United News of Bangladesh

Green University English Club (GUEC) celebrated "Shakespeare Fest 2022" with an enthralling stage performance of the legendary playwright William Shakespeare’s popular tragedy “Macbeth” at its Mirpur campus auditorium on Monday.  Green University of Bangladesh (GUB) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Golam Samdani Fakir joined the event as the chief guest, while Prof Dr Farhana Helal Mehtab, Dean of the GUB Faculty of Business, Arts and Social Sciences, joined the fest as the special guest.  Prof Shafi Ahmed, Vice President, Theatre Education and Training Committee, International Training Institute (ITI) joined the event as its guest of honour, alongside popular thespian and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Theatre and Film Department Director Afsana Mimi and Md Herock Mushfik, Assistant Professor at the Theatre and Performance Studies, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University. Prof K M Wazed Kabir, Department of English and Proctor of the Green University of Bangladesh, delivered the welcome speech and shared the history of the Green University English Club (GUEC) and its stage performances since 2016. The stage performance of “Macbeth” then began by the students of the Green University English Club (GUEC), under the directive and supervision of Ashik Istiak, Assistant Professor, Department of English and Moderator of GUEC. Read: 'Chilekothar Sepai' staged at JU “Macbeth,” the world-famous tragedy and one of the most-staged plays in the entire world, was written by William Shakespeare in 1606. The play dramatizes the detrimental physical and psychological ramifications of political ambition on individuals who strive for power. In this tragedy, the protagonist Macbeth, driven by prophecy and demented by ambition, kills the Scottish monarch and assassinates him in order to take the kingdom. Driven by remorse and paranoia, the new king and his wife launch an increasingly brutal struggle to uphold their power and position. The characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were played by Pranto Kumar Saha and Tanisha Tafsin Basher, and the entire cast and crew members were showered with acclamation by the audiences for their brilliant portrayal of the characters in the play.  Presided over by Prof Dr M Shahidullah, Chairperson of the GUB Department of English, the event was also joined by other distinguished faculty members including GUB Treasurer Prof Dr Md Fayzur Rahman, Chairperson of the EEE Department Prof Dr ASM Shihavuddin, and Proctor of the Green University of Bangladesh Prof K M Wazed Kabir, to name a few. Faculty members and students from different departments also joined the event and cheered the performance of the students. Afsana Mimi highly appreciated the director, performers, backstage performers and volunteers for staging the play while portraying its full glory.  Md Herock Mushfik, Assistant Professor at the Theatre and Performance Studies, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, recalled his memories of playing the character of Macbeth during his student days while praising the performers. Prof Shafi Ahmed talked about the overall scenario of the stage performance and direction of Shakespearean plays and appreciated the performers of GUEC and the director Ashik Istiak for their hard work and perseverance in making the event a success. Under the supervision of Ashik Istiak, Green University English Club (GUEC) began celebrating Shakespeare Day on July 31, 2016.  The club performed two plays of Shakespeare (Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice) on May 24, 2017, in honour of Shakespeare's Day. In 2018, Othello (in English) and Romeo and Juliet (in Bangla) were staged as full-fledged two-hour plays on March 28 and 29, respectively.    The event was sponsored by Englishology, a premium English language teaching centre and the media partner was Somoy TV.

Headbangers Paradise 2 concert, organised by Six Base Communication, is set to be held on September 16 at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital. After the first concert in Chattogram in July this year, the second one, powered by Oraimo and Foodpanda, is coming up with a star-studded line-up. The showstopper of this concert is going to be rock icon James' Nagarbaul, Aurthohin, and Artcell. Powersurge, Mechanics, Trainwreck, Savagery, Plasmic Knock, Encore and Arekta Rock Band will also share the stage with them. The prices of the tickets range from Tk550 (regular) and Tk1250 (VIP). Tickets are currently available on the Get Set Rock website.

