After getting the clearance for his much-anticipated film ‘Shonibar Bikel’ (Saturday Afternoon) from Bangladesh Film Censor Board on Saturday afternoon, acclaimed filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said that he is thankful but does not want any filmmaker to experience what he had to endure film for the last four years. “I feel relieved to get this news finally after all these years. At the same time, I just want to say that whatever I have gone through for this film - I don’t want any filmmaker to go through those,” Farooki told UNB on Saturday. For the last four years, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s 8th directorial film Shonibar Bikel - a Bangladeshi-German-Russian co-production, a political thriller inspired by the 2016 Holey Artisan massacre in Gulshan shot almost entirely in a single take, was stuck and denied the censor certificate from Bangladesh Film Censor Board. It features an ensemble cast of Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Zahid Hasan, Mamunur Rashid, Iresh Zaker, Nader Chowdhury, Gousul Alam Shaon, Indian-Bengali film actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee and Palestinian actor Eyad Hourani in the lead characters, and received multiple awards at different festivals across the world since being ready for its theatrical release in 2019. Read: ‘Shonibar Bikel’ gets censor clearance on a Saturday afternoon Despite the filmmaker claiming several times that the film was fictionalised based on the incident and not direct documentation of the event, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud previously stated that the Bangladesh Film Censor Board did not grant the film its censorship as the board's members at the time considered a number of factors, including the internal security and external reputation of the nation. He also stated that the film did not properly highlight the contribution of members of the police, RAB and army during the 2016 Holy Artisan attack. “Unfortunately, it has been banned in Bangladesh on the grounds it could “damage the country’s reputation” and incite religious hatred. The only thing this Bangladesh-Germany co-prod could do to the country’s reputation is improving it, and its plea for religious tolerance is nothing short of touching. While the body of the film is shot in a single, excited take, it opens with a series of shots emphasizing the deceptive stillness of Dhaka on a lazy Saturday morning,” The Hollywood Reporter reviewed the film in May 2019. Although Farooki and Shonibar Bikel continued fighting for its approval and censor certificate, Bollywood, in the meantime, moved forward with the movie ‘Faraaz’. The Hansal Mehta directorial is based on the same incident and is scheduled to have its theatres release in India on February 3, and the film narrates a more direct reflection of the actual event than ‘Shonibar Bikel’, many audiences and film observers opined after the release of its theatrical trailer. Read: Holey Artisan victim's mother vows to fight release of Bollywood film on tragedy When Shonibar Bikel's clearance was not granted before ‘Faraaz’, Farooki and numerous other acclaimed and renowned artists, cultural personalities and filmmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the media and demanded justice for the film. The filmmaker and associates raised their united voice in two major events in the past year against the ‘unnecessary censorship’ and injustice against the film - first at a unique press conference on August titled “Golpo Bolar Swadhinata Chai” at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital, and also at the maiden edition of the daylong summit on December 30 titled ‘FAB Fest 2022’, organised by Film Alliance Bangladesh, a think-tank comprising stakeholders in the film industry and media professionals of the country. Finally, when the release date of ‘Faraaz’ was announced and the trailer of the film got released on the T-Series YouTube channel last week, a united outrage cast over the social media platforms and many urged the censor board to rewatch and review the decision. Read More: Holey Artisan Victim Faraaz's Heroism is Now on the Silver Screen The members of the appeal board - consisting of actress and lawmaker Suborna Mustafa, Jatiya Press Club general secretary and former censor board vice chairman Shyamal Dutta, eminent silver screen actress Sucharita and former Additional Secretary Nurul Karim, saw the film on Saturday, before announcing that there are now no obligations to theatrically release the film. According to Shyamal Dutta, since the film is not an exact adaptation of the events of Holey Artisan, there is no obstacle to its release. There is no need to add or modify any scenes; the events of this film have nothing to do with the events that took place in Holey Artisan. This is not a direct depiction of the events of Holy Artisan, and the appeal board suggested the director make such a declaration before realising the film. “How does it feel to watch everyone else sprint while you remain still? I felt so useless for a very long time! Although I have no idea how it appears from the outside - but I can tell from the inside, there are no lonely people like artists. The feeling that engulfed me, along with my own worthlessness on ‘Shonibar Bikel’ for the past four years, was loneliness,” Farooki said, as his last theatrical work was the late Indian actor Irrfan Khan starrer 2017 film ‘Doob’ (No Bed of Roses), which was the Bangladeshi entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. Read More: Foreign envoys remember those killed in Holey Artisan attack Finally relieved with the clearance, Farooki told UNB: “I want to convey my gratitude to the Film Alliance of Bangladesh (FAB) alongside my colleagues and friends from the filmmaking community and most importantly, our audiences. Many people from different sectors of our society raised their voices for the film, and I am immensely grateful to all of them.” “To receive the film censor board's approval for ‘Shonibar Bikel’ - I had to wait four long years. I sincerely hope that no other filmmaker goes through something similar. The appeal board has yet to send us a formal letter regarding the censorship. We will complete all necessary procedures, include a disclaimer, and submit the letter after receiving it. We want the movie to be out on February 3 or sooner," Farooki said. Read More: Govt satisfied with Holey Artisan attack verdict: Law Minister.

