United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka, Mar 9 (UNB) - Veteran Bollywood actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik has died at the age of 66 following a heart attack early Thursday, PTI reports, citing his close friend Anupam Kher. According to Kher, Kaushik complained of uneasiness when he was at a friend's home in Delhi. "He felt uneasy and he told the driver to take him to the hospital and on the way he suffered a heart attack around 1 am," Kher told PTI. In a tweet earlier, Kher expressed deep shock over Kaushik's sudden death. "I know that death is the ultimate truth but never in my dreams I thought that I would have to write that about my best friend Satish Kaushik. A sudden full stop to 45 years of friendship. Life will never be the same without you Satish! Om Shanti," Kher tweeted. Satish Kaushik, an alumnus for the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India, was most known for his roles in films such as "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron," "Mr. India," "Deewana Mastana," and "Udta Punjab." Kaushik was also known for filmmaking in Bollywood. As a filmmaker, He directed some of the most popular hits of Bollywood, namely "Tere Naam" starring Salman Khan and "Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai" starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tusshar Kapoor. Many Bollywood actors and actresses have expressed their shock over the news of his sudden demise.  

Former Miss Universe and Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen says she suffered a heart attack.Sen, in her latest Instagram post today, said she suffered a heart attack a few days ago, reports NDTV."Keep your heart happy and courageous, and it'll stand by you when you need it the most Shona" (Wise words by my father Subir Sen). I suffered a heart attack a couple of days back...Angioplasty done...stent in place...and most importantly, my cardiologist reconfirmed 'I do have a big heart'," she wrote posting a picture with her father Subir Sen."Lots of people to thank for their timely aid and constructive action...will do so in another post," she added in the post."This post is just to keep you (my well-wishers and loved ones) informed of the good news ...that all is well and I am ready for some life again. I love you guys beyond!!!!" — she also wrote.Best-known for starring in movies like “Biwi No 1”, “Main Hoon Na”, “Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya”, “Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge”, and “No Problem”, Sen made her acting comeback with the International Emmy-nominated series “Aarya” and also starred in the second instalment of the show. The actress will soon be seen in the third season of the series, said the report.

South Indian movies have garnered pan-Indian attention ever since the mass hysteria grappled by the Bahubali franchise. South India aptly backed up the craze with the release of KGF and Pushpa coming from two different industries with a larger-than-life story and mass commercial appeal.  As a result, the excitement surrounding South Indian releases isn’t limited to the belt audiences anymore, rather it has garnered a pan-Indian and global fan following. With that said, here are 10 of the exciting South Indian movies coming to theaters and the OTT platform in March 2023.  Best Upcoming South Indian Movies in March 2023  The South Indian film industry is predominantly divided into Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam industries. We will cover releases from each of these industries in the upcoming month of March  Pathu Thala – Tamil – 30th March  Pathu Thala follows the story of an undercover cop posing as an assassin working for a crime boss. What follows is a neo-noir action thriller film with twists in every scale imaginable. Pathu Thala is the remake of the 2017 Kannada film Mufti starring Sriimurali.  Pathu Thala stars Silambarasan, Gautham Karthik, and Priya Bhavani Shankar in lead roles. The film is directed by Obeli N. Krishna with music by A.R. Rahman. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on 30th March 2023.  Read More: 2022 Highest-Grossing South Indian Movies. Idam Porul Eval – Tamil – 18th March  The last one on our list is from the Tamil industry titled Idam Porul Eval. The movie stars Vijay Sethupathi and Vishnu Vishal in lead roles. Not much is known about the movie other than that it is shot mostly in the hills of Madurai and Thandikodi in a remote tribal landscape. Recently movies like Pushpa have garnered accolades as they told a story from a similar raw and rural perspective.  Idam Porul Eval is directed by Seenu Ramasamy who collaborated with Vijay Sethupathi after 10 years. The music for the movie has been composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja. The theatrical release date for Idam Porul Eval is set for 18th March 2023.  Rudhran – Tamil – 27th March  A rowdy hero who takes a stance against the local gang and takes them out one by one. This is the basic premise of the Raghava Lawrence and Priya Bhavani Shankar starrer Rudhran. Tamil movies have always been known for their larger-than-life portrayal of the heroes and Rudhran will be no different. This movie is going to be no less than a fan service for the fans of Raghava.  Read More: 5 Must-Watch Movies of Rajinikanth Rudhran is directed by kathiresan who is also the executive producer of the film. The music of Rudhran has been composed by GV Prakash Kumar. The film will have a theatrical release on 27th March 2023. 

