United News of Bangladesh

Chris Rock received several standing ovations before he told one joke Wednesday at his first comedy show since Will Smith slapped him in the face onstage at the Oscars. Rock only briefly addressed the slap to the sold out crowd in Boston, saying he was “still kind of processing what happened." “Other than the weird thing, life is pretty good,” Rock said midway through his first of two sets. The nighttime performances came just three days after Smith smacked the comedian for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while presenting an Academy Award. Rock didn't mention Smith or Pinkett Smith by name at his show in Boston. Wearing all white, he seemed to be almost embarrassed by the multiple ovations he received. As the applause carried on for minutes — with fans yelling “I love you, Chris!” — the comedian appeared to be getting emotional, a guest seated near the stage told The Associated Press. “How was your weekend?” Rock joked before getting into his set. Also read: Will Smith would face little more than a slap if charged Ticket prices skyrocketed after Smith took to the awards stage and slapped Rock on live TV, but the comedian made clear he wasn’t going to talk at length about it Wednesday. “If you came to hear that, I’m not ... I had like a whole show I wrote before this weekend,” Rock said. He spent much of the night skewering celebrities and politicians. Among them were the Duchess of Sussex, the Kardashians, as well as President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and former President Donald Trump. Outside the venue, a fan showed off a T-shirt featuring the “G.I. Jane” logo and Pinkett Smith’s face. Another had a shirt he made that showed Smith's face and displayed a crude joke about the couple's relationship. At least one person yelled during the show that Rock should sue Smith. Rock's joke at the Oscars was about Jada Pinkett Smith's buzzed haircut: “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” Rock said, comparing Pinkett Smith to Demi Moore’s “G.I. Jane” character, who had a buzz cut in the 1997 film. Smith promptly stood up from his seat at the front of the venue and took to the stage, slapping Rock across the face before sitting back down and yelling at Rock to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth. Pinkett Smith has spoken publicly about her diagnosis of alopecia, which can cause baldness. Within an hour, Smith won best actor, receiving a standing ovation. During his five-minute acceptance speech, Smith talked about defending his family and apologized to the academy. A day later, Smith issued an apology to the comedian, to the academy and to viewers at home, saying he was “out of line” and that his actions are “not indicative of the man I want to be.” Pinkett Smith responded Tuesday with a graphic on Instagram that read: “This is a season of healing and I’m here for it.” She offered no further comment. Also read: Will Smith apologizes: 'I was out of line and I was wrong' George Guay, a 24-year-old fan from Boston who grew up on “Everybody Hates Chris,” said he bought a ticket after Rock was slapped by Smith. “He’s the most popular celebrity so I want to be here,” Guay said before the show, adding that he hoped Rock would open with a response to the situation. “I just want a good show.” Afterward, some fans were a little disappointed he did not address the controversy more directly. But they also said they could see from his body language that he wasn't sure how to do it. “As soon as I saw him, his mood was a little bit shocked,” said Dave Henriquez, a 48-year-old musician from Newton, Massachusetts. “I got that it was weighing on him.” Erin Ryan, a 33-year-old teacher also from Newton who was with Henriquez, said she felt Rock wanted to perform his act, “not make the standup about the one incident.” Kathryn West-Hines, a 50-year-old Pilates instructor from Malden, Massachusetts, said she came away with even more respect for Rock. “I thought it was amazing, classy,” she said, adding that he wasn't going to let “what happened Sunday” take away his shine. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences condemned Smith striking Rock. Its board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations of the group’s standards of conduct. The academy said it had asked Smith to leave the ceremony after hitting Rock, but he refused to do so. This was not the first time Rock had made a joke at Pinkett Smith's expense. When he hosted the 2016 Oscars, some people boycotted the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock then: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.” Wanda Sykes, who co-hosted the Oscars with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, said she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres scheduled to air April 7, Sykes also said letting Smith stay and accept his award should not have happened. The drama overshadowed some historical wins at an Oscars. The deaf family drama “CODA” became the first film with a largely deaf cast to win best picture. For the first time, a streaming service, Apple TV+, took Hollywood’s top honor, signaling a profound shift in Hollywood and in moviegoing. Wins for Ariana DeBose of “West Side Story,”Troy Kotsur of “CODA” and Jane Campion, director of “The Power of the Dog,” all had made history.