Nuhash Humayun has revealed the name of his Hulu project. Incidentally, this is the first Bangladeshi content to be featured on Hulu, an American OTT platform.  What is Nuhash’s Hulu project called? The young filmmaker revealed on his verified Facebook profile that the Hulu project is called “Foreigners Only”.  “I am so so proud of the incredible work my team has done,” Nuhash wrote in the Facebook post. When will it air on Hulu? “Foreigners Only” is going to be aired on Hulu this Halloween, in October. Nuhash produced the short as an episode of Hulu and 20th Digital’s “BITE SIZE HALLOWEEN”. Read: Nuhash Humayun: I want to experiment, make mistakes What is “Foreigners Only” about? The short apparently takes a jab at some apartments in Dhaka’s Gulshan, Banani areas that are only rented out to foreigners.  Nuhash wrote: “…why is this a big deal? Why do we value the bideshi, the foreign...sometimes more than ourselves?” “FOREIGNERS ONLY asks these questions and more. And we might not like the answers,” he added. The Hulu short will not be released in Bangladesh right now, Nuhash wrote. Read Anonymous Content, CAA take Nuhash Humayun onboard  Earlier in an interview to UNB, Nuhash spoke about the Hulu content. He said, "Hulu has produced some exclusive content on the occasion of Halloween this year, and one of those projects is made by me. It will air on Halloween in October. It's a single content, and nothing to disclose more than that at this moment. After the official announcement of Hulu, everyone will know the details.” Speaking on being associated with Hulu's project, Nuhash said, “After evaluating some of my works, they gave me this project. When I went to Hulu's office in Los Angeles, I was a bit nervous. However, the meeting was quite positive. They appreciated all my plans, and that raised my confidence.” The content was produced in both Bangla and English, with Nuhash serving as both the director and screenwriter. Read ‘Moshari’ wins Atlanta Film Festival Jury Award Nuhash got signed by the Hollywood agencies Anonymous Content and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) earlier this year. Through these two agencies, he got connected with Hulu.

Several young filmmakers are now taking Bangladeshi content to the international arena, and Nuhash Humayun is one of them. With drama projects such as ‘Hotel Albatross’, the short film ‘700 Taka’, web series ‘Pet Kata Shaw’, his recent short film 'Moshari' and his upcoming project for the international OTT platform Hulu, Nuhash's career is gaining momentum towards global success. After the success of 'Moshari' at two 'Oscar qualifying’ film festivals (HollyShorts Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival), audiences in Bangladesh have been wondering where and when to see the film, and answering that question, Nuhash told UNB that the short film is going to be available for Bangladeshi viewers in October. Regarding the work plan and experience, he said, "Interest of our viewers always sparks inspiration for any content creator. I have been blessed with that interest and our audiences might not have to wait too long for ‘Moshari’, which I hope everyone will be able to see in October.” Read:'Beauty Circus’ & ‘Operation Sundarban’ set the ball rolling for Bangladesh film industry “Working on this project has been really different for me. To succeed, I had to wait ten years. The idea for the plot first came to me ten years ago, but at the time there was no support since I dared to experiment with such fiction. I still needed a lot of creative support when I started developing ‘Moshari’, but I managed to finish it. Additionally, I've received a lot of reaction from audiences abroad. Now I’m eagerly waiting for Bangladeshi audiences’ reaction.” The news that Nuhash Humayun has created content for the international OTT platform Hulu broke the local internet, while the conversation regarding ‘Moshari’ was still going on. The completed content, which features numerous well-known Bangladeshi actors, is already in Hulu’s pipeline; however, due to the embargo till the official promotion from Hulu, Nuhash is currently keeping a lot of information about the project private.