The High Court has banned the streaming of “Faraaz” – an Indian film based on the 2016 terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s Gulshan – on online platforms in Bangladesh. The HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir today passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed against the screening of the movie directed by Hansal Mehta. Barrister Rokan Uddin Mahmud and the lawyer Ahsanul Karim stood for the petitioner at the court. Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar represented the state. Read more: Holey Artisan victim's mother vows to fight release of Bollywood film on tragedy The petition was filed against the streaming of the film online and screening at movie theatres by Ruba Ahmed, mother of Abinta Kabir who was one of the victims of the attack. “As the film is yet to be approved by the Censor Board, today’s directive does not mention a ban on screening in cinema halls,” the petitioner’s lawyer Ahsanul Karim told UNB. Produced by T-Series and Benaras Media Works, “Faraaz” is loosely based on the terrorist attack at Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1, 2016. At least 22 people, including 17 foreign nationals, were killed in the attack. Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain and Abinta Kabir were among the victims alongside Tarishi Jain and Ishrat Akhond. Read more: Abinta Kabir Foundation sends legal notice to FARAAZ movie producers Two police officers were also killed in the attack. Since the trailer of Hansal Mehta’s much-talked-about Bollywood film “Faraaz” was released, Ruba Ahmed took to the media to express her objections to releasing and promoting the film in Bangladesh. Ahmed, alongside the mother of Tarishi Jain, an Indian national who was killed in the attack, has also fought a legal battle at Delhi High Court to stop the release of “Faraaz”. However, the Indian court refused to block the film which was released in theatres across India on February 3. Read More: Holey Artisan Victim Faraaz's Heroism is Now on the Silver Screen

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's intervention has been sought to recover footage of the government-funded full-length children's film 'Mike' based on Bangabandhu's historic March 7 speech. This request was made at a press conference organized at Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity on Wednesday. In a written statement read out at the press conference, director and producer of the film FM Shaheen said, “Anytime between 10 pm on February 8 and 10 am on February 9, at the office of bbarta24net.com and Jagran TV on the 11th floor of Padma Islami Life Insurance Bhaban, miscreants stole the portable hard disk containing the latest edited footage of the film 'Mike' that was kept in my desk drawer. The estimated value of the footage is Tk 1 crore 25 lakh.” Shaheen also said, apart from this, Tk 5.35 lakh cash was taken from the drawer of bbarta24net.com editor. The media outlets have been operating since May 3, 2021, by renting a part of the 11th floor of this building as an office. They also claimed that police did not cooperate with them to find the culprits from the beginning. Read more: 'Golpo Bolar Swadhinata Chai': Artists place five-point demands

Like every year, the season of love is upon us. As romantics from all over the world celebrate love on the 14th of February, Chorki has lined up content to fit the occasion. This year too, Chorki has decided to make valentine’s day memorable with their latest web film “Unish 20” starring Arifin Shuvoo and Afsana Ara Bindu. Here’s a look back at the star cast and their works.  Shuvoo’s Critical Run Continues  Arifin Shuvoo has been a regular in the movie scene of Bangladesh. However, Shuvoo became an overnight sensation with the release of Mission Extreme in 2021. His dedication to the role and the grueling physical transformation got heaps of appreciation. The movie was an instant box office hit in Bangladesh and revived the struggling industry. The same year Shuvoo was featured in the Zee5 web series called “Contract”. And likewise, Shuvoo’s performance received rave reviews.  Read More: Pathaan Movie Box Office Collection: Breaking Records in 2023 Fast forward to 2023, and the critical acclaim continues with the release of Mission Impossible 2: Black War. The scale and grandeur at which the movie is pitched are unprecedented in the local cinema scene. This year Shuvoo also has several lineups ready with Raihan Rafi’s Noor and Shyam Benegal’s Mujib: The Making of a Nation based on the life of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  “Unish 20” is Shuvoo’s first collaboration with Mizanur Rahman Ariyan with the movie being Shuvoo’s second release for 2023.  Bindu’s Comeback  Afsana Ara Bindu’s first appearance was on Lux Channel i Superstar back in 2006. She was the first runner-up in that season and became an instant face in the media. Bindu started her career with modeling and then subsequently moved to drama and movies.  Read More: Vicky Zahed's First Web Series 'Silence' to Hit Binge this February

