Chaudhuri of her brand new book for children titled ‘Nobo Opens a Door’.
At the Nazrul Stage in the afternoon, Maria Chaudhuri read from the book surrounded by child listeners and introduced them to the character Nobo, an adventurous child who averts disaster at her school’s Pahela Baishakh festival with an imaginative twist on traditional sarees, followed by reimagining themselves by creating their own capes, just as Nobo does.
Published in Bangladesh by Ignite Publications featuring Illustrations by Istela Imam, the book was launched on Friday introducing the title character, which is conceptualized by Nobo Dhaka -- a socially aware business enterprise set up to support the preservation of the cultural heritage and traditions of Bangladesh.
Explaining the idea of the character and the book, Maria Chaudhuri told UNB that the reason she was particularly interested in writing Nobo is that this collaboration connects with a great passion.
“The Dhaka society is constantly changing, and the values and experiences that our children are growing up with are completely different from our times. What we want to do with this book, as well as the entire series, is to create a space for the younger generation to talk about things in a way that reflects the different sets of values that they struggle with, in their reality right now.”
“Although the society that we grew up in is constantly changing, that’s not to say people can’t follow tradition in a new way that works for them. That’s exactly what the character, Nobo, does in this book and series. She explores a twist within a traditional idea so that she can still be a part of the Bangla new year celebrations without feeling left alone. We have to recognise that the current generation struggles with traditional values to incorporate into their lifestyle, and they also have different sets of values due to living in a constantly changing world, especially after the pandemic.”
“So this book based on the ‘social superhero’ character Nobo can remind the generations -- both children and their parents -- that culture is an ever-evolving phenomenon that we need to accept and get ourselves accustomed to, and we should celebrate our culture. My hope is that when a child reads this book, they will not only appreciate the culture visually but may absorb it more spiritually too,” Maria told UNB.
Read more: Curtain rises on 10th Dhaka Lit Fest
About the book, author and one of DLF's three directors, Kazi Anis Ahmed, wrote: "This is a wonderful and inventive tale about how tradition survives by being made new, again and again. And the courage it takes to do so. The young protagonist will be an inspiration to her peer-age readers. Chaudhuri's lilting, literary prose hits just the right tone. Nobo is a terrific new addition to our children's literature.”
Siam in line for first National Award, Nonajoler Kabbo to win big
A total of 34 names in 27 categories have been named for Bangladesh's ‘National Film Award-2021’ this year.
The cabinet committee on ‘National Film Award Affairs’ has recently approved the names of winners for the award.
However, the authority concerned is yet to announce the date and venue where the awards will be handed over to the recipients.
Though the film award is given in 28 categories every year, the number now stands at 27 as no one was found in the ‘best dance director’ category.
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A total of 21 full length films, 17 short films and seven documentary films were submitted for the national award-2021. Of them, 34 were selected for the awards.
Actors Siam Ahmed and Mir Sabbir Mahmud have jointly been named for the best actor award in principal in Mridha Bonam Mrida and Raat Jaga Phool films.
On the other hand, actresses Azmeri Haque Badhon and Tasnova Tamanna jointly bag the best actress award for principal roles in Rehana Maryam Noor and Nonajoler Kabbo films.
The best film award will jointly go to Matia Banu Shuku and Rezwan Shahriar Sumit for their Laal Moroger Jhuti and Nonajoler Kabbo films.
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The best short film award will be given to Aka Reza Ghalib for Dhor and best documentary film award to Kawsar Chowdhury for Boddhobhumite Ekdin.
Apart from this, Sumit will receive the best director award for his Nonajoler Kabbo film while the best supporting actor and actress awards will go to Fazlur Rahman Babu and Shampa Reza for their performance in Nonajoler Kabbo and Padmapuran films respectively.
Abdul Mannan Joyraj will be awarded the best villain award for the Laal Moroger Jhuti.