Srijit Mukherji, a popular and acclaimed filmmaker of India, said he would like to make a biopic on Bangladesh cricket superstar Shakib Al Hasan. Srijit was among the spectators of the second and final Dhaka Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan. On Wednesday afternoon, Srijit had a conversation with UNB at the gallery of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. Read: Shakib’s inner child comes out on rain-soaked day “Cricket is something so close to my heart,” Srijit, who recently directed a film based on the life of Indian women cricket superstar Mithali Raj, said. “I would really love to make a movie based on the life of Shakib if an opportunity comes along the way in future. He is really a great cricketer. I saw a few wonderful cover drives of him today— those were amazing.” Srijit came into limelight with his super hit movie ‘Autograph’ which was released back in 2010. After that, he also directed movies like Baishe Srabon, Hemlock Society, Rajkahini, Zulfiqar, Vinci Da— to name a few. Most of these movies drew a huge viewership in Bangladesh, but through a stealthy path— downloading front torrents server or something like this, as those movies were not released in Bangladesh officially. “It would have been great if we could release movies in Bangladesh officially. The authorities from both countries are working on this— as I know. I hope people of Bangladesh can watch our movies directly in the cinema halls,” Srijit said, voicing sadness as many cinema halls are being shut down in Bangladesh.

Thursday marks the 86th birth anniversary of the legendary filmmaker and freedom fighter Zahir Raihan, best remembered for capturing the 1971 Liberation War on celluloid. Born as Mohammad Zahirullah on August 19, 1935, in Majupur village of the then Feni mahakuma in Noakhali district, Raihan initially studied at Calcutta Alia Madrasah in India, where his father was a professor. After the Partition of India in 1947, his family moved back to his ancestral village in Feni. Three years later, he successfully completed matriculation from Amirabad High School. And that year only, he started working as a journalist for Juger Alo. Read:Remembering Zahir Raihan Although he joined medical college after completing his intermediate examination from Dhaka College in 1953, Raihan eventually dropped out. However, he later obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Bangla from Dhaka University in 1958. After Juger Alo, he had worked with many other newspapers, namely Khapchhara, Jantrik, and Cinema. He also served as the editor of Probaho in 1956. His first collection of short stories ‘Suryagrahan’ was published in 1955. He was also one of the publishers of English Weekly Express. Raihan went back to Calcutta (now Kolkata) and joined Pramatesh Burua Memorial Photography School in 1952 to learn photography. His career in the film industry began with the film ‘Jago Huye Savera’ in 1957, where he worked as an assistant director. As the assistant director, he had also worked with director Salahuddin in the film ‘Je Nodi Morupothay’ and Ehtesham in ‘Ei Desh Tomar Amar’. His first directorial venture ‘Kokhono Asheni’ was released in 1961. After that, Raihan successfully launched two of his revolutionary attempts as a director in 1964 by making the movie ‘Sangam’, Pakistan’s first-ever coloured film, and ‘Bahana’, Pakistan’s first cinemascope Urdu film. He was gradually becoming more and more successful during that time as a director with back-to-back hits such as ‘Sonar Kajol’ (1962, jointly directed with Kolim Sharafi), ‘Kancher Deyal’ (1963), ‘Behula’ (1966), ‘Anowara’ (1966) and ‘Agun Niye Khela’ (1967).  Read:Remembering natyacharya Selim Al Deen Through his movies, he had launched several prominent artistes, most notably Nayak Raj Razzak and Babita, and worked frequently with prominent actor-directors Amzad Hossain and Khan Ataur Rahman. As the nation's political situation was getting chaotic more than ever during the time, Raihan was continuously feeling the zeal to break every shackle imposed by then Pakistani rulers. He actively participated in the 1952 Language Movement and 1969’s Mass Uprising. At that time, Raihan felt the urgency of making a film based on both of these remarkable movements, and thus made his legendary film ‘Jeebon Theke Neya’ in 1970, considered an example of ‘National Cinema’, using discrete local traditions to build a representation of the Bangladeshi national identity. The classic is considered a milestone in Bangladeshi cinema. During the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, Raihan began creating English documentary films on the subject, including ‘Let There Be Light’, which he could not finish because of the break out of the war. After the historic 25th March of 1971, he went to Calcutta and made his acclaimed documentary ‘Stop Genocide’, highlighting the massacre orchestrated by the Pakistani Army. There he also showed his film ‘Jeebon Theke Neya’, which was highly acclaimed by legendary filmmakers, including Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen and Tapan Sinha. Despite his financial hardships at the time, he donated all the proceeds from the Calcutta event to the Freedom Fighters Trust. In his short-spanned career as a writer, Raihan was successful in narrating some of the most prolific and true-to-life stories ever published in Bangladeshi literature, through his books -- Shesh Bikeler Meye, Arek Phalgun, Trishna, Borof Gola Nodi and most notably, Hajar Bochhor Dhore. Read: Rock legend Ayub Bachchu’s 59th birth anniversary Monday Raihan had been married twice, to Sumita Devi in 1961 and Shuchonda in 1968, both popular film actresses. With Sumita, he had two sons named Bipul Raihan and Anol Raihan. With Shuchonda, he also had two sons named Opu Raihan and Topu Raihan. On January 30, 1972, Raihan went missing while attempting to locate his brother, Shahidullah Kaiser, a well-known writer who was abducted and killed by the Pakistani Army and its local collaborators. Raihan is believed to have been killed by armed Bihari collaborators and the Pakistani Army hiding who had opened fire on them while they were travelling towards Mirpur in Dhaka. For his excellence in filmmaking as a valiant patriot, Raihan was posthumously awarded Bangla Academy Literary Award (1972), Ekushey Padak (1977), Independence Day Award (1992) and Bangladesh National Film Awards (2005).