Globally renowned German rock band Scorpions and popular Bangladeshi band Chirkutt are set to perform at a historic concert to celebrate Bangladesh’s 50 years of Independence at the world-famous Madison Square Garden in New York City, US on May 6. Scorpions announced this on their official social media handles and website on Wednesday, breaking the news that Chirkutt will accompany them on this historic musical celebration titled The Golden Jubilee Bangladesh Concert. “The Bangladesh Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division is organizing the event with the support of the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, the United Nations Development Programme, the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh, and local sponsors with the intent of gaining a global audience and celebrating Bangladesh’s golden anniversary through a live, one-night-only musical performance in the World’s Most Famous Arena,” Scorpions announced on their website. Proceeds from the event will benefit the United Nations Development Programme’s global awareness campaign on cyber security programs for the youth and children, especially in underdeveloped countries, the band added. This upcoming event will also mark the 50 years anniversary of the historic ‘Concert for Bangladesh’, the charity concert organized for the aid of Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War by English singer, songwriter, and the former lead guitarist of cult popular band The Beatles George Harrison and world-famous Indian sitar maestro Pandit Sri Ravi Shankar at the same venue. Initiated with a mission to draw international attention to the war genocide and fund relief for refugees from then East Pakistan, the pair of concerts was organized on August 1st, 1971 featuring legendary names in world music including Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and more. With over 110 million records sold around the world, the band will play fan favourites from their incredible catalogue including “Wind of Change,” “Still Loving You,” “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” “Send Me an Angel,” and many more. Founded in Hannover, West Germany in 1965, Scorpions were part of the first wave of metal in the 1970’s with their debut album, Lonesome Crow, released in 1972. The band rose to arena status with seminal releases Lovedrive, Virgin Killer and Animal Magnetism. In the ’80s, Scorpions amassed a string of Billboard chart-toppers from Love at First Sting and Blackout, including multiple Top 10 singles “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “No One Like You,” as well a string of successful singles such as “Send Me an Angel,” “Still Loving You,” and “Wind of Change,” according to its official website. The band was also ranked #46 on VH1’s Greatest Artists of Hard Rock and their hit “Rock You Like a Hurricane” also landed #18 on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs. Celebrated across the globe, the iconic rock act has sold more than 110 million albums worldwide and has received multiple honours including World Music Award winners, a postage stamp in Brazil, a Star on Hollywood Rock Walk, and Echo honours. Most recently, they were honoured with the Lower Saxon State Award. The current line-up of the band features its founding member Rudolf Schenker (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Klaus Meine (lead vocals), Matthias Jabs (lead guitar, backing vocals), Paweł Mąciwoda (bass, backing vocals) and Mikkey Dee (drums). Tickets for this special concert will go on sale on Monday, April 4 via Ticketmaster. Further information is available on the band’s official website https://www.the-scorpions.com/.

