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.   Read: 2022 rewind: A year of abundance for silver screens, OTT platforms 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. Read: The year in music: A melodious, rocking 2022 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.   Read More: Netflix New Release January 2023: 10 Most Hyped English Movies, Series 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. Read More: Top 10 Upcoming South Indian Films in January 2023 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

The trailer of children's film "Adventure of Sundarbans" based on Muhammad Zafar Iqbal's novel "Ratuler Raat Ratuler Din" was released on Tuesday. Zafar Iqbal not only wrote the children's novel but also composed a song for the movie. The government-sponsored film is directed by Abu Raihan Jewel. The screenplay is written by Zakaria Soukhin and Adventure of Sundarbans is co-produced by Bongo. Read more: ‘Talash’ to hit screens on June 17 Siam and Porimoni have starred in the lead roles. Shahidul Alam Shacchu, Azad Abul Kalam, Kachi Khandkar, Abu Huraira Tanveer, and a group of child artists also played different roles in the movie. The movie is based on a group of children who go on a trip to the Sundarbans along with several celebrity writers and film directors. Trisha (Porimoni) and her assistant Ratul (Siam) are in charge of taking care of everyone. They plan to return from the Sundarbans before sunset. However, things turn out differently than planned. Their ship gets stuck in the tide, and it gets dark after sunset. Soon, a group of ruthless robbers arrive and take over the ship. Ratul and the children come up with a plan to fight back. The movie was shot in the world's largest mangrove forest. The beauty of the Sundarbans will be evident on the silver screen in all its natural glory. Suman Sarkar has done cinematography. Read more: 'JK 1971' official teaser released The movie features four songs – "Tui Ki Amay Bhalobashish," "Aay Aay Shob Taratari," "Ashol Chhaira Nokol Premey," and "Shareng Chara Jahaj Choley." These songs are sung by Imran, Emon-Joyita, Shamim Hasan, and Shofi Mondal. Adventures of Sundarbans is set to hit the theatres this January.  

Dhallywood heartthrob Siam Ahmed is going to make his debut in Kolkata alongside veteran Indian actor Prosenjit Chatterjee for Sayantan Ghosal’s new film, which is yet to be titled.  The film will center around the theme of family relationships, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, Srabanti and Ayoshi in the lead roles. It is learned that the shooting of the movie will start in London in August, which will be produced by Shadow Films and Roadshow Films. Regarding his involvement in the project, Siam Ahmed told UNB, "It is not allowed to tell details about the story yet; the director will eventually let everyone know. The least I can say is that this is a movie with a family story, which highlighted the stories of two generations. Audiences from both Kolkata and Bangladesh will be able to relate to the film.” Also Read: 10 Best Upcoming Bengali Movies in Eid-ul-Adha 2022 "Everyone in the team has been talking to the producer about the movie for the last year and a half," Siam said. “Although we had a tough time selecting the story, in the end we found a story which everyone liked.” Earlier this year, Siam also signed a contract to act in a Bollywood movie called 'In the Ring' (Story of a Burqa Boxer) alongside Indian actress Mithila Palkar, known for Netflix’s ‘Little Things.’ The film will be directed by Alka Raghuram, an American filmmaker of Indian descent.

“Shaan” famed young Bangladeshi actor Siam Ahmed has joined the cast of “In the Ring (Story of a Burqa Boxer),” making his debut in a lead role for any Indian film project. World-famous entertainment website Variety reported the news on Friday, stating that Siam joined the cast alongside young Indian actress Mithila Palkar, popularly known for Netflix’s “Little Things,” and veteran Indian comedian-actor Jaaved Jaaferi. The film is a psychological thriller set in the female Muslim boxing society of Khidderpore, Kolkata, India, about Shama, a 17-year-old boxer who swaps places with her twin to fight in the national championship after she is accused of murdering her aunt. Alongside Siam, Mithila and Jaaved, the film also casts Razia Shabnam, one of the first Indian women to become an international boxing referee and coach. US-based Indian filmmaker Alka Raghuram will direct the Hindi-language film. She previously filmed the renowned documentary "Burqa Boxers," depicting the stories of Muslim women boxers in Kolkata. Sreyashii Sengupta of Singapore-based Darpan Global and Souvikk Dasgupta of India's Oriizon Global are producing the film, with Rick Ambros of Los Angeles working as executive producer. The film's principal photography will begin in India in December 2022. Also read: 'Shaan’ portrays the story of real Bangladeshi heroes: Siam Ahmed

'Mridha vs Mridha', was premiered at the Blockbuster Cinema in the capital's Jamuna Future Park on Monday, and will be released in Bangladesh cinemas on December 24. Directed by Rony Bhowmick, the film has dialogues and screenplay by Raihan Khan. The cast includes Tariq Anam Khan, Siam Ahmed and Nova Firoz. Rony said, "We did what we thought was necessary to present through this film. 'Mridha vs Mridha' is a story worth watching with family.” "As an artiste, I have done this work out of responsibility towards the society and family," he added. Read: Satyajit Ray took Bengali cinema to new heights: Speakers Actress Nova said, "Hopefully, 'Mridha vs Mridha' will delight the audience enough to bring them back to the cinema halls. I invite everyone to watch this film in halls." Siam is equally optimistic about this movie. "Viewers will know that every family story film can be fascinating." 'Mridha Vs Mridha' will be released on December 24 in 44 cinemas across the country. And later It will be available on Toffee app. The background score of this film has been composed by Emon Saha and the mixing was done by Jeremy Howard from the US.