The 10th death anniversary of late filmmaker Tareque Masud, a storyteller who is recognized for his creative brilliance and critical acclaim from home and abroad throughout his lifetime, is being observed in the country. Tareque and Mishuk Munier along with three others were killed in a fatal road accident on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Ghior Upazila of Manikganj on August 13 in 2011. The accident happened when a microbus carrying the two short-lived celebrities crashed into a bus on the highway while they were returning to Dhaka from Manikganj after visiting a shooting location. Read:Tareque Masud, Mishuk Munier’s 9th death anniversary today The day is being observed this year through various programmes organized by different organisations, including Tareque Masud Memorial Trust, Moviyana Film Society, Kathaprokash and Lagvelki, to name a few, adopting the new normalcy of virtual events. Tareque Masud Memorial Trust and publishing house Kathaprokash jointly organized a virtual book launching ceremony on Thursday night, publishing the remastered edition of Tareque Masud’s book titled ‘Chalachchittrajatra’, Catherine Masud, Tareque's widow, an American-born producer-filmmaker, Tareque Masud Memorial Trust chairperson and joint editor of the book joined the event alongside filmmaker and joint editor of the book Proshoon Rahman, Moviyana Film Society president and joint editor of the book Belayet Hossain Mamun, Indian film scholar Sanjay Mukhopadhyay, artist Dhali Al Mamoon and Kathaprokash owner Jashim Uddin. Lagvelki, the first online pay-per-view movie streaming platform in the country, is organising an online discussion programme at 5 pm on Friday. Scheduled to be streamed live from LagVelki’s official Facebook page, the event will be joined by filmmaker Proshoon Rahmaan who will talk about his new book, ‘Tareque Masud O Tar Shwapnoshonkranto’, alongside Lagvelki founder Shariful Islam Shaon. Read:Tareque Masud’s 63rd birth anniversary observed Indian film scholar Sanjay Mukhopadhyay will deliver the Tareque Masud Memorial Lecture on Friday at 8.30 pm, which will be streamed live on Moviyana Film Society’s Facebook page. The event, being organized by Tareque Masud Memorial Trust and Moviyana Film Society, will be joined by Catherine Masud and Moviyana Film Society president Belayet Hossain Mamun. Born on December 6, 1956, in Faridpur, Tareque was involved with the film society movement in the late 70s. His maiden film is ‘Adam Surat’, a documentary on the legendary artist SM Sultan which was released in 1989. 'Matir Moyna', the most acclaimed film made by Tareque Masud, earned the FIPRESCI Prize in the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and became Bangladesh's first film to compete for the Academy Award for the best foreign-language film in the same year. His other major films are ‘Runway’, ‘Ontorjatra’ ‘Muktir Gaan’ and the unfinished 'Kagojer Phul'. In addition to filmmaking, Tareque was also a pioneer of the independent film movement in Bangladesh. He was a founding member of the Short Film Forum, the leading platform for independent filmmakers. He organised the country’s first International Short and Documentary Film Festival in 1988. Read:Google honours Tareque Masud with a Doodle For his majestic and influential role in modern Bangladeshi filmmaking, Tareque Masud was posthumously awarded Ekushey Padak in 2012. Mishuk Munier was a former faculty member of the Department of Journalism at Dhaka University and a well-revered cinematographer. He was the son of cultural activist Lily Chowdhury and Bangla Academy Award-winning educationist, playwright, literary critic and political activist Munier Chowdhury, an intellectual martyr who was assassinated by Pakistan Army and its local collaborators on December 14, 1971.