Popular Bangladeshi rock band Shironamhin is all set to celebrate its 25th-anniversary concert on Thursday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital. The band, best known for their enormously popular albums like “Jahaji,” “Bondho Janala” and more, is celebrating this gala concert in collaboration with marketing communication agency Brandmyth Experiential. As part of the planned celebrations, Shironamhin will collaborate with the Mumbai-based Symphony Orchestra team which has previously collaborated with world-famous music bands including Metallica, Scorpions and more. This is the first time any Bangladeshi band is collaborating with the Symphony Orchestra. Being "the only headliner," the band will be accompanied by legendary band artistes including Bappa Mazumder, Bassbaba Sumon, Raef Al Hasan Rafa, Rahul Anand, Palash Noor and more. They will perform with Shironamhim on the band’s most popular songs, according to the organizers. Read:Shironamhin turns 25; wants to give fans unforgettable experience at 'The Only Headliner' The concert will be held at ICCB Hall-4 and the gate opens at 3 pm for the audience. It will officially start at 6 pm.  Brandmyth Experiential will be hosting the event partnered with Samsung, Daraz, FOGG, Go Zayaan, Bioscope and Link 3. According to Brandmyth Experiential, the agency is all set to give the fans a remarkable experience with the team of the best sound panel, sound engineers, photo and videographers along with technicians for arranging enthralling light and fire show to work for Shironamhin during its performances at the concert.  Being one of the most iconic bands to the youth and university students as the band itself was formed in BUET, Shironamhin and their songs have become anthems to various events.  Songs like “Ei Obelay,” “Abar Hashimukh,” “Barud Shomudro” etc have become immensely popular across all social media and in other platforms.  Alongside the popularity of their songs, the band has recently performed in Paris and also at Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India, receiving huge acclamation from fans. Shironamhin started its journey back in 1996, formed at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Their debut album "Jahaji" was released in 2004, made by its popular line-up featuring Zia (Bass), Tuhin (Vocal), Tushar (Guitar), Jewel (Guitar), Farhan (Sarod) and Shafin (Drums). The current line-up of Shironamhin consists of Zia (Bass), Shafin (Drums), Diat (Guitar), Rashel (Keys) and Istiaque (Vocal).

To Celebrate 50 years of people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and the US, cultural diplomacy organisation American Voices and the US Embassy in Dhaka hosted a musical showcase at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) Thursday. The event was organised to conclude a hip-hop workshop series led by award-winning American artists for Bangladeshi rappers, dancers, and producers. From August 25 to September 1, the US Embassy hosted a delegation of four popular American hip-hop artists to lead a series of training for 54 rising Bangladeshi hip-hop stars. The YES Academy workshops featured a "Dangerflow" band member and MC Angel "Ocean" Alvarado, award-winning hip-hop DJ Carl "DJ Invisible" Hollier, international b-boy champion Alex "BBoy El Nino" Diaz, and two-time finalist of NBC's "The SingOff," Richie "Robot" Steighner. The Edward M Kennedy Center for Public Service and the Arts was the hosting venue of this eight-day intensive workshop, which concluded with a musical showcase, featuring enthralling performances of 54 talented Bangladeshi artists and four American instructors. "The overall workshop has been a great experience for us. And as a new generation artist, I hope this type of event will foster the popularity of rap and hip-hop in Bangladesh," popular rapper Critical Mahmood told UNB. "The YES Academy is a testament to the US government's commitment to promoting mutual understanding, creativity, and collaboration between cultural ambassadors in Bangladesh and the US," US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said. Launched in 2007, the YES Academy serves as American Voices' flagship cultural diplomacy programme aimed at providing high-quality training in some of America's greatest cultural artistic genres, such as hip-hop and breakdance, for youth around the world. Also read: US Embassy celebrates 60th anniversary of English teaching forum        