Will Smith’s slap seen ’round the world at the Oscars was clearly a crime, legal experts say, but the chances of prosecution are slim and even if convicted he’d likely face little more than a slap of his own — on the wrist. Smith left millions of witnesses stunned Sunday when he marched onto the stage of the Dolby Theatre and smacked Chris Rock in the face after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who was sitting with the actor in the front row. The Los Angeles Police Department has said it was aware of the incident but was not investigating because Rock declined to file a police report. While police could technically open an investigation based on the Academy Awards broadcast, they wouldn’t do so without Rock’s participation, said defense lawyer Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor who oversaw high-profile cases. “Would they ever in a practical world do that when Chris Rock is saying, ’I won’t cooperate with a criminal investigation?′ Not in a million years,” Jackson said. “LAPD is probably breathing a relative sigh of relief that they don’t have to get involved with two high-profile actors duking it out on a world stage.” The Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which prosecutes misdemeanor crimes, declined to comment, but said it couldn’t bring charges without a police referral. “If he’s going to be charged, I can’t speak to what the charge would be,” spokesman Rob Wilcox said. News of celebrities in trouble has been a fixture in LA since Hollywood’s early days, and questions frequently arise about whether the rich and powerful receive a different brand of justice. “The celebrity thing is coming into play, unfortunately,” said former LA District Attorney Steve Cooley. “If some Joe Blow committed this act in front a police officer, would he would be able to walk away from it? Probably not.” If Smith is not charged, it could imperil the justice system’s credibility, said Jody Armour, a law professor at the University of Southern California. “How can what appears to be an obvious criminal act committed in the open publicly not result in any criminal consequences?” Armour asked. “Do different standards apply to celebrities and noncelebrities? Apparently, we seem to all recognize that is the case. But what does that recognition say to us about the legitimacy and credibility of our criminal justice system?” While the famous can use their status to influence decision-makers, their fame can work against them if the prosecutor decides to make an example of a crime by someone well-known. “I would surprised if the city attorney does not seriously consider it because it was so public,” said Alison Triessl, a criminal defense lawyer who has handled many misdemeanor battery cases. “Are they sending the wrong message if they don’t prosecute him?” Triessl said there’s no question a crime was committed, and there’s no need for the victim to file a report. Charges are routinely brought in domestic violence cases without cooperation from the victim because the crime is against the state for violating its penal code. “It sends a message that you can commit a crime and you won’t be punished,” she said. “This was a very wrong message.” If Smith were charged, he would face a misdemeanor battery count, which carries a penalty of up to six months in jail. Even if prosecuted and convicted, there are alternatives to going to court that could lead to a penalty as light as having to attend anger management classes. Cooley said if he were advising Smith, he’d have him voluntarily enroll in anger classes and then try to convince prosecutors not to bring charges in the interest of justice because he had recognized his problem and was dealing with it. Cooley said he’d want more information on the case as a prosecutor before making any decisions. He said said LAPD was premature in announcing they weren’t getting involved. Stephen Downing, a retired LAPD deputy chief, said a case could be brought. But he said it was reasonable not to waste resources when Rock apparently wasn’t injured or ruffled enough to file a complaint. “Rock carried on as if nothing happened to him,” Downing said. “He didn’t even put a hand to his cheek. There didn’t appear to be an injury. If he had knocked him to the floor and rendered him unconscious, I think action would have been taken.”

Television ratings for the Oscars rebounded somewhat from last year's record low, but the event clearly doesn't have the appeal to viewers that it once had. Sunday's ceremony reached an estimated 15.36 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen company numbers released on Monday by ABC. A more detailed estimate is expected Tuesday, with elements like out-of-home viewing added. Also read: Coming-of-age film ‘CODA’ wins best picture “CODA” won best picture in Sunday's ceremony, but all of the winners and losers were overshadowed by best actor winner Will Smith storming the stage to slap comic Chris Rock because of a joke Rock made about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 ceremony had reached a startlingly low 9.85 million viewers. That led to several changes in the Oscars going into this year, including the addition of hosts and awarding eight categories ahead of the broadcast and editing them into the live show. While that clearly seemed to help, an audience of 15 million is still below the 23.6 million people who watched the Oscars in 2020. Until last year, that was the smallest-ever audience for an Oscars ceremony. Also read: Will Smith confronts Chris Rock, then wins best actor Oscar Nielsen did not immediately have more specific viewership numbers for Sunday's show. The research company Samba TV said its own statistics indicate some 1.5 million more households watched the Oscars after the Smith-Rock incident than were watching before. Viewership for live television events, with the notable exception of NFL football games, has been declining for several years with the advent of streaming and cord-cutting. Some Hollywood observers believe that the relatively niche appeal of many films honored by the Oscars has also limited the audience.