The awards for best comedian actor, child and special award in the child actor category will go to Probash Kumar Bhattacharya Milon, Afifa Tabassum and Jannatul Mawa Jhilik for their roles in Mridha Bonam Mridha, Rehana Maryam Noor and Ja Hariye Jay movies respectively.
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Dolly Johur and Ilias Kanchan will jointly get the lifetime achievement award.
Sujoy Shyam will get the best music director award for song Juboti Konnar Mon, best singer (male and female) award will go to Abdullah Al Mortuza Muhin and Chandana Mazumdar for songs Sonate Esechi and Dekhle Chobi Pagol Hobi in Padmapuron film.
Late Gazi Mazharul Anwar will be given the best lyrist award for Antore Antor Jhala while the best composer award will go to Sujoy Shyam for the same film.
The best story writer award will go to Rezwan Shahriar Sumit for Nonajoler Kabbo, the best screenplay award to Nurul Alam Atik for Laal Moroger Jhuti and the best dialogue award to Tauquir Ahmed for Spurlinga.
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Samir Ahmed will get the best editor award for Laal Moroger Jhuti, the best art director award to Shihab Nurun Nabi for Nonajoler Kabbo.
The best cinematographer award will jointly be given to Syed Kashef Shahbazi, Suman Kumar Sarkar, Mazharul Islam Raju for Laal Moroger Jhuti. The best sound director award will go to Shoaib Talukdar for the Rehana Maryam Noor film.
The best costume designer award will be awarded to Kachhrin Farid for Nonajoler Kabbo while the best makeup artiste award will jointly go to Md Farukh, Md Farhad Reza Milon for Laal Moroger Jhuti.
Read More: 10 Less Known Facts about A.R. Rahman
10 Less Known Facts about A.R. Rahman
A.R. Rahman is an Indian composer, singer, and music producer, who has worked in the Indian film industry as well as internationally. He is one of the most successful and influential composers in the world and is known for his unique sound that fuses Indian classical music with electronic music and world music.
At A Glance: A. R. Rahman's Life
Rahman was named A. S. Dileep Kumar when he was born in Madras, Tamil Nadu, on January 6, 1967. His father, R. K. Shekhar, was a film-score composer as well as a conductor for Tamil and Malayalam films. A.R. Rahman started his schooling at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan. However, he was dismissed from school due to poor academic results.
Later he was admitted to Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School and showed his musical talent. But, he dropped out the school to pursue a music career. Then, he started musical training under Master Dhanraj.
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Rahman’s big break came in 1992 when he was asked to compose the score for the Tamil film “Roja.” The soundtrack was a huge success and established Rahman as one of the leading film composers in India. He went on to compose music for many other successful films, including “Bombay,” “Taal,” “Lagaan,” “Rang De Basanti,” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” which earned him two Academy Awards.
Rahman has also composed music for stage productions, including the “Bombay Dreams” and the Toronto productions of “The Lord of the Rings.” In addition to his work in film and theater, Rahman has also released several solo albums and worked on various philanthropic projects.
Rahman has received numerous awards and accolades for his work, including six National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, and two Grammy Awards. He has also been honored with the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian awards in India, and the Padma Shri, another prestigious award given by the Indian government.
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10 Lesser-Known Facts About A. R. Rahman
Composer A. R. Rahman is well known for his musical achievements, but the following are some of the lesser-known facts about him that everyone is less concerned about.
Converted to Islam
Although Rahman was born a Hindu, he along with other family members converted to Islam at the age of 2023 in 1989 and changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman (A. R. Rahman).
Musical Training Under Master Dhanraj
Rahman took a music lesson from Ustad Dhanraj. At the age of 11, he joined the orchestra of renowned Malayalam composer MK Arjunan, a close friend of his father, as a player. He quickly mastered vocals, guitar, percussion, drums, harpsichord, fingerboard, keyboard, piano, accordion, goblet, drums, concert harp, etc. Impressed by his talent, renowned composers like MS Viswanathan and Ramesh Naidu, Raj Koti also offered him an opportunity to work with them.