Showcasing 26 films made by mobile filmmakers from 25 different nations, the 9th edition of Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) was inaugurated on Saturday at the permanent campus of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) campus in the capital’s Mohammadpur. A flagship event of the Media Studies and Journalism Department of ULAB, the festival’s inauguration ceremony was joined by media personality and Grey Group Bangladesh Managing Partner and Country Head Syed Gousul Alam Shaon as the chief guest. The jury chair for the newly introduced Open Door and Vertical Film categories and ‘Hawa’-famed executive producer-filmmaker Shimul Chandra Biswas also joined the inauguration ceremony as the special guest. ULAB Media Studies and Journalism Head of Department Professor Dr Jude William Genilo inaugurated the screening sessions at the ‘Black Maria', a dark tent set at the ULAB open ground for film screenings at daylight. “No matter what type of ethnicity you belong to, films bring us all together,” Dr Genilo said at the ceremony. Gousul Alam Shaon congratulated DIMFF for successfully continuing the festival over the years, saying: “To continue the magic of storytelling, we need to create myths - and films are the best medium for that. Our film industry is continuously growing and mobile filmmaking is certainly a great addition to that, and I am honoured to share the day with young film-enthusiastic filmmakers-audiences here.” Festival Director Md Sambitul Islam said, “I am very grateful to my team who worked hard the entire year together since our last festival to make this event a reality.”

"Birkonna Pritilata," a government grant recipient movie based on the life of revolutionary Pritilata Waddedar, premiered Wednesday at Star Cineplex. The film, based on the novel "Bhalobasha Pritilata" by novelist Selina Hossain, is set to hit the theatres on Friday. Popular actress Nusrat Imrose Tisha played the role of Pritilata, one of the leaders and the first female martyr of the anti-British movement, and Manoj Pramanik the role of revolutionary Ram Krishna in this film. Team Birkonna joined today's event alongside director Pradip Ghosh. Trisha said, "Portraying Pritilata was very challenging as we had no video documentation of her time. We had to prepare ourselves by reading books to get into the characters. But we tried our best." Pritilata was born in a middle-class Vaidya Brahmin family on May 5, 1911, in Dhalghat village in Patiya upazila of Chattogram. In 1929, she got admitted to Eden College before joining the Independence Movement of the Indian Subcontinent in 1932 to liberate the region from British colonial rule. Regarded as "Bengal's first woman martyr," she ended her life by consuming potassium cyanide on September 24, 1932, at the age of 21. Read more: 'Omanush' released in 41 theatres

Pathaan is a highly anticipated Bollywood movie that has recently been released in theaters. The movie features Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role and has been directed by Siddharth Anand. The film has been making headlines for its impressive box office collection, which has been breaking records left and right. In this article, we will take a closer look at the Pathaan movie box office collection and explore the factors that have contributed to its success. Pathaan was released on January 25th, 2023. Since then, the movie has broken several records of recent blockbuster films. The film has received a positive response from audiences and critics alike, and this has translated into impressive box office numbers. According to a report by Box Office India, Pathaan earned Rs. 45.50 crores on its opening day, making it one of the highest opening day collections for a Bollywood film. This impressive start was followed by strong collections over the weekend, with the film earning Rs. 120 crores in its first three days. Read More: Michael Jackson's nephew to star in King of Pop biopic Earnings of Pathaan Film A breakdown of the day-to-day box office collection of Pathaan: Day 1 (Jan 25, 2023): Rs. 45.50 crore Day 2 (Jan 26, 2023): Rs. 50 crore Day 3 (Jan 27, 2023): Rs. 30 crore Day 4 (Jan 28, 2023): Rs. 25 crore Day 5 (Jan 29, 2023): Rs. 20 crore Day 6 (Jan 30, 2023): Rs. 18 crore Day 7 (Jan 31, 2023): Rs. 15 crore Read More: Halum, Tuktuki set to return in new season of Sisimpur

Michael Jackson's 26-year-old nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the King of Pop in the planned biopic “Michael” to be directed by Antoine Fuqua. Lionsgate announced Jackson's casting Monday for the film being produced by Oscar-winning “Bohemian Rhapsody” producer Graham King. Jackson is the second-youngest son of Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s brother. He’s put out music of his own; in 2019, he released his debut single, “Got Me Singing.” “Michael” will be Jackson's acting debut. Read more: Michael Jackson: The story of the troubled star's final day, 10 years on “I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael,” said King in a statement. “It was something so powerful that even after conducting a worldwide search, it was clear that he is the only person to take on this role." On Instagram, Fuqua shared a black-and-white photograph of Jackson in character. Fuqua added in a statement that Jackson “has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such a great chemistry with the camera.” On Twitter, Jackson said he's “humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life.” “Michael" will be an authorized portrait of the pop star, who died in 2009. The film, scripted by “Gladiator" and “The Aviator” screenwriter John Logan, is being produced with the cooperation of the singer's estate. Read more: Michael Jackson family condemns new documentary on accusers “Jaafar embodies my son," Katherine Jackson said in a statement. “It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers.” “Michael” is to begin shooting this year.