The day after slapping Chris Rock on the Oscars stage and upending the 94th Academy Awards, Will Smith issued an apology to the comedian, to the academy and to viewers at home, saying he was “out of line” and that his actions are “not indicative of the man I want to be.” The fallout from Smith’s actions during Sunday's ceremony continued Monday as Hollywood and the public continued to wrestle with a moment that stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences condemned Smith striking Rock, who had made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and said it would launch an inquiry. Later in the day, Smith gave a stronger apology than he did in his best actor acceptance speech, which notably hadn't included an apology to Rock. “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive," said Smith in a statement issued by his publicist and posted on Instagram. “My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.” The 53-year-old actor added apologies to the film academy, producers of the telecast, attendees, viewers and the Williams family. Smith was honored Sunday for his role as Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena, in “King Richard.” Also read: Will Smith confronts Chris Rock, then wins best actor Oscar “I am a work in progress,” added Smith. After calling a board of governors meeting Monday to discuss the incident, the film academy said that it review Smith's actions and "will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our bylaws, standards of conduct and California law.” The Los Angeles Police Department said Sunday it was aware of the incident but was not pursuing an investigation because the person involved declined to file a police report. Smith shocked the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home when he took the stage after Rock, appearing as a presenter, joked: “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it.” The joke touched a nerve. Pinkett Smith, whose head is shaved, has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis. Smith strode on stage and slapped Rock across the face. Back in his seat, Smith twice shouted for Rock to “get my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth.” His words echoed clearly throughout the Dolby, though broadcaster ABC cut the audio for about 15 seconds. Within an hour, Smith won best actor, receiving a standing ovation. During his five-minute acceptance speech, Smith spoke about defending his family. He also apologized to the academy. Rock's joke wasn't part of his routine during the rehearsals leading up to the show, according to two sources close to production who were not authorized to speak publicly. But Rock had joked about Pinkett Smith before. He hosted the 2016 Oscars, when some were boycotting the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock then: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.” Smith's actions rattled a pivotal Oscar ceremony. Until that moment, producer Will Packer had steered an orderly and lighthearted telecast that the academy hoped would restore the Academy Awards following last year's record-low ratings. Sunday's ceremony reached an estimated 15.36 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen company numbers Monday. While a marked improvement over the 9.85 million that watched last year, it was still the second-least viewed Oscars. Some academy members, like writer-producer Marshall Herskovitz, called for the academy to take disciplinary action against Smith. “He disgraced our entire community tonight,” wrote Herskovitz on Twitter. Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the Academy’s board of governors, said Monday on “The View”: “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him. There will be consequences, I’m sure.” The Screen Actors Guild also weighed in. The film, television and radio union called the incident “unacceptable." SAG said that it had been in contact with the academy and ABC, and it doesn't comment on the guild's own disciplinary process. Also read: Coming-of-age film ‘CODA’ wins best picture A sense of disbelief hung in the air at the Dolby Theatre after Smith’s assault. Not only was it a hard-to-fathom break with decorum on live national television — an incident so dramatic, even movie-like, that many initially assumed it was a staged bit — it seemed wildly out of character for one of Hollywood’s most relentlessly upbeat stars. And it came less than an hour before Smith reached possibly the pinnacle of his career, winning his first Oscar, for best actor. “In a way, I feel bad for Will Smith, too, because I think he let his emotions get the better of him, and this should have been one of the great nights of his life,” said former Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel on Bill Simmons’ podcast. “And now it’s not. Was there anyone who didn’t like Will Smith an hour ago in