Monday marks the 9th death anniversary of eminent writer, playwright, lyricist, and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed. Considered as one of the cornerstones in modern Bengali literature, Humayun Ahmed died of colorectal cancer at the age of 63 at Bellevue Hospital, New York on July 19, 2012. Read:Humayun Ahmed’s 72nd birth anniversary today Like the previous year, Ahmed's death anniversary is being observed by various organizations through a limited arrangement, due to the ongoing disastrous situation of Covid-19. Several organizations are scheduled to honour the eminent writer through different virtual programmes, on various media platforms. Fans and admirers are also posting emotional tributes to the legend on their social media accounts. Himu Paribahan, a noted fanbase group of eminent writers, has been observing this special day since 2013 - however, due to the catastrophic situation of Covid-19 this year, the group has scaled down its activities while the Gazipur branch of the group placed floral wreaths on the litterateur's graveyard at his beloved Nuhash Palli. Humayun Ahmed's widow and actress-media personality Meher Afroz Shaon, alongside their two sons Ninit and Nishad has also placed floral wreaths at his grave at Nuhash Palli in the morning. Television channels and radio stations will also air various programmes, highlighting the life and glorious career of the wordsmith. Read: Humayun Ahmed: The Creator of Versatile Fictional Characters Humayun Ahmed was born in Kutubpur village at Mohanganj, Netrakona to Foyzur Rahman Ahmed and Ayesha Foyez on November 13, 1948. In his academic life, he passed the School Certificate (1965) from Bogra Zilla School, Intermediate from Dhaka College and earned his BSc and MSc in Chemistry from Dhaka University with First Class. He joined Dhaka University as a lecturer of Chemistry and later went to North Dakota State University in the United States to pursue his PhD in Polymer Chemistry. 'Nondito Noroke' (1972) was Humayun Ahmed's debut novel, which gave Humayun the breakthrough and propelled his career as a writer. The Ekushey Padak winner writer wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh to date. Humayun Ahmed won Bangla Academy Award, Lekhak Shibir Award, Shishu Academy Award, Michael Madhusudan Padak, Bachsas Award, and more for his outstanding contributions in his illustrious career to the Bengali culture and entertainment sphere. As a content maker in television, Ahmed debuted with his drama 'Prothom Prohor' (1983) for Bangladesh Television (BTV).  His successful journey in television continued with popular drama serials 'Ei Shob Din Ratri', 'Bohubrihi', 'Ayomoy', 'Nokkhotrer Raat', 'Aaj Robibar' and most notably, 'Kothao Keu Nei' which created a historic hype in the nation - surrounding the lead character 'Baker Bhai', portrayed by veteran actor Asaduzzaman Noor. Humayun Ahmed also explored success as a filmmaker in the early 1990s and went on to make a total of eight films in his filmmaking career, each based on his own novels. Two of his films, 'Syamol Chhaya' (2004) and 'Ghetuputra Komola' (2012) were the official Bangladeshi submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in their respective years. Read:Legendary writer Humayun Ahmed’s death anniversary today He received seven Bangladesh National Film Awards in different categories for the films 'Shonkhonil Karagar' (as screenwriter), 'Aguner Poroshmoni', 'Daruchini Dwip' and 'Ghetuputra Komola'. The literature is survived by two sons Ninit and Nishad with his second wife Meher Afroze Shaon; and only son Nuhash Humayun, who is currently working in the media industry as a content creator and director, and three daughters Nova, Shila, Bipasha with his first wife Gultekin Ahmed.