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Scholarship in Trinity College of Music
He embarked on a world tour with Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, and L Shankar in his teenage. At that time, Rahman got a scholarship from Trinity College London to the Trinity College of Music. Later, while studying in Madras, he obtained a diploma in ‘Western Classical Music’ from a local school.
Curtain rises on 10th Dhaka Lit Fest
The 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest officially began on Thursday, after a three-year hiatus due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Revered as Bangladesh's biggest event showcasing world literature and culture with the participation of around 500 writers, poets, performers, intellectuals, journalists and internationally acclaimed prize-winning speakers, the 2023 edition is featuring 170 sessions during the four-day event.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid inaugurated the event alongside Nobel laureate litterateur Abdulrazak Gurnah, and Indian writer-literary critic Amitav Ghosh at Bangla Academy's Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad (AKSB) auditorium in the morning.
DLF Directors Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi, Kazi Anis Ahmed and Ahsan Akbar were also present at the inauguration ceremony.
"After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, Dhaka Lit Fest is finally being held with the presence of global literary dignitaries. The Ministry of Cultural Affiars is proud to be associated with this prestigious event as always, and I wish the event the success it deserves," KM Khalid said at the ceremony.
Indian writer and literary critic Amitabh Ghosh said, "I grew up hearing stories about Bangladesh as my grandmother was from Madaripur district and all her life, she had her Madaripuri accent. It was amazing for me growing up hearing this wonderful dialect, this wonderful language. However, Bangladesh was a kind of absence in my life as I live in India, and I think only those of us who have the experience of that separation can really understand what this absence means.”
Nobel laureate writer Abdulrazak Gurnah said, "Unlike Amitav Ghosh, I cannot tell the story of how I began here and how I belong here because, for me, this is the first time coming to Dhaka and Bangladesh, or indeed, this whole side of the subcontinent,” he said.
“So I’m expecting all kinds of revelations, events to happen that I have not seen before. And I’ve already got a bit of a taste from the performances earlier, the dance – the very beautiful dances – the lovely costumes, the music, and then that incredibly energetic performance by the drummers.”
Earlier in the morning, the proceedings began with a performance of spiritual songs at the Bangla Academy lawn.
Read more: Curtain rises on Dhaka Lit Fest 2023 Thursday
The event remained suspended for three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ninth DLF was held in November 2019.
Organizers say the historic Bangla Academy premises will become more vibrant due to the presence of eminent personalities from five continents, including two Nobel Prize-winning authors -- namely Orhan Pamuk and Abdulrazak.
The event will feature winners of the Pulitzer, International Booker, Neustadt International, PEN/Pinter, Prix Médicis, Academy Award, Windham-Campbell Prize, Albert Medal, Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and Aga Khan Award.
This event features with conversations, dialogues, film screenings, art exhibitions, music, cultural shows and much more.
According to the organizers, only children up to 12 years of age will not need any ticket to enter.
Read more: Dhaka International Folk Fest underway
“Separating for the sake of my son”: Pori Moni explains what went wrong with Razz
After sharing a couple of bombshell Facebook posts on the eve of the new year hinting that she was seeking separation from her husband and Dhallywood’s most successful actor in 2022 Shariful Razz, Pori Moni explained her marital issues via a Facebook post on Sunday.
The actress revealed the reasons behind her decision, explaining that she suffered physical violence and calling the marriage a one-sided effort from her side throughout its entirety.
“A person would never decide to have a child if they aren't committed to a relationship. I gave this relationship everything I had to make it work; however, I was taken for granted. Despite my best efforts, which were all on my end, I kept failing,” Pori Moni wrote.
The actress also revealed that she was physically assaulted numerous times by Razz.
“When I looked at my son, Rajya, I completely forgot about everything, but then I remembered that if he observes a destructive relationship, he would never grow up in a balanced atmosphere,” she added, stating that her decision to separate will be beneficial to both Rajya and Razz.
Read: Pori to Mim: 'Your intimacy with Razz troubles me'
Pori Moni also stated that she would not state further against Razz and his family, considering that he is the father of her child. “However, if he or his family try to perform any harmful behaviour again, I will take harder actions,” she mentioned.