the world? Like no one, right? Now he doesn’t have a single comedian friend — that’s for sure.” Some questioned whether Smith should have been allowed to continue to sit front and center after smacking Rock. Several stars rushed to counsel and calm Smith, including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry. But the timing was intensely awkward because the best actor category was due up soon after, and Smith had long been considered a lock for the award. “I know we’re all still processing, but the way casual violence was normalized tonight by a collective national audience will have consequences that we can’t even fathom in the moment,” wrote Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, on Twitter. The drama overshadowed some historical wins at an Oscars. The deaf family drama “CODA” became the first film with a largely deaf cast to win best picture. For the first time, a streaming service, Apple TV+, took Hollywood’s top honor, signaling a profound shift in Hollywood and in moviegoing. Wins for Ariana DeBose of “West Side Story,” Troy Kotsur of “CODA” and Jane Campion, director of “The Power of the Dog,” all had made history. Others came to Smith’s defense, including Tiffany Haddish, who co-starred with Pinkett Smith in “Girls Trip.” “Maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen because it made me believe that there are still men out there that love and care about their women, their wives,” Haddish told People magazine. After the show, Smith posed for photographs with his family outside the Vanity Fair party. Inside, cell phone videos captured him dancing to “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” while clutching his Oscar. Their son Jaden tweeted: “And That’s How We Do It.” On Instagram, Smith posted: “Me ’n Jada Pinkett Smith got all dressed up to choose chaos.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday distributed the National Film Awards 2020 to the 32 winners in 27 categories. The award giving ceremony was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC). Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud handed over the awards to the winners, on behalf of the prime minister, who joined the programme through video link from her official residence Ganobhaban. Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting  Ministry Hasanul Huq Inu and Information and Broadcasting Secretary Md. Mokbul Hossain were also present at the programme. Anwara Begum and Raisul Islam Asad jointly got the lifetime achievement award. The film Gor and Bishwasundari jointly bagged best film award. Read: Globetrotter Najmun Nahar wins 3 awards on Int’l Women’s Day Government-financed short film, Aarong, won best award in this category. Bangabandhur Rajnaitik Jiban o Bangladesh-er Abhyudoy was named  the best documentary film award. Gazi Rakayet won the best director award for Gor. His film Gor was named for awards in ten categories and Chayanika Chowdhury-directed film Bishwasundari for awards in eight categories. Siam Ahmed has been named the best actor award in the principal in Bishwasundari and the best supporting actor award went to Fazlur Rahman Babu in the same film. Deepanwita Martin bagged the best actress award for the principal in Gor. The best supporting actress award went to Aparna Ghosh for Gondi. Misha Sawdagor was awarded the best villain award for Bir. The best child actor award went to Mugdhota Morshed for Gondi and Mohammad Shahadat Hasan Badhon won the special award in the child actor category for Aarong. Read: Info Ministry announces national film awards 2020 winners Belal Khan won the best music director award for Hridoy Jurey. Mohammad Sahidur Rahman won the best dance director award posthumously for Bishwasundari. Mohammad Mahmudul Haque Imran won the best male singer award for the song Tui Ki Amar Hobi Re in the film Bishwasundari. The best female singer award jointly went to Dilshad Nahar Kona for the song Tui Ki Amar Hobi Re in the film Bishwasundari and Somnur Monir Konal for her song Bhalobasar Manush Tumi in the film Bir. The best lyricist award went to Kabir Bakul for his song Tui Ki Amar Hobi Re in the film Bishwasundari. Mohammad Mahmudul Haque Imran won the best music composer award for the song Tui Ki Amar Hobi Re in the film Bishwasundari. The best story writer award went to Gazi Rakayet for Gor. The best screenplay award went to Gazi Rakayet for Gor. The best dialogue award went to Fakhrul Arefeen Khan for Gondi. The best editor award went to Mohammad Shariful Islam for Gor. The best art director award was won by  Uttam Kumar Guha for Gor. The best cinematographer award jointly was bagged by Pankaj Palit and Mohammad Mahbub Ullah for Gor. The best sound director award went to Kazi Selim Ahmed for Gor. The best costume designer award went to Enamtara Begum for Gor. The best makeup artiste award winner was Mohammad Ali Bakul for Gor.