After releasing nine fusion songs since its launching in February this year, season one of Coke Studio Bangla comes to its conclusion with the launch of the latest song, “Hey Samalo.” The team of Coke Studio Bangla released this song at a gala event and exclusive screening for 500 fans at hotel Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden on Thursday night. A tribute to the undying spirit and the rebelling nature that can be found among all Bangladeshi netizens, the song came as a majestic fusion of Salil Chowdhury's 1946–1948 Tebhaga movement–inspired original song of the same name and Abdul Latif's 1952 Language Movement–inspired the song "Ora Amar Mukher Bhasha." The biggest artistic collaboration of the season, “Hey Samalo” is sung by 15 prominent Bangladeshi singers - Bappa Mazumder, Samina Chowdhury, Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Sunidhi Nayak, Rituraj Baidya, Dilshad Nahar Kona, Warda Ashraf, Armeen Musa, Sanzida Mahmood Nandita, Masha Islam, Rubayat Rehman, Jannatul Firdous Akbar, Sinha Hasan, Ripon Kumar Sarkar (Boga Taleb), and Animes Roy. The music video of the song also contains musicians belonging to the Mro community in Naikhongchari of Bandarban, who performed a mesmerizing flute performance and a Raibenshe folk martial dance. Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Music Producer of Coke Studio Bangla said, “We tried to explore something different for the finale by using Gono Sangeet in an effort to bring musicians and artists from different genres and backgrounds in unison. Everyone synced together beautifully, and the bond we created through this song was the real magic.” “This song brings out the undying spirit of the Bangladeshi people and I hope our audience will feel the same passion we felt when we sang together,” he added. “Bengalis have always fought for their rights throughout their lifetimes, whether it was during the anti-British movement, the struggle for independence from Pakistan, the fight for the mother tongue, or the anti-dictatorship movement. We wanted to close the first season with the spiritual strength that our nation never lost,” Coke Studio Bangla Creative Producer Syed Gousul Alam Shaon said about the song. The maiden season of Coke Studio Bangla featured a total of 10 songs from different genres including its rocking opener “Nasek Nasek,” followed by “Prarthona,” “Bulbuli,” “Bhober Pagol,” “Chiltey Roud,” “Bhinnotar Uthshob,” “Shob Lokey Koy,” “Lilabali.” “Dokhina Hawa” and lastly, “Hey Samalo.” The season featured a star-studded lineup of Bangladeshi legendary musicians, such as Momtaz Begum, Bappa Majumdar, Pantha Kanai, Dilshad Nahar Kona, Samina Chowdhury, Mizan, Tahsan Khan and more, along with new promising singers from music industry such as Animesh Roy, Boga Taleb, Nandita, Makhon and others. Also read: Coke Studio Bangla concert held at Army Stadium

In Hollywood, the world’s pre-eminent industry for commercial cinema, everything must meet a high bar in terms of quality and technical proficiency. The same exacting standards and production values informing a film must also usually reflect in its trailer – a crucial element that acts as the centrepiece of all activities aimed at promoting a movie once it is made. The same would apply to more contemporary innovations or interpretations of the trailer, e.g. teasers, that are well-suited to the age of social media. This is the story of a young man from Laksham in Cumilla, Bangladesh - Jisan Kamrul Hasan, and how his relentless pursuit of a dream has taken him all the way to Culver City, California - the most populous as well as economically advanced of the 50 constituent states that comprise the United States of America - and the home of Hollywood. Culver City itself is a hub of film and television production, best known as the home of the renowned Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, or MGM Studios. But how did Jisan end up there? Read: 'Let no one mistake us for the fruit of violence' begins at Drik Gallery More importantly, what was this young Bangladeshi motion graphic designer’s journey like, on the road to getting to work on the teasers and trailers for some of the most popularmovies and series in recent times, from the critically acclaimed “Last Night in Soho” to the graphic-intensive hit "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” from Marvel Studios. Following a recent interview with a leading national daily, Jisan became known to the nation, and naturally many in the entertainment industry as well as netizens are waiting for an opportunity to give vent to their curiosity to learn more about Jisan and his journey. “My journey actually started at a very early age back in 2002, when I was stunned by the majestic visuals in “The Lord of the Rings.” I wondered about the motion graphics, and I decided that I would learn this,” Jisan said in a telephone interview with UNB from his Hollywood home, engaging at length on different topics. It wasn't until 2007 though, that Jisan would even get his first personal computer. “At this stage though, things started moving very fast in my lane in life. Soon, sometime in 2008, I moved to Dhaka and began practising Photoshop on my own, thanks to YouTube.