After nearly 15 years of marriage, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan and his filmmaker wife Kiran Rao announced their divorce on Saturday. In a statement, however, the 56-year-old "Mr Perfectionist", who has a huge fan following in Bangladesh, and Kiran pledged to remain devoted parents to their son Azad and work as collaborators on film projects "that we feel passionate about". "In these 15 beautiful years together we have shared a lifetime of experiences, joy and laughter, and our relationship has only grown in trust, respect and love. Now we would like to begin a new chapter in our lives -- no longer as husband and wife, but as co-parents and family for each other.  Also read:Lagaan Part 2: Netizens recall Aamir Khan’s movie before India vs England clash "We began a planned separation some time ago, and now feel comfortable to formalise this arrangement, of living separately yet sharing our lives the way an extended family does," the statement read. The couple added: "We remain devoted parents to our son Azad, who we will nurture and raise together. We will also continue to work as collaborators on films, Paani Foundation, and other projects that we feel passionate about." Aamir and Kiran also thanked their families and friends for their constant support and understanding "about this evolution in our relationship". "We request our well wishers for good wishes and blessings, and hope that - like us - you will see this divorce not as an end, but as the start of a new journey." Also read: Bill and Melinda Gates announce they are getting divorced Aamir tied the knot with Kiran in 2005 and were blessed with their son six years later. The couple first met on the sets of Bollywood blockbuster Lagaan, where Kiran was an assistant director. Known as "Mr Perfectionist" in Bollywood, Aamir has established himself as one of the most influential actors of Indian cinema through his 30-year career in Hindi films. He is the fourth richest actor with a net worth of USD 180 million. Aamir made his debut as a child artiste in his uncle Nasir Hussain's blockbuster film Yaadon Ki Baaraat in 1973. His adult debut was with the film Holi in 1984. But he shot to limelight for his brilliant performance in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak four years later.  In 1999, he founded Aamir Khan Productions, whose first film, Lagaan (2001), got him a National Film Award. Also read: The three Khans who still rule Bollywood After a four-year gap, Aamir made a comeback with back-to-back blockbusters like Fanaa and Rang De Basanti. He made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par (2007), which also won him the awards for Best Film and Best Director. His greatest global success came with Ghajini, 3 Idiots, Dhoom 3, PK, and Dangal. Apart from receiving a number of awards, including four National Film Awards and the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, Aamir was conferred with an honorary title by the Chinese government in 2017.  The superstar's first marriage with Reena Dutta ended in divorce in 2002. He has two children from his first marriage.

As there are a few female filmmakers who appeared in the Bangladesh film industry, it is hard to derive the best among them. Despite that, some great contributors left inspiration for women to participate in future filmmaking. The first-ever woman film director of Bangladesh was Rebecca. She set an example by making a film named ‘Bindu Theke Britto’ in 1970. Since then many renowned actresses have tried to make their mark in filmmaking. Let’s learn about the best female filmmakers of Bangladesh by far. Best female filmmakers of Bangladesh. The Renowned Bangladeshi Women Film Directors of All Time 1/ Kohinoor Akhter Shuchanda This sensational actress of the 70s and 80s was the wife of the famous novelist Zaheer Raihan. She acted in more than two hundred films. Due to her husband being a director, she started learning the ins and outs of camera and screenplay in the early 70s. Although she withdrew from the film industry in the nineties, she returned in 2008 to direct a film based on Zaheer Raihan's time-honoured novel, ‘Haajar Bachhar Dhorey’. This talented actress was again soaked in unceasing praise and reward. Suchanda also won the National Award for Best Director and was awarded the Fazlul Haque Memorial Award in 2019. However, her first directed film was 'Bidesh Jatra' (1998). In 1999, her second film was ‘Shobuj Coat Kalo Chashma’. She has also been involved in production since the 80s. Read Shammi Quddus: A Talented Bangladeshi Woman in Google, Global Fintech Industry 2/ Shameem Akhtar Shameem Akhtar is simultaneously a scriptwriter, a director, and a media activist. She started with making a non-fiction short film ‘The Conversation’ in 19991 with the notable filmmaker Tarique Masud. Later on, she directed 'Grohonkal’ in 1993, 'Kalpurobi' in 2010. In continuation to these successes, she got many proposals to work on movies and television productions. In 2017, she made a movie named ‘Rina Brown’ on Liberation war 1971. In the East Pakistan period, she often visited the theatres to watch movies of the 70s. It developed a fascination in her for filmmaking. She was inspired by the work of Rithik Gothok, Akira Kurosawa, Bernardo Bertolucci. Moreover, she has been an activist in the 'Cholotchitro Sangshad Andolon' during the 1980s. Read Bengali OTT Platforms for Watching Movies, Web Series, Musical Shows 3/ Nargis Akhter Nargis Akhter made her directorial debut in 2002with the movie ‘Meghla Akash’. The movie was honoured at the National Awards. Nargis won the Best Screenplay award. In 2005, she made 'Char Satiner Ghar' based on Selina Hossain's story, pointing out the injustice of polygamy. The story of ‘Megher Koley Rod’, released in 2008, revolves