It was a musical night to remember, all thanks to Munich-based German collective JISR that cast a spell on music lovers in Dhaka on Tuesday with its performance of fusion melody -- from Arabic classical music to African Gnawa grooves and German Krautrock. The concert was held at National Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), celebrating the Mujib Borsho alongside 60 years of the Goethe-Institut in Bangladesh and 50 years of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Germany. Organized by the German cultural organisation, the special concert -- “JISR // Brücke: From The Isar To The Ganges” -- was arranged in partnership with the German Embassy in Dhaka and BSA. The concert was joined by Achim Tröster, Ambassador of Germany to Bangladesh, alongside Dr Kirsten Hackenbroch, director of Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, and BSA director general Liaquat Ali Lucky, as the special guests. Read: German music collective JISR to perform in Dhaka Lauding the special event, Ambassador Achim Tröster said, "This year marks 50 years of diplomatic relationship between Bangladesh and Germany. In 1972, Germany was one of the first countries in Europe to recognise the People's Republic of Bangladesh. "A strong pillar of our bilateral relationship remains the development cooperation in the areas of climate change, good governance, renewable energy and recently also for the Rohingyas and host communities. “However, the cultural and educational cooperation between Germany and Bangladesh dates back even before our diplomatic relationship. Today's concert is also a part of our cultural cooperation uniting musicians from the two countries." Dr Hackenbroch, on her part, said, "I congratulate the people of Bangladesh on 50 years of being who you wanted to be: citizens of an independent country. Celebrating 50 years of German-Bangladeshi diplomatic relations, there is no one better on the stage than JISR - Arabic for 'bridge'.

Bangladeshi actor Jaya Ahsan has bagged the ‘Black Lady' Filmfare award for the third time -- this year, for the film 'Binisutoy' in the the 'best actress popular choice' category. This again proved that Jaya’s unbeatable fame in Bangladesh had transcended the border and made her a trustworthy name for the Indian state of West Bengal’s film industry Tollywood. The actress received the award at a gala ceremony of ‘Filmfare Awards Bangla 2022’ in Kolkata on Thursday night. An overjoyed Jaya wrote on Facebook, "I am overwhelmed to be awarded with the prestigious #Filmfare award for the third time. The black lady has again come to me for being the winner in the best actress popular choice category for the film #Binisutoy.” READ: Jaya Ahsan becomes UNDP goodwill ambassador She thanked the audience and Filmfare "for giving this kind of love and encouragement". She said that director Atanu Ghosh's dreamy creation is indeed being celebrated with this achievement and congratulated the entire team of 'Binisutoy' for achieving the titles of 'Best Film (critics) and 'Best Editing'. “May the unspoken untouched bond of Binisutoy lingers in our life forever, congratulations once again!” she said. In 2018, Jaya was awarded the Filmfare for the first time as best actress for her acting in the film ‘Bisarjan’. In 2019, she won the award again in the same category for ‘Bijoya’ and ‘Robibar'.

