Bangladeshi film director, producer, and screenplay writer Mostofa Sarwar Farooki ushered in a new wave in the Bangladeshi drama and film industry in the early 2000s. His vision redefined storytelling, breaking away from traditional screenplays and conventions. His works, from advertisements to feature films, captivated audiences and reshaped industry norms. He also paved the way for Bangladeshi cinema’s emergence on the global stage. Let’s explore the iconic films and dramas that defined Farooki's career in the creative sector. Top 10 Films & Dramas by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki  . Bachelor | 2004 Written by acclaimed writer Anisul Hoque, this comedy-romantic movie marks Farooki's directorial debut. Through witty humor, the film depicts the lives, loves, and emotions of a group of bachelors, each representing the essence of modern youth. The cast features celebrated actors like Humayun Faridi, Ferdous Ahmed, Shabnur, and Ahmed Rubel. It also introduced talents like Aupee Karim, Jaya Ahsan, and Marzuk Russell to Bangladeshi cinema. Recognized internationally, ‘Bachelor’ was officially selected at the New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest, Third Eye IFF in Mumbai, and Italy’s Asiatica Filmmedia. Made in Bangladesh | 2006 Based on the novel ‘Jimmi’ by Anisul Hoque, this political satire captures the frustrations of Bangladesh’s disillusioned youth. Farooki crafts a bold narrative through the character of Khorshed, an unemployed young man played by Zahid Hasan. He confronts the pervasive corruption and social injustice that affect every aspect of life. Shahiduzzaman Selim, Rosey Siddique, Tariq Anam Khan, Srabosti Dutta Tinni, Tania Ahmed, Jayanto Chattopadhyay, Hasan Masood, Marzuk Russell, and Fazlur Rahman Babu round out the cast. Praised for its daring commentary, this movie received a Special Mention from the Jury Board at the 2008 Dhaka International Film Festival. Carrom-1 and 2 | 2006 This two-episode telefilm, co-written by Farooki and Kochi Khondokar, brings humor and heart to the tale of Shafiqul, who has a physical ailment–an issue with his finger. He faces ridicule from neighbors who doubt his ability to win at the carrom game. He accepts the challenge of defeating Tapan, a renowned local player.  ‘Carrom’ featured Mosharraf Karim, who charmed audiences with his quirky and heartfelt performance. The cast also includes Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Rifat Chowdhury, Kochi Khondokar, Bappi Ashraf, and Ishtiaq Ahmed Rumel. 420 | 2007-2008 With a compelling portrayal of local politics, this drama series is one of Farooki's most celebrated works on television. The comedy serial centers on two brothers from a rural background who find themselves unintentionally involved in the city’s political scene. As the brothers rise to influence, they quickly discover the murky compromises and ethical challenges. Starring Mosharraf Karim and Lutfur Rahman George as the central duo, the series boasts actors including Tisha, Sohel Khan, Marzuk Russell, Rifat Chowdhury, Kochi Khondokar, and Siddiqur Rahman. Their performances, combined with Farooki’s insightful writing and direction, made 420 a cultural touchstone for Bangladeshi audiences. Sixty Nine | 2008-2009 Jointly created by Anisul Hoque and Farooki, this popular family drama series provides an authentic look at a family, where traditional bonds test modern life’s demands. The storyline revolves around a family with six children who live together in a single apartment building, yet they struggle to spare quality time amid their busy lives.  The drama series features an ensemble cast that includes Tisha, Shahiduzzaman Selim, Hasan Masood, Jaya Ahsan, Srabosti Dutta Tinni, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Ahmed Rubel, Marzuk Russell, and Rifat Chowdhury. Farooki’s direction shines as he balances lighthearted storytelling with insights into family dynamics, creating a series that resonates with audiences of all generations.