Taylor Swift took home the top prize at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday before she closed out the show with a surprisingly big announcement: Her new album. “I thought it would be a fun moment to tell you that my new album comes out Oct. 21,” said Swift after she won video of the year for her project “All Too Well: The Short Film" (10 minute version), which claimed best long form video. “I will tell you more at midnight.” Swift said on social media that her upcoming 10th studio album would be called “Midnights,” which she says will involve “stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life.” Her upcoming release comes after she released “Folklore” and “Evermore.” Both projects came out five months apart two years ago. “Folklore” won album of the year at the 2021 Grammy Awards. The pop star's reveal came at the end of her acceptance speech where she praised the other women in the category - which included Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo. “I know with every second of this moment that we wouldn’t be able to make this short film if it weren’t for you - the fans," she said. "I wouldn’t be able to re-record my albums if it wasn’t for you. You emboldened me to do that.” She spoke about creating her first short film, giving thanks to several including actors Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien who starred in the project. “We put our entire hearts into this,” Swift said. Rapper Jack Harlow made his mark throughout the entire show. He kicked off his performance inside a mock airplane walking down aisle while performing his hit song “First Class,” which was sampled by Fergie’s “Glamorous.” The rapper joined Fergie onstage - who wore a sparkling silver dress with the red words “First Class” - while she sang her 2006 jam. “Thank you to Fergie for coming out with me tonight and clearing this song,” said Harlow after “First Class” won the award for song of the summer later in the show. “The beauty of this song is that people don’t realize it’s so hip-hop because of the sampling. To bring Fergie into the mix in this way means the world to me. It’s truly full circle. ‘Glamorous’ was one of the most important songs of my childhood.” During the show, Depp made a surprise appearance as the Moon Man nearly three months after the verdict in his defamation trial with his former wife Amber Heard. The 59-year-old actor floated from the ceiling while wearing the iconic astronaut outfit with his face digitally inserted into custom’s helmet. “And you know what? I needed the work,” Depp told the audience at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Lizzo had Taylor Swift dancing out of her seat while she performed her new single “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready).” She won an award for video for good for “About Damn Time.” Harlow’s name was called to come right back onstage to collect the show’s first award for his guest appearance on Lil Nas X’s song “Industry Baby,” which won for best collaboration. Both Harlow and Lil Nas X are tied for leading nominees with seven apiece. Read: MTV VMAs ready to host, honor some of music's biggest acts “This one is for the champions,” said Lil Nas X before Harlow thanked him for the collaboration on the chart-topping single. The song propelled their nominations, landing them in competition for artist of the year along with Drake, Bad Bunny, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Lizzo. Harlow, in addition to performing and winning awards, joined LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj as the show’s hosts. Minaj performed a medley of her career’s biggest hits from “Roman’s Revenge,” “Chun-Li,” “Moment 4 Life,” “Beez in the Trap,” “Anaconda” and “Super Bass.” After her set, the rapper accepted the show’s Video Vanguard award, which MTV has said she’s receiving for her artistry, barrier-breaking hip-hop and status as a global superstar. The honor is named after Michael