Goethe-Institut Bangladesh is organizing a special concert titled “JISR // Brücke: From The Isar To The Ganges,” in partnership with the German Embassy in Dhaka and the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on March 22 at BSA’s National Theatre Hall in the capital. The concert, featuring the German music collective JISR from Munich led by the charismatic linguist, singer, percussionist and Gembri player Dr Mohcine Ramdan, is being organized to celebrate the Mujib Borsho alongside the 60 Years Celebration programme of Goethe-Institut in Bangladesh and 50 Years of the eiplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Germany, according to the Goethe-Institute Bangladesh. “The Munich ensemble JISR has been invited by the Goethe-Institut to tour in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. This concert is especially significant, as it is set to be the first tour by a German music collective in Bangladesh since the pandemic started,” the institute said in a press release on Wednesday. The concert is a part of the project "The Sound of Faraway Lands," and the tour in South Asia is in many ways, about the exchange of musical cultures, according to the organizers. Mohcine Ramdan's music project is a melting pot of diverse musical styles and traditions. The repertoire of musical influences is considerable: from Arabic classical music and poetry to African Gnawa grooves and German Krautrock, Balkan, Jazz, Tango and Andalusian Flamenco. The project is described as a snapshot of a musical culture that breaks the boundaries between different musical genres and fills the imagination, unconventionally instrumented and with a great longing for new and unexplored realms of sound. JISR collective features an ensemble group of talented musicians, and the line-up features Marja Burchard (Keys, Trombone), Roman Bunka (Oud, Guitar), Mohcine Ramdan (Percussion, Gembri, Vocals), Severin Rauch (Drums), Niko Schabel (Alto Sax, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet), Gergely Lukacs (Trumpet) and Marwan Fakir (Violin). In this concert, a group of Bangladeshi guest musicians will also perform a number of songs together with the JISR and the musicians are Labik Kamal Gaurob (Vocal, Dotara, Khomok), Nazrul Islam (Dhol), Jalal Ahmed (Flute) and Baby Dewan (Vocals, Mondira). Besides the concert, Goethe-Institut Bangladesh will be organizing a multi-disciplinary arts exhibition highlighting cultural projects from across the country with the signature name Goethe Pop Up starting from March 21-23, every day from 3 pm to 8 pm at the Studio space premise, level 8, DrikPath Bhobon, 16 Sukrabad, Panthapath in the capital. Entry to the concert is free of charge, however, due to the pandemic situation the seating is limited, and the concert-goers are advised to email at [email protected] for the pass.

Bongo again proudly presents the Tamil movie of the month. The film is based on a true story directed by award winning director Sudha K. Prasad. Popular Tamil Superstar Surya Shivakumar and Aparna Balamurali play the lead roles. Versatile Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal  plays a main character too. Other renowned appearances are by Mohan Babu, Urvashi, Karuna and many more. Blockbuster 'Soorarai Pottru', first released on Diwali (November, 2020) on Amazon Prime. To adapt to the movie's main character, Surya not only lost 20 kg of weight, but also learned a new dialect, thus acting as Madurai local. Viewers will be able to enjoy the blockbuster dubbed in Bangla for free from March 16, 2022, on the Bongo OTT platform. This highly inspirational film is a cocktail of action, drama and undoubtedly powerful acting surge. The story is based upon the biography of GR Gopinath, a former Air Force captain and hero of the economy-cost air travelers who founded the company Air Deccan. READ: 'Dragon Gang': Crime meets comedy in Bongo's upcoming original series Nedumaran Rajangam, alias Maran (Suriya), is a former Air Force captain from a village in Madurai whose dream is to start an airline company and make the commoner's unimaginable dream of air travel come true. But instead, he falls in love with Sundari, alias Bommi (Aparna Balamurali) and marries her. This breathtaking film is a must-watch for those who are true dreamers & strugglers. The film shows how Maran falls into a trap after meeting the head of one of the largest airlines in the country. To make his and the villager's dreams come true, and with constant inspiration and support by his mother and wife, he manages to rise from the ashes and turns his life from tragedy into what he is today. Bangladeshi viewers would be interested to know that GR Gopinath also fought in our Liberation War as a fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force. 'Soorarai Pottru' also participated in the race for the best foreign-language film at the 78th Golden Globe Awards and and 93rd Academy Awards as India's entry. It did not make it to the final shortlist of nominees. The film was screened at the Chennai and Shanghai Film Festivals and was acclaimed worldwide. Karoline Hoeppner, Head of Licensing and Distribution, Bongo, said, "After Vijay's action loaded Theri, we are now launching Surya's Soorarai Pottru. The title translates as Praise the Brave and is about a man from a village who dreams of creating a revolution by starting a low-cost airline. Please watch it on Bongo to find out if his dreams take wings, and stay tuned for more upcoming South Indian blockbuster movies." Bongo plans to bring more exciting blockbusters this year, being released every month, so look out constantly on Bongo.