The World Cup fever is well underway as teams take on each other in nail-biting finishes. Back in the day, events like Cricket and Football World Cups, and the Olympics were an occasion to buy a first TV or a new TV for the family. Over the years, the trend hasn’t changed much as the demand for a new smart TV is at a seasonal high. To make the choice easy for you, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider and the possible price range of smart TVs in Bangladesh.  Things to Consider When Buying a Smart TV  There are several points you should consider before buying a smart TV. The important ones are:  The Size  Did you know that Samsung came up with this giant 292-inch TV called “The Wall” recently? While 292 inches is certainly an overkill, it's important to understand the optimum size that fits both your home and budget.  Typically, sizes range from 32 inches to 85 inches. Of course the higher you go, the more expensive it gets. If your budget supports it, any size between 43, 55, and 65 inches can be a great buy for a medium to large-sized room.  Design and Build Quality The design and build quality is another aspect to consider when buying a smart TV. For example, check the bezel size as the thinner bezel looks more modern and sleeker. Also, consider checking whether the TV is a standing type or a wall mount type.  Read more: Freezer Buying Guide and Price Ranges in Bangladesh in 2024 Display Type  The type of display on your smart TV will determine the overall vividness and sharpness of the panel. There are mainly three types of panels used in smart TVs. They are LED, OLED, and QLED.  LED panels are entry-level displays with good contrast and sharpness. On the other hand, OLED offers perfect blacks and excellent color accuracy. The top-of-the-line QLED is geared for use in bright environments as the panel is inherently very bright.  Resolution  Resolution is another aspect to consider as it can potentially make or break your viewing experience.  There are 4 options, HD (720P), FHD (1080P), 4K (2160P), and 8K resolution. 8K is still an emerging tech with sky-high pricing at this moment. The higher the resolution is, the higher will be the details and contrast. And needless to say, a higher resolution will incur a higher price.  Read more: Portable AC Buyer’s Guide for 2024: Everything You Need to Know Smart Features and OS  Look for what type of smart features are available on your TV. Most brands these days incorporate a dedicated app to control the TV in addition to the remote. There’s also an option for voice control.  In terms of OS, there’s a host of options from Android TV, Google TV, Tizen OS (Samsung) as well as Amazon Fire TV.  Features and Connectivity  Check for HDMI ports, USB ports, Wi-Fi connectivity, and Bluetooth to ensure smooth connectivity. Other features to look out for include HDR10 support, refresh rate, speakers, and audio format. 

While there are hundreds of advanced television models in the market with built-in smart features, the price ranges of these devices are beyond affordability for many. In this situation, the most cost-effective solution can be a standalone Android TV box that works seamlessly with any TV model you might have.  Android TV boxes have been an absolute game-changer in terms of entertainment. It combined the best of connectivity and access to content with the cinematic experience of large screens. But what’s the best Android TV box out there? And how do you know what’s the best pick for you? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you everything you need to know.  What’s an Android TV Box?  There are mainly two types of television – a regular TV and a smart TV. You’ll find tons of options for both regular and smart TVs in the market. The difference is that smart TVs are much more expensive.  An Android TV box is essentially a workaround to turn your regular TV into a smart TV. It’s a device that runs the Android OS. The box turns a regular TV into a smart TV, allowing you to access a variety of online content, apps, and services on your television screen. These boxes are compact and typically come with HDMI ports to connect to your TV, USB ports for additional peripherals, and sometimes an Ethernet port for a wired internet connection. Read more: Pros & Cons of Flagship Smartphones What to Consider While Buying an Android TV Box?  There are several things to consider while buying an Android TV box. Features like processor, storage, and connectivity can make or break the overall experience. Here’s a checklist of things to consider.  Storage  It's important to consider the storage option as it will determine how many apps you can install or store local media. As a rule of thumb, go for TV box models that offer at least 16 GB ROM. Also, check whether they include micro SD support or not. An additional micro SD or USB driver is a great way to sideload content on your TV.  Processor  A good processor on your TV box would make the overall experience smooth. You don’t need a super high-end processor for a comfortable user experience. Having a quad-core processor is enough for multitasking and handling resource-intensive applications. GPU plays a significant role in improving video playback and gaming performance. Make sure your TV box uses a dedicated GPU rather than a processor-integrated one.  Operating System  Android TV boxes get OS updates just like Android smartphones. So make sure you purchase a TV box with the latest OS as well as future OS support.  Connectivity  Another thing to consider is the number of HDMI ports on your TV box. The more the number, the more devices you can connect to your TV box. Furthermore, check for the number of USB ports to connect controllers or pen drives. Many people often overlook network connectivity. Look for devices with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet options for internet connectivity. A wired connection can be more stable for streaming high-quality content. Video Resolution and HDR Support Video resolution is subjective to the TV you have. If your TV supports 4K content, make sure to get an Android TV box that supports 4K content. Some cheap TV boxes cannot decode 4K or HDR content directly from the streaming sites. For that, you might need to download the content first before watching.  Read more: Why Are We Asked to Put Our Phones on Airplane Mode During Flights? Some Popular Android TV Boxes in Bangladesh  Android TV boxes are available in different price ranges. Let’s check them out.  Under 3000 BDT  TX3 Mini Smart Android TV Box If you’re looking for an all-encompassing Android TV box within a budget, then look no further than the TX3 mini smart Android TV box. The box comes with all the standard features including ports for AV, SPDIF, HDMI, ethernet, two USB 2.0, and a standalone smart remote control.  The TX3 Mini is powered by Amlogic S905W based on a quad quad-core ARM Cortex A53 chipset. It has a dedicated Mali-450 GPU with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB eMMC ROM. The TX3 Mini uses KODI 17.3 as the native video player for a wide range of content support.  Read more: Mini DC UPS for Wi-Fi Router: Buyers' Guide and Price Ranges in Bangladesh Key Features:  - RAM: 2 GB - ROM: 16 GB - OS: Android 7.1- Video Resolution: Supports up to 4K  The price of the TX3 Mini Smart Android TV box is around 2,199 BDT.

