Dhallywood's iconic actress and one of the most successful superstars in mainstream commercial films Shabnoor is set to return to acting with Chayanika Chowdhury's brand new project 'Matal Hawa' alongside prominent actor Mahfuz Ahmed. Sunday marks the 45th birthday of the acclaimed actress, and director Chayanika Chowdhury announced the news regarding her upcoming film starring the superstar on Sunday night from her verified Facebook profile. "I have previously shared my desire to make a film with Shabnoor and Mahfuz Ahmed; never thought that this would become a reality this soon. Yes, this is happening. The film's name is 'Matal Hawa', a story by Mahfuz Ahmed and written by Raihan Khan," Chowdhury wrote. According to Chowdhury, the discussion of this new movie began as an aftermath of her interaction with the actress, followed by the screening of the director's film 'Prahelika' which marked the comeback of the popular television and silver screen actor Mahfuz Ahmed. The director mentioned that the scriptwriting team had been working on the film for the last four months; however, adding that the shooting will begin once the team is ready to roll, whenever the actors are ready. "We are not in a hurry since she (Shabnoor) will perform after such a long time!! There should be planning. Furthermore, we want this film to outperform 'Prahelika'. We'll go to the shooting when my artists are ready and our team is ready. There is no rush, not at all - because I always remember the tortoise and the hare narrative. Our goal is to make a great cinema," Chowdhury wrote. The movie will hit the theatres in any of the Eid festivities next year, according to various sources. Shabnoor had been living in Australia for more than a decade. The actress has recently returned to her motherland after three years. The actress made her acting debut in the 1993 film Chandni Raatey, directed by Ehtesham. Her performances alongside late heartthrob superstar Salman Shah made the pair a successful duo, and she is also best known for taking the country's commercial cinema to new heights with her films alongside Riaz, Shakil Khan, Ferdous Ahmed, Amin Khan, Shakib Khan and others.