Jackson. During her acceptance speech, Minaj paid tribute to other music icons such as Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lil Wayne and Kanye West. She spoke about the importance of mental health. “I wish people took mental health seriously, even when you think they have the perfect lives,” said Minaj, who later won best hip-hop for her song “Do We Have a Problem?” featuring Lil Baby. Harry Styles won album of the year for “Harry's House.” He was unable to attend the awards due to his show at Madison Square Garden in New York. Bad Bunny performed his hit “Titi Me Pregunto” from Yankee Stadium after he won artist of the year. “I have been saying it and I always believed from the beginning that I could become great," he said. "That I could become one of the biggest stars in the world without having to change my culture, my language, my jargon. I am Benito Antonio Martínez from Puerto Rico to the whole world, thank you!” Eminem and Snoop Dogg brought the metaverse to the VMAs as the duo performed “From the D 2 The LBC,” which was featured on Eminem's greatest hits album “Curtain Call 2.” The Red Hot Chili Peppers took the stage as the recipients of the Global Icon award after being introduced by Cheech & Chong as their “favorite band of all time.” The band - which consists of Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante - performed several songs including their hit “Can't Stop” from the the group's 2002 album “By the Way” and their recent hit “Black Summer,” which won best rock. Flea made a speech about his love for human beings along with cockroaches, trees and dirt. Smith, the band's drummer, dedicated the award to Taylor Hawkins, the late Foo Fighters drummer who died early this year. “I dedicate this to Taylor and his family,” he said. “I love them and I miss him every day.” Madonna, who is the most awarded artist in MTV history with 20 wins, became the only artist to receive a nomination in each of the VMAs five decades. She earned her 69th nomination for her 14th studio album “Madame X.”

The MTV Video Music Awards are back Sunday with some of the biggest names in music vying for the network's fabled Moon Person statue. Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow and Kendrick Lamar are tied for leading nominees with seven apiece. Harlow and Lil Nas X's collaboration “Industry Baby” propelled their nominations, landing them in competition for artist of the year along with Drake, Bad Bunny, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Lizzo. Closely behind are Harry Styles and Doja Cat, who received six nominations apiece, while Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Tayler Swift and The Weeknd each have five. Harlow is pulling double duty, joining LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj as the show's emcees. The VMAs are being being held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will air beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern. Also read: Elton John and Britney Spears unite on a new dance single Minaj will perform hits from throughout her career and accept the show’s video vanguard award, which MTV has said she’s receiving for her artistry, barrier-breaking hip-hop and status as a global superstar. The honor is named after Michael Jackson. Eminem, Snoop Dogg, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bad Bunny are also set to perform Madonna, who is the most awarded artist in MTV history with 20 wins, becomes the only artist to receive a nomination in each of the VMAs five decades. She earned her 69th nomination for her 14th studio album “Madame X.” Also read: Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick's right-hand man, dies at 74 Lamar returns to the VMAs as a nominee for the first time since 2018, with nods for best hip-hop, direction, visual effects, editing, and a category known as video for good, while his songs “family ties” and “N95” are competing for best cinematography.