Films and television can be strong drivers of social change and can have a transformative effect on society, Dhaka University (DU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Akhtaruzzaman said Monday. He was speaking at the 11th-anniversary celebration of the Department of Television, Film, and Photography of DU. "This department not only provides professional training but also teaches the students to think critically. It helps them develop an innovative mindset too," Akhtaruzzaman said. "Also, there is an opportunity for this department to further strengthen the industry-academia relationship as the guest teachers of this department are directly connected with the media industry," he added. The daylong programme was held at the Teacher-Student Center (TSC) auditorium of the university. Akhtauzzaman inaugurated the event as the chief guest around 12.30pm. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor ASM Maksud Kamal and the founding chairman of the Department of Television, Film, and Photography Professor AJM Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan were also present. Read more: Open master’s programs at DU to start from 2022-23 academic session

Bangladesh's electronics giant Walton's TV is receiving a good response from buyers in Romania. Walton has been exporting "Made in Bangladesh" TV to European countries such as Germany, Austria, Denmark, Slovakia, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Croatia as an original equipment manufacturer, according to the company. It started TV export to Romania under its brand name in April this year. READ: Walton compressor gets ACMI award "In Romania, there is a 1.5 million TV market a year, which is very competitive. KTN Technology, a well-known Romanian consumer electronics marketing company, has been marketing Walton TV as an authorised distributor. They are supplying Walton TVs to Romania's large chain and super shops as well as retail consumer electronics showrooms," Saeed Al Imran, vice-president of Walton's International Business Unit and also in charge of the Romanian market, said. KTN Technology plans to market 1 lakh units of Walton TV in Romania in 2021, he added. Read Walton Primo ZX4 Review with Price in Bangladesh "We have been exporting TV to the European market as an OEM for the last two years and have been able to expand it to 11 countries. So, Walton posted 10 times higher TV exports to Europe in 2020 than the previous year," Walton TV Chief Business Officer Engineer Mostafa Nahid Hossain said. "We are now working on expanding TV exports to 21 European countries this year, " he added. Read Walton, Walcart announce exclusive partnership Walton is exporting 'Made in Bangladesh' TV through more than 100 business partners in more than 35 countries, according to a press release.