The Dhallywood film industry has witnessed a compelling journey in the history of Bangladeshi cinema. The cinematic endeavors have resonated with the audiences and left an indelible mark on the Dhallywood box office. This article presents an exploration of the highest-earning Bangladeshi films to date. Let’s get a snapshot of Bangladeshi movies that have etched their names on the hearts of this film-loving nation. Top 10 Dhallywood Box Office Toppers of All Time Priyotoma | Tk 41.23 Crore Priyotoma', produced by Arshad Adnan under the banner of Versatile Media, has carved its name in the domestic romantic action genre. Directed by Himel Ashraf, the film tells a tragic love story that leaves an indelible mark on audiences. The narrative was penned by the late Faruk Hossain, with Himel Ashraf contributing to the screenplay and dialogues. The film features Shakib Khan, the highest-paid leading actor in Bangladesh, and Idhika Paul, a small-screen actress from Kolkata. Upon its release on June 29, 2023, 'Priyotoma' made a resounding impact by collecting BDT 10 crore in its first week, exceeding its budget of BDT 2.5 crore.  Notably, this cinematic masterpiece holds several box office records, standing as the highest-grossing Bangladeshi film of 2023 and all time. The film's excellence is further underscored by its recognition at the 22nd BABISAS (Bangladesh Binodon Sangbadik Samity) Awards. There it received nine awards, including Best Actor and Best Actress in the Special Honors category. Read more: List of English Language Netflix Originals Coming in November 2023 Beder Meye Josna | Tk 20 Crore Directed and written by Tozammel Haque Bokul, this classic remains a shining example of storytelling that transcends generations. 'Beder Meye Josna' draws inspiration from a rural Bangla play of the same name, delving into a love story between a gypsy girl and a prince. Released on June 9, 1989, the film starred Ilias Kanchan and Anju Ghosh. Notably, the movie's budget stood at a humble BDT 20 lakh, a far cry from the blockbuster budgets of today. Nevertheless, 'Beder Meye Josna' emerged as a financial titan, becoming the highest-grossing Bangladeshi film until the year 2023. A survey conducted by the British Film Institute recognized this cinematic gem, ranking it among the top 10 films of Bangladesh. The audio cassette of the film's songs sold one lakh copies within a month of its release. Written by Hasan Motiur Rahman and sung by Mujeeb Pardes, the song 'Ami Bondi Karagare' remained on people's lips for the next few decades. Except for this, the rest of the songs were penned by the director, Tozammel Haque Bokul. The melodious tunes, including the title song 'Beder Meye Josna,' sung by Andrew Kishore and Runa Laila, cemented its immortality in the world of Bangladeshi cinema. Read more: Coke Studio Bangla concert to return with an ensemble line-up on Nov 10 at Army Stadium Shopner Thikana | Tk 19 Crore 'Shopner Thikana,' directed by MA Khalek, offers a window into the legacy of legendary hero Salman Shah. The film, which was scripted by Chatku Ahmed, takes its inspiration from a story by Nurul Islam Parvez. Released on May 11, 1995, 'Shopner Thikana' featured Shabnoor and Sonia as Salman Shah's lead co-artists. 'Shopner Thikana' presented a compelling narrative centered around the dynamics of rich-poor relationships and love triangles. Almost all of the cinema's songs, including 'Ae Din Se Din Koni Din,' acquired top positions of the radio charts. All thanks to the creative genius of renowned composer and music director Late Alam Khan. Hawa | Tk 16 Crore 'Hawa' stands as a unique mystery-drama film that weaves a tale based on a myth. The production company, Sun Music and Motion Pictures Limited released the cinema on July 29, 2022. Read more: ‘In time we will say more’: Friends stars say after Matthew Perry’s death There was an ensemble cast under the direction of Mejbaur Rahman Sumon. Chanchal Chowdhury, Nazifa Tushi, Sariful Razz, Sumon Anowar, Shohel Mondol, Nasir Uddin Khan, and Rizvi Rizu were among the main actors. The film portrays the intriguing journey of an all-men team aboard a fishing trawler. Their encounter with a beautiful yet mysterious young girl sets the stage for a series of inexplicable events. The film was selected as Bangladesh's entry for the 'Best International Feature Film' category at the 95th Academy Awards. The film also garnered a place on the shortlist for the 80th Golden Globe Awards. Read more: Shakib Khan set to star Pan-Indian film 'Dard' alongside Sonal Chauhan Priya Amar Priya | Tk 15 Crore This Badiul Alam Khokon-directed romantic action movie marked a turning point in Shakib Khan's career. Produced by Monir Hossain under the banner of Asha Production, this film was released on June 13, 2008. The film's story was crafted by Puri Jagannadh, with the screenplay penned by Sachin Nag. 'Priya Amar Priya' showcases the performances of Sahara along with Shakib in the lead roles. The movie established itself as the top-earning Bangladeshi film of 2008 and earned its place as one of the all-time highest-earners in Bangladesh. Furthermore, the movie stands as the pinnacle of Shakib's cinematic journey up to 2019. His exceptional performance earned him the Meril-Prothom Alo Awards for Best Actor, the Euro-CJFB Performance Awards, and the Channel I Performance Awards. Read more: Chirkutt’s Sumi to join global music conference in Norway

After a Facebook post by Dhallywood star Pori Moni – tagging her husband Sariful Razz, popular actress Bidya Sinha Mim and film director Raihan Rafi – went viral and created uproar in Bangladeshi media, Mim has provided a statement. In a Facebook post from her verified profile, Mim asked all “not to be misled by baseless rumours”. In her post made earlier, Pori Moni asked Mim to be “satisfied with her own husband.” Read more: After string of blockbusters, Mim envisions another ‘sold out’ experience with ‘Damal’ Mim, in her post, asked fans and journalists not to be misguided by “false accusations”. “I am constantly trying to win the hearts of all, including fans and well-wishers, through my accomplishments and values instilled in me by my father and honesty taught by my mother. I have never been associated with anything in my professional life that may make my path questionable,” she wrote. Mim also wrote she is having the best time of her life after two of her films “Poran” and “Damal” have been hugely successful. Read more: Mim, Razz want to watch ‘Poran’ with elderly person denied entry to Cineplex for ‘lungi’ “At this particular time, a party – jealous of my success – is trying to hinder my journey by spreading rumours about me,” the actress wrote. “I have no words to criticise those who are spreading these baseless accusations against me without any evidence.” She also warned of legal action against those who are circulating these rumours against her. Read More: Pori to Mim: 'Your intimacy with Razz troubles me' Mim and Razz have earned nationwide accolades from movie fans for their performances in the films “Poran” and “Damal”.

Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan and actress Bubly have finally made public announcement about their two-year-old son ending speculations. Shakib and Bubli revealed this in separate posts on their respective verified Facebook page on Friday. Read: Shakib Khan back home after nine months Although planned to announce the news at an auspicious date, they have shared this news with their fans earlier considering it a 'blessing from the Almighty', Shakib wrote on his post. "Shehzad Khan Bir, Bubly and my son, our little prince. My child is my pride, my strength,” he wrote. "I am seeking prayers from everyone, for our child." Bubly also announced the same in her post. Read: Film Rajkumar: Everything about Shakib Khan’s Upcoming Movie with US Actress There had been a lot of talk about them ever since Bubly uploaded a photo of her with a baby bump on Facebook recently. Later, Shakib admitted it indirectly to the media and informed that he would announce the details soon.

Popular Dhallywood actress Mahiya Mahi announced her pregnancy on Monday night through her social media handle.“I have never been as happy as I am right now. Soon I am going to be a mom,” she announced via a Facebook post on her profile.The actress also revealed and confirmed to the media that she is going to become a mother, saying that she had discovered this wonderful news for two months now.Mahia Mahi stated, "I cannot express my happiness in words. Having the best time of my life. Keep praying for us, perhaps after 6-7 months I will be able to announce the arrival of our new guest.”Last year on September 13, Mahi tied the knot to businessman Rakib Sarker. Tuesday marks the first anniversary of their marriage.Mahi’s latest movie ‘Live’ starring Symon Sadik is currently running across theatres, receiving rave reviews. Also read: Pori Moni, Razz have baby boy

Dhallywood stars Pori Moni and Shariful Razz were blessed with a baby boy Wednesday. Their son, Rajya, was born at a city hospital in the evening. Both the mother and the newborn are healthy now, Razz told the media. Read: CID to probe Boat Club businessman Nasir’s case against Pori Moni Pori and Razz were showered with love by their colleagues, fans and followers on social media after the news came out. The actors first met while working in the movie "Gunin." Seven days after that, they tied the knot on October 17 last year. Read Drug case against Pori Moni: HC stays trial proceedings for 3 months

With the release of three much-anticipated films (Poran, Din - The Day and Psycho) on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha this year, multiplex and single screen owners are enthralled to observe the audience response of the moviegoers after two devastating business years. Although several hall owners are not satisfied with the absence of Dhallywood megastar Shakib Khan’s new films which always brought profit in the previous years, many are surprised to see the line of the audience for the tickets of the three mentioned films. Among the releases, Raihan Rafi-directed film ‘Poran’ which is based on the infamous Rifat murder case from Barguna in 2019, has been leading the race in terms of audience response and ticket sales. On Friday, this correspondent visited several branches of Star Cineplex in the city and observed the crisis of tickets for the Eid films. Interested moviegoers pilled up in front of the ticket counters to grab the tickets for the same-day shows, however, failed to manage due to the crisis.  Even the cast and crews of these films are not getting the tickets, which is a rare scenario in the industry. Many audiences have been looking for the next-day schedules, to be entertained with these Eid releases. Read:Three films to enthral moviegoers on Eid-ul-Adha “This is utterly surprising and at the same time a very much satisfactory scenario that our audiences are showing this much interest to watch our Bangladeshi films,” Star Cineplex Media and Marketing Department's Senior Manager Mesbah Uddin Ahmed told UNB. He informed UNB that due to audience demand, Star Cineplex had to increase the shows of ‘Poran’ which previously had less number of screens. Ananta Jalil’s ‘Din - The Day’ is also getting good responses, he said. The cast and crew members of these three films are also moving from one district to another in order to promote their films, namely ‘Poran’ and ‘Psycho’. These two films are getting very good responses in the first week, while ‘Din - The Day’ also is getting a dominant response across 115 screens all over Bangladesh, which secured the highest screens amongst these three films. “After the massive loss we suffered due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, these incredible crowd responses are again making us hopeful. These films are boosting the industry and we hope that the filmmakers will continue the practice of better filmmaking so that the audience response remains positive, not only for the festive occasions but throughout the years,” Mesbah told UNB.