Ending the post with a grievance regarding the entire situation, Pori Moni wrote: "What could be more heartbreaking to me than Rajya not having his parents together as he grows up?"
On Saturday, Pori Moni announced that she will reveal everything in a press conference today, after posting images of a bloodied bedsheet and pillow. "Happy New Year! Press conference tomorrow, loading," she wrote in the post.
Earlier on Dec 31st, she revealed that she is no longer with Razz, expressing that she freed herself from a toxic relationship.
Pori Moni married Sariful Razz in October 2021. Last year on August 10th, Shaheem Muhammad Rajya was born to the couple.
2022 rewind: A year of abundance for silver screens, OTT platforms
2022 was a year of revelation in more ways than one for the over-the-top (OTT) platforms of Bangladesh, a rising medium in the country following the footsteps of global ones such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, and Disney Hotstar.
When it comes to the potential audience base in Bangladesh, OTT platforms are just getting started here. But with rising demand, driven by local content and live sports, the future looks promising.
The pandemic was not over this year. But carrying the success of the pandemic-induced 2020-2021 forward, the local OTT platforms – namely Chorki, HoiChoi, Bioscope, and Binge – brought several contents to enthral the audience.
On December 18, a record 15.5 million unique viewers watched the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final between Argentina and France on Toffee, the only digital entertainment app which livestreamed the sports event in Bangladesh, said Banglalink which operates the platform.
Read: The year in music: A melodious, rocking 2022
Also, Toffee hit a new milestone garnering around 1 billion views of "the greatest show on earth," it added.
Football fans across the country turned to Toffee to enjoy every World Cup match, starting from November 18 to December 18.
For the first time in Bangladesh, millions of viewers opted for a digital platform to watch the tournament, which was previously only broadcast on TV.
Also, over the last two years, the rise of OTT platforms not only offered a breath of fresh air to audiences but also helped many popular actors and creators to rediscover and redefine their acting skills and explore the magic of creative independence.
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Seasoned and popular actors, including Intekhab Dinar, Afran Nisho, Chanchal Chowdhury, Mosharraf Karim, Apurba, Siam Ahmed, Ziaul Haque Polash, Pritom Ahmed, Mehazabien Chowdhury, Nazifa Tushi, Tasnia Farin and others were seen in different dramas and web series, and they received profound success and critical acclaim for their performances.
Content makers and directors such as Nuhash Humayun, Shihab Shaheen, Tanim Nur, Syed Ahmed Shawki, Ashfaq Nipun, Raihan Rafi, Vicky Zahed, Amitabh Reza and others mesmerised the audiences throughout the year with content such as "Kaiser," "Pet Kata Shaw," "Karagar," "Syndicate," "Bodh," "Sabrina," "Punorjonmo" and others.
"Shaaticup" from Chorki was a breakout content of the year, directed by Mohammad Touqir Islam which narrated a crime thriller featuring Rajshahi's local dialect and a cast of 137 actors for its eight episodes.
Young filmmaker Nuhash Humayun, however, was the standout filmmaker on the web this year for glamorising the horror genre. His web series "Pett Kata Shaw" by Chorki starring Shohel Mondol, Shirin Akter Shila, Afzal Hossain, Chanchal Chowdhury, Pritom Hasan, Masuda Khan, Novera Rahman and more garnered massive appraisal from audiences and critics for being the modern revival of the mysterious and lurid plots of traditional Bengali folk tales, earning him an official selection for the upcoming 52nd edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).
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Nuhash's other major project of 2022 representing the same genre, "Moshari," earned him two awards at two "Oscar-qualifying" film festivals (HollyShorts Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival).
Earlier this year, he got signed with the Hollywood agencies Anonymous Content and Creative Artists Agency, and later he made the Halloween special dark-comedy "Foreigners Only" from the global OTT platform Hulu as its first Bangladeshi content maker.