The festivity of Eid, whether at the end of a month of fasting or with the qurbani (sacrificial offering) of cattle, has traditionally been the most important period of the year for the country's cinema, and general entertainment industry. Each year, the two chunks of holidays were always observed with a number of new movies in the theatre halls and a lot of television dramas for the viewers at home.    Even in the entertainment industry's worst years, or as the number of cinema halls up and down the country kept shrinking, this remained a fixture, with the year's most anticipated movie premieres booked around the Eid holidays and the Bengali New Year.   Read:“Ghotona Shotto” infuriates audiences for insensitive portrayal of children with special needs   The exception occurred finally in 2020, in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, and now it has carried over and taken away 2021 as well. Another Eid just passed with no new films in the theatre but a significant number of drama productions. Due to the ongoing global pandemic of Covid-19, two of these biggest yearly festivals were not celebrated with brand new movies in the theatres. However, thanks to the moneymaking platforms like YouTube and OTT platforms as well as the classic medium of entertainment, television - the drama industry saw a massive amount of new productions for Eid-ul-Adha.A large number of new films namely the much-awaited “Mission Extreme”, “Operation Sundarban”, “Bidrohee” and more were scheduled to be released this Eid, which could not be possible because of the current hazardous situation in the country.   Read:Bongo introduces seven original telefilm adaptations Based on books this EidMeanwhile, small screens including television, YouTube and OTT’s took the charge of mass-entertaining people on the festive holidays, which have also been elongated amid the nationwide shutdown and let people watch the contents more comfortably on their cellphones, laptops and smart televisions.According to the producers and various production companies, more than 300 drama productions have entertained the audiences this Eid, uploaded on YouTube after being aired on television. The TV channels aired these dramas on their usual 5 to 7 days special programme schedules, starting from Eid day.   Read Greatest Business Movies for Entrepreneurs: Inspiration to Start Something New Based on the ‘Trending’ section of YouTube which showcases the interest of the viewers at the platform in specific regions, a handful of recently made and aired drama productions are dominating the top-list among other contents; although ‘Trending’ sometimes changes in a few hours, sometimes for one-two or three, even weeks. Over the last couple of years, a trend has been ongoing to air hundreds of drama productions on Eid occasions. For a considerably long period, Eid dramas were mostly comedy-based productions with monotonous themes and recurring storylines, however, due to the increasing competition on the above-mentioned platforms, makers are now becoming more aware of what kind of drama the audience is interested in and that has been vividly reflected on the trending dramas of this Eid.   Read Best Olympic Movies of All Time: The Greatest Films Enlightening the Kingdom of Olympians  