Elton John and Britney Spears have collaborated for the first time, creating the slinky, club-ready single “Hold Me Closer” that sees the pop icons take old sounds and fashion something new. The funky, piano-driven single uses John’s 1971 hit “Tiny Dancer” as the skeleton and adds elements from his songs “The One” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” all with Spears voice soaring and fluttering. While John has been releasing new music in the past few years — including the 16-track 2021 album “The Lockdown Sessions” — the song represents Spear’s first new music since her 2016 album “Glory” and her first offering since the ending of her contentious conservatorship. “She truly is an icon, one of the all-time great pop stars and she sounds amazing on this record. I love her dearly and am delighted with what we’ve created together,” John said in a statement. Spears, in her statement, told John it was an honor to be asked: ”I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to work with you and your legendary mind.” Read: Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick's right-hand man, dies at 74 The track is produced by Andrew Watt, who has worked with such acts as Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Ozzy Osbourne, Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Miley Cyrus. The song begins with both stars singing the opening lyrics of “The One” — “I saw you dancing out the ocean/Running fast along the sand/A spirit born of earth and water/Fire flying from your hands.” It then seamlessly moves to ”Tiny Dancer”: “Hold me closer, tiny dancer/Count the headlights on the highway/Lay me down in sheets of linen/You had a busy day today.” The track calls to mind last year’s hit “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),” which melded John’s songs “Kiss the Bride,” “Rocket Man,” “Where’s the Shoorah?” and “Sacrifice” into a dance bop featuring vocals by Dua Lipa. John and Spears first met in 2014 at an Oscar viewing party and she later tweeted her love of “Tiny Dancer,” sowing the seeds for the latest collaboration. John is in the midst of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

Leon Vitali, the “Barry Lyndon” actor who became one of Stanley Kubrick’s closest associates, has died. He was 74. Vitali died Friday in Los Angeles, his family told The Associated Press Sunday. He passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones including his three children, Masha, Max and Vera. “Leon was a special and lovely man driven by his curiosity, who spread love and warmth wherever he went,” his children said in a statement provided by Masha Vitali. “He will be remembered with love and be hugely missed by the many people he touched.” Though Vitali was often described as Kubrick’s assistant, Tony Zierra’s 2017 documentary “ Filmworker ” shed light on Vitali’s enormous and largely unsung contributions to the work of one of cinema’s greatest figures from “The Shining” through “Eyes Wide Shut.” He did everything from casting and coaching actors to overseeing restorations. Vitali even once set up a video monitor so that Kubrick could keep an eye on his dying cat. Also read: Anne Heche dies of crash injuries after life support removed Matthew Modine, who starred in Kubrick's “Full Metal Jacket,” tweeted his condolences Sunday. “There are people we meet who have a profound impact upon our lives. Leon Vitali was one such person in mine,” Modine wrote. “An artist in every aspect of his life. A loving father & friend to so many. A kind, generous & forgiving nature. He exemplified & personified grace.” Filmmaker Lee Unkrich also tweeted that he was, "Completely heartbroken to hear about the passing of Leon Vitali. He helped me (asterisk)enormously(asterisk) with my Shining book and I’m gutted that he won’t see it. He was a sweet, kind, humble, generous man and a vital part of Stanley Kubrick’s team.” Before meeting Kubrick, Vitali was a rising actor in England, appearing in several British television shows including “Softly, Softly,” “Follyfoot,” “Z Cars” and “Notorious Woman.” Then in 1974 he got his biggest break yet, when he was cast in “Barry Lyndon” as Lord Bullingdon, the son-in-law of Ryan O’Neal’s title character. Vitali was so fascinated by Kubrick and his processes that he made an unusual decision: He gave up on acting and devoted himself entirely to the famously demanding director for over two decades. His next Kubrick credit was as “personal assistant to the director” on “The Shining,” though that’s only part of the story — Vitali famously helped cast 4-year-old Danny Lloyd to play Danny Torrance and Louise and Lisa Burns as the creepy Grady twins (citing Diane Arbus as inspiration). Also read: Bob Rafelson, New Hollywood era director, dies at 89 “I made one truly, truly radical change in my life and that was when I said, ‘I’m more interested in that’ than I was in the acting,” Vitali told the Associated Press in 2017. “That’s the biggest conscious decision I’ve ever made. There were some sacrifices, but there were gains too.” After Kubrick’s death in 1999, Vitali oversaw restorations for many of Kubrick’s films. He received a Cinema Audio Society award for his work. Vitali later worked with director Todd Field on his films “Little Children” and “In the Bedroom.” Before making the documentary, Zierra said that he and many Kubrick-obsessed fans knew Vitali for his performances in “Barry Lyndon” and “Eyes Wide Shut,” in which he played Red Cloak, and as a key member of Kubrick’s inner circle. But when they finally met Vitali to make the film, they were struck by “his kindness, humility and the fascinating scope of his story.” Zierra is working on a director’s cut of “Filmworker” that will include new footage that he and Vitali wanted in the film, but couldn’t get done in time for its Cannes debut in 2017.