around AIDS awareness. The film won the 33rd National Award in six categories including Best Actress, and Best Story. In 2010 her film 'Obujh Bou' not only returned the invested money but also bagged three awards for best screenplay, melody, and editing at the 35th National Film Awards. After a break of five years, Nargis directed a commercially successful movie 'Putra Ahan Paisawala'. She showed her expertise even in making the romantic genre in 2017's 'Poush Masher Peeri'. Her latest film 'Jaibati Kanyar Mon' has been released this year on 26 March. Read Best Iranian Movies 2021 to Watch during Ramadan Fasting 4/ Rubaiyat Hossain Rubaiyat made her debut as a young producer with 'Meherjan' in 2011. That's when she caught the eye of critics. She has always excelled in ensuring women-friendly workplaces. In her second film 'Under Construction' in 2015, she has given priority to women in all fields from assistant director to photographer. Although released on a short scale, the film manages to send a strong message to the patriarchal society. Rubaiyat's 'Made in Bangladesh' was screened at the Toronto Film Festival in 2019. The film, which mocks women's pay inequality and social ills in the ready-made garment sector, has received rave reviews in foreign countries as well. It was awarded at the Torino Film Festival and the African Diaspora Film Festival. Read: Best Bengali Thriller Movies in 2021 5/ Shahnewaz Kakoli Art director and playwright Shahnewaz Kakoli has made a name as a female director in her very first film ‘Uttarer Shur’. It was released in 2012 under the banner of Impress Telefilm. This movie won National Film Awards in 4 categories including Best Film. Among them, Kakoli herself got the award for the best storyteller. The producer skillfully portrayed the rural singer and his worldly tension on a 35 mm screen. In 2015, She made ‘Nodijon’ which won the national film award for the best side character. Another of her creation ‘Jolrong’ was released the same year. 6/ Samia Zaman Journalism is her first love. She emerged as a journalist and presenter on BBC and Ekushey Television in the 90s. She was associated with the short film movement in the 80s as an activist. Currently, she is working as the captain and editor of Ekattar Television. She had a special fondness for cameras and media due to her journalism. This was revealed in the 2006 film 'Rani Kuthir Baki Etehash'. Although the film was released in a short range, the songs of the film have already gained popularity. In 2014, the second film 'Akash Koto Doore' was released under the banner of Impress Telefilm and made with the government grant. The film also managed to win the love of the audience. Read: Free Online Movies: Best Netflix Alternatives for Streaming Movies in 2021 7/ Shabnam Ferdousi This filmmaker has won the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Award and Ananya the Top Ten awards. She won the Best Short Film Award for Documentary ‘Bishkabbo’ at the 14th Rainbow International Film Festival. As of January 2018, he has made 18 documentaries. A touching chapter of the 1971 War of Liberation is that many war children were sent abroad after the country became independent, while others grew up in this country keeping their birth identity secret. Producer Shabnam Ferdousi found the children who are living in a crisis of identity in their own country. She made a documentary 'Janmasathi' based on the lives of three war children found in this way. It won the Best Documentary Award at the National Film Awards 2016. It was co-produced by Ekattar Television and the Liberation War Museum. Bottom line These female filmmakers have shown the ways of crafting the story as per the custom of Bangladesh.  Read: Top 10 English Comedy Movies released in 2021

At a socially distanced Oscar ceremony retooled for the pandemic, Chloé Zhao made history. The “Nomadland” filmmaker won best director on Sunday (April 25, 2021), becoming just the second woman in the 93 year of the Academy Awards to win the award and the first woman of color. Only Kathryn Bigelow, 11 years ago for “The Hurt Locker,” had previously won the award. The win, widely expected, caps the extraordinary rise of the China-born Zhao, a lyrical filmmaker whose “Nomadland” is just her third feature. Her film, the favorite to win best picture, is a wistful open-road drama about itinerant life in the American West. “I have always found goodness in the people I’ve met everywhere I went in the world,” said Zhao. “This is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in themselves and to hold on the goodness in other no matter how difficult it is to do that.” Also read: Is this an ‘Asterisk Oscars’ or a sign of things to come? The 93rd Academy Awards, the most ambitious award show held during the pandemic, rolled out a red carpet and restored some glamour to the nearly century-old movie institution, but with a radically transformed — and in some ways downsized — telecast. The ceremony — fashioned as a movie of its own — kicked off with opening credits and a slinky Regina King entrance, as the camera followed the actress and “One Night in Miami” director in one take as she strode with an Oscar in hand into Los Angeles’ Union Station and onto the stage. Inside the transit hub (trains were still running), nominees sat at cozy, lamp-lit tables around an intimate amphitheater. Daniel Kaluuya won best supporting actor for “Judas and the Black Messiah.” The win for the 32-year-old British actor who was previously nominated for “Get Out,” was widely expected. Kaluuya won for his fiery performance as the Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, whom Kaluuya thanked for showing him “how to love myself.” “You’ve got to celebrate life, man. We’re breathing. We’re walking. It’s incredible. My mum met