The merger of Discovery and AT&T’s WarnerMedia operations, marrying the likes of HBO and CNN with HGTV and Oprah Winfrey, is another illustration of the head-spinning speed in which streaming has transformed the media world. The companies are essentially placing a $43 billion bet that they’ll still be in the mix when consumers decide how to spend their monthly entertainment budgets. The agreement was announced Monday after AT&T CEO John Stankey and his Discovery counterpart, David Zaslav, worked out the details in Zaslav’s Manhattan brownstone over the past two months. “I think, together, the combination makes us the best media company in the world,” said Zaslav, who will run the new company if approvals are granted, probably sometime next year. Read:Asian stocks follow Wall St lower as inflation worries mount The deal also represents a strategic retreat for AT&T. The hope for the newly merged company is that, with a wider array of material than either can offer on its own, it can join Netflix, Amazon and Disney in the widely acknowledged top tier of streamers. Analysts say it also makes it imperative that services below that tier — think Paramount+ or Peacock — find some way to ramp up or risk being left behind. WarnerMedia and Discovery both launched their own streaming services, HBO Max and Discovery+, within the past two years. It’s still not clear whether the merger will result in a single streaming service or several bundled together, but it will have a vast array of content to offer: scripted and reality TV, movies, sports including the NBA and NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and news with CNN. With consumers figuring out which streaming services they use regularly and which they can give up, that depth means a better chance they will use this new one regularly, said Raj Venkatesan, professor of business administration at the University of Virginia. The average U.S. household spends $40 a month on streaming services. “It either has something for everyone in the family, or is so diverse that it is hard to explain,” said Jim Nail, an analyst for Forrester Research. David Schweidel, a business professor at Emory University, questioned whether consumers will be better off with the deal. “If I do decide to cut the cord and I need three to five services to get what I had before, that bill could easily approach what I was paying for cable before,” Schweidel said. “This may end up hurting consumers.” Read:Amazon’s profit more than triples as pandemic boom continues HBO Max and HBO have a combined global subscriber base of about 63.9 million, and Discovery+ has about 15 million subscribers. That compares with Netflix, which has more than 200 million subscribers worldwide, and Disney+, which counts over 100 million. In a call with investors, Zaslav said he believes that the standalone company could garner “200, 300, 400 million” subscribers at some point in the future, but there were no details regarding a timeline. The deal is a stark reminder of how much the entertainment world has changed, said Tim Hanlon, CEO of the media consultants Vertere Group. “I think most consumers now look at live television as being something of an anachronism,” he said. While it increases the pressure on smaller streaming services like Peacock or Paramount+ to find partners, those two are affiliated with the NBC and CBS television networks — so doing so would require a rethinking of the broadcast industry regulatory process, Hanlon said. It’s the second time this year that AT&T has calved off a major acquisition as it navigates a rapidly evolving media landscape. In February, the company spun off satellite TV service DirecTV for a fraction of the $48.5 billion it paid in 2015. Dallas-based AT&T acquired the former company Time Warner for more than $80 billion less than five years ago in a bid to control both sides of the entertainment process: the broadband and wireless services that help deliver entertainment to homes, and the entertainment itself. But the costs involved in trying to do both became a burden. “That vision clearly has not panned out,” said CFRA analyst Tuna Amobi. The new company will be able to cut costs by $3 billion annually, the companies said, money that could go toward original streaming content. It will house almost 200,000 hours of programming and bring together more than 100 brands under one global portfolio, including DC Comics, Cartoon Network, Eurosport, Magnolia, TLC and Animal Planet. Read:Facing $11B tax bill, Samsung heirs donate mass art trove That likely means layoffs as the companies consolidate. The deal is also likely to force major decisions on familiar brands. For instance, CNN Chief Executive Jeff Zucker said he expected to leave at the end of the year. But with the new company being led by Zaslav — who worked with Zucker at NBC in the 1990s — that equation could change. Zaslav called Zucker an extraordinary talent. “It’s all about the talent, and so we’ll be figuring out how do we get the best people to stay,” he said. Shares of Discovery Inc., which is based in Silver Spring, Maryland, fell $1.80, or 5%, to close Monday at $33.85 after initially jumping to $39.70. AT&T’s shares finished the day down 87 cents, or 2.7%, at $31.37, down from a session high of $33.88.

Walton has started offering big discounts on its smart and LED TVs ahead of Eid. Under the campaign, which will continue till May 17, customers can buy Walton's FHD WD43RS model 43-inch smart TV at a discounted price of Tk32,900 and 32-inch WD32RS21 model smart TV at Tk22,900, and WD32F110 model LED TV at Tk17,900. Read Eid-ul-fitr offers, deals on electronics gadgets in Bangladesh in 2021 Walton TV Chief Executive Officer Engineer Mostafa Nahid Hossain said, "Walton TV witnessed about 85% sales growth during January-April this year compared to the same period of last year. We have set a target of selling 50,000 units of TVs this Ramadan." The "Made in Bangladesh" Walton TVs are now being exported to nearly 35 countries including Germany, Greece, Ireland, Croatia, Spain, Poland, Romania and Italy. Read Robishop brings big deals, discounts ahead of Eid Walton surpassed its TV exports of 2020 in the first quarter of this year, nearly 137 % more than last year, read a press release.

Vision Electronics has brought Google-approved Android TV to the market as the first local brand. RFL Group Managing Director RN Paul launched the TV at a programme at RFL headquarters in the capital on Sunday. Also read: Walton bringing electric bikes Google-backed Android TV operating system and the accompanying Play Store applications will be automatically updated and viewers will be able to enjoy the official features of Android. The major difference between an authorised Android and an unauthorised one is that the TV with an unauthorised Android operating system loses all functionality of its applications within a short time and the update stops. So, the customers do not enjoy the pleasure of the original application. Read How to Buy a Drone in Bangladesh? A 32-inch Vision Smart LED TV, approved by Google, has 1GB RAM and 8GB ROM and Android 9.0 operating system. Currently, two models of 3- inch Google-approved Vision Android TV are available in the market, with a maximum retail price of Tk27,500, read a press release. Read Walton launches slim LED monitor with frameless design

The National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) Wednesday launched the Creative Media Industry Skills Council (CMISC) for creative skills training and development.