Also, the year 2022 has, perhaps, been the most eventful one for the big screen compared to recent years.
In January, the seventeenth biennale edition of the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association (BFAA) election was held, resulting in veteran silver screen actor Ilias Kanchan getting elected as the new president for 2022-2024.
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The talk of the town, however, was the post of the general secretary (GS) – for which, actor Zayed Khan was declared the winner over actress Nipun Akter in a close contest.
But Nipun refused the result and filed an appeal to the Election Appeal Board of the BFAA. After that, the board declared Nipun as the GS.
Then Zayed filed a writ petition against the decision to the High Court of the Supreme Court. In March, the court cleared the way for Zayed to serve as the GS of the BFFA after striking down the decision of the Election Appeal Board of the association.
Next Nipun filed a petition against the decision to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
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In November, after months of back-and-forth between Nipun and Zayed, the Appellate Division finally cleared the way for Nipun to serve as the GS.
Of all the films released this year, two Dhallywood films – "Hawa" and "Poran" – were the most notable and successful ones, breaking records everywhere.
Raihan Rafi directed Poran starring Sariful Razz, Bidya Sinha Mim and Yash Rohan and inspired by the Rifat murder case in Barishal, competed against another much-talked-about film, Ananta Jalil starrer and produced "Din – The Day" on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha this year.
Poran was acclaimed by both the audiences and the multiplex and single-screen owners while Ananta and director – Iranian filmmaker Morteza Atashzamzam threatened legal actions against each other following several suave exchanges of verbal blows between them surrounding the real budget and release of the movie.
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However, the biggest blockbuster over recent years was Mejbaur Rahman Sumon directed film "Hawa."
The Chanchal Chowdhury-Nazifa Tushi-Shariful Razz starrer film garnered a massive audience response across the country and broke revenue records both at home and beyond while creating a great buzz on mainstream and social media with its catchy songs like "Shada Shada Kala Kala" and "Aat Ta Baje Deri Korish Na."
The cinema industry also observed other major releases this year, including Siam Ahmed starrer "Shaan" and "Operation Sundarbans," Shakib Khan's "Golui" and "Bidrohi," Sariful Razz-Bidya Sinha Mim and Siam starrer "Damal," and Jaya Ahsan's "Beauty Circus."
Mim, Nazifa Tushi and Puja Cherry were the breakout actresses in the industry this year. Shabnam Bubly, Apu Biswas, Pori Moni and Barsha remained embroiled in controversy for their comments and fights throughout 2022.
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However, the entire film fraternity was seen unified in support of acclaimed filmmaker Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, and his battle against the Censor Board for the release of his much-anticipated film "Shonibar Bikel" (Saturday Afternoon).
Cox's Bazar tourists witness majestic last sunset of 2022
Cox’s Bazar is now buzzing with tourists who have flocked to the beach town to witness 2022’s final sunset and welcome the New Year.
Tourists and locals enjoyed the last sunset of 2022 on the beach and bid farewell to 2022.
Masud Chowdhury and Samantha Rahman, a tourist couple from Narayanganj, said, “We welcome 2023 with a trip to Cox's Bazar to let go of disappointment, sadness, and pain."
Apart from the beach, tourists flock to the city's Burmese market, Himachari, Inani, Patuatek, and other tourist attractions.
Tourism businessmen, beach workers, and tourist police are busy hosting tourists.
Abul Kashem Sikder, general secretary of the Cox's Bazar Hotel Motel Guest House Owners' Association, said that some 90% of rooms have already been reserved for the '31st Night' (New Year's Eve) celebration this year.
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Executive Magistrate Masum Billah, in charge of the tourism cell of the district administration, said that like every year, lakhs of tourists have gathered at Cox's Bazar beach to welcome the year 2023.
Md. Zillur Rahman, Police Superintendent of Tourist Police, said that the tourist police have also taken several security measures to ensure the safety of tourists.
“Additional police will be deployed in Himchari, Inani, and Patuartek zones when the St. Martin cruise starts on January 1,” he said.
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