my dad, they had sex. It’s amazing. I’m here. I’m so happy to be alive,” said Kaluuya while cameras caught his mother’s confused reaction. Also read: Oscar nominations Monday could belong to 'Mank' and Netflix With the awards capping a year of national reckoning on race and coming days after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted for killing George Floyd, police brutality was on the minds of many attendees. King said that if the verdict had been different, she might have traded her heels for marching boots. Travon Free, co-director of the live-action short winner “Two Perfect Strangers,” wore a suit jacket lined with the names of those killed by police. His film dramatizes police brutality as an inescapable time loop like a tragic “Groundhog’s Day” for Black Americans. “Today, the police will kill three people. And tomorrow, the police will kill three people. And the day after that, the police will kill three people because on average, the police in America everyday kill three people, which amounts to about a thousand people a year,” said Free. “Those people happen to disproportionately be Black people.” Years after the Academy Awards were harshly criticized as “OscarsSoWhite” — and after the film academy’s membership was greatly expanded in recent years — a historically diverse slate of nominees led to records in many categories. Read ‘Nomadland’ wins best picture at a social distanced Oscars Best supporting actress went to Yuh-Jung Youn for the matriarch of Lee Isaac Chung’s tender Korean-American family drama “Minari.” The 72-year-old Youn, a well-known actress in her native South Korea, is the first Asian actress to win an Oscar since 1957 and the second in history. She accepted the award from Brad Pitt, an executive producer on “Minari.” “Mr. Brad Pitt, finally,” said Youn. “Nice to meet you.” Hairstylists Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” became the first Black women to win in makeup and hairstyling. Ann Roth, at 89 one of the oldest Oscar winners ever, also won for the film’s costume design. The night’s first award went to Emerald Fennell, the writer-director of the provocative revenge thriller “Promising Young Woman,” for best screenplay. Fennell, winning for her feature debut, is the first woman win solo in the category since Diablo Cody (“Juno”) in 2007. The broadcast instantly looked different. It’s being shot in 24 frames-per-second and in more widescreen format. In a more intimate show without an audience beyond nominees, winners were given wider latitude in their speeches. In the opening, King explained how Sunday’s Oscars were even possible — testing, vaccinations, social distancing and more testing. The safety protocols, she said, echoed those of film shoots during the pandemic. “It has been quite a year and we are still smack dab in the middle of it,” King said. The telecast, produced by a team led by filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, moved out of the awards’ usual home, the Dolby Theatre, for Union Station. With Zoom ruled out for nominees, the telecast included satellite feeds from around the world. Performances of the song nominees were pre-taped and aired during the preshow. “Husavik (My Hometown)” from “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.,” was preformed from the Iceland town’s harbor. Others were sung from atop of the academy’s new $500 million film museum. Pixar notched its 11th best animated feature Oscar with “Soul,” the studio’s first feature with a Black protagonist. Peter Docter’s film, about a about middle-school music teacher (Jamie Foxx), was one of the few big-budget movies in the running at the Academy Awards. Another was Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” which last September attempted to resuscitate moviegoing during the pandemic, took best visual effects. David Fincher’s “Mank,” a lavishly crafted drama of 1940s Hollywood made for Netflix, came in the lead nominee with 10 nods and went home with award for cinematography and for production design. Best adapted screenplay went to the dementia drama “The Father.” “My Octopus Teacher,” a film that found a passionate following on Netflix, won best documentary. Danish director Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round” won best international film, an award he dedicated to his daughter, Ida, who in 2019 was killed in a car crash at age 19. The red carpet was back Sunday, minus the throngs of onlookers and with socially distanced interviews. Only a handful of media outlets were allowed on site, behind a velvet rope and some distance from the nominees. Casual wear, the academy warned nominees early on, was a no-no. Stars, limited to a plus-one, went without their usual battalions of publicists. But even good show may not be enough to save the Oscars from an expected ratings slide. Award show ratings have cratered during the pandemic, and this year’s nominees — many of them smaller, lower-budget dramas — won’t come close to the drawing power of past Oscar heavyweights like “Titanic” or “Black Panther.” Last year’s Oscars, when Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” became the first non-English language film to win best picture, was watched by 23.6 million, an all-time low. Sunday’s pandemic-delayed Oscars bring to a close the longest awards season ever — one that turned the season’s industrial complex of cocktail parties and screenings virtual. Eligibility was extended into February of this year, and for the first time, a theatrical run wasn’t a requirement of nominees. Some films — like “Sound of Metal” — premiered all the way back in September 2019. The biggest ticket-seller of the best picture nominees is “Promising Young Woman,” with $6.3 million in box office. Read Anthony Hopkins wins best actor Oscar for 'The Father'