Film actor Omar Sani is going to lodge a general diary against actor Zayed Khan for taking out a pistol and threatening to shoot him at the wedding event of Dhallywood actor Dipjol's son on Friday night. Omar Sani said this to journalists at the Film Artistes Association on Sunday after he submitted a written complaint against his fellow actor Zayed. According to Omar Sani, he slapped Zayed Khan on that night over misbehaving with his wife popular actress Moushumi and after that Zayed threatened to kill him. Also read:Zayed Khan denies allegation of wielding pistol and threatening to shoot Omar Sani However, actors Dipjol and Zayed denied the incident to UNB when contacted. But Omar Sani said in a Facebook post that he is not going to leave the matter here saying, ”I will keep silent until my self-respect gets hurt.” Sani told the media, “This industry is my longtime family and my seniors were always by my side in any crisis. Even today, I have approached the artists association keeping confidence in them.” He further said that he would file a GD with the police following the advice of industry seniors.

Film actor Zayed Khan allegedly took out a pistol and threatened to shoot fellow actor Omar Sani at the wedding event of Dhallywood actor Dipjol's son.However, denying the allegation and echoing the statement of Dipjol, Zayed Khan told UNB: "This is a piece of completely baseless news. We had normal conversations. Nothing has happened between us that could lead to such false news.”According to sources, the event occurred on Friday night at a wedding ceremony at a convention centre in the capital.Dipjol, however, denied the incident to UNB when contacted, saying, "This is completely false, baseless news. It is very unfortunate that the reports came out without verifying the truth. The reported incident did not take place at all.”Dipjol added, "Is it that easy that anyone will show up at a wedding with a pistol! Everyone was checked before entering the ceremony. I was present there the whole time and whatever has been revealed or reported about this, is totally baseless.”Earlier, it was reported that Zayed Khan misbehaved with Sani’s wife, popular actress Arifa Pervin Zaman Moushumi, and Omar Sani got furious over the issue. This incident later went out of order.Omar Sani could not be reached for any comment on the incident. Also read: Appellate Division asks Zayed, Nipun to follow Chamber Judge order  

A Dhaka court on Sunday granted bail to film actress Pori Moni and Ashraful Islam Dip in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sattabrata Shikder passed the order when Pori Moni’s counsel submitted a petition seeking bail for his clients. The court also accepted the chargesheet and sent it to Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge for trial. Also read: CID submits charge sheet against film actress Pori Moni Dip was an associate of Raj Multimedia owner Nazrul Islam Raj. Earlier on October 4, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted a charge sheet against film actress Pori Moni and two others in the case. CID inspector and also the investigating officer of the case Kazi Mostafa Kamal submitted the charge sheet to Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court. Pori was arrested on August 4, following a raid by RAB on her Banani residence. A case was filed against her under the Narcotics Control Act the following day. Also read: HC asks 2 lower court judges to explain further on Pori Moni’s multiple remands On August 22, she was sent to jail after inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Kazi Golam Mostafa produced her in a court on the completion of a one-day remand, her third. On August 31, a Dhaka court granted bail to Pori Moni in the drugs case until submission of chargesheet. She walked out of jail the following day.