The Little Mermaid: Has Disney sanitised our expectations from fairytales?

Thanks to 2023's The Little Mermaid, Black and brown girls can finally see themselves as princesses in a film where the protagonist's skin colour is not as instrumental to the story as the princesses' heritage was in Aladdin, Mulan, and The Princess and the Frog.
14 September 2022, 13:24 PM

An ode to Jean-Luc Godard, vanguard of New Wave cinema

The pioneer of the French New Wave and one of the most brilliant directors of the 20th century, the great Jean-Luc Godard is regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. His contribution to cinema can be felt throughout cinematic history, and beyond.
14 September 2022, 10:38 AM

'Infinite Library': An immersive experience of civilisation at Goethe Dhaka

The Infinite Library did not have books. It consisted of virtual spaces, a set of "eight jars" or volumes that—using a VR journey through the users' phones—told the story of our planet's evolution, starting from the beginning of cosmic dust to human consciousness.
14 September 2022, 06:46 AM

Kamar Ahmad Simon’s ‘Anyadin…’ to compete at Zurich Film Festival

After officially selected for two major North American festivals, Camden International Film Festival and Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) in September, Kamar Ahmad Simon’s film “Anyadin…” (Day after…) will compete for the Golden Eye award at Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) this year. Only fourteen films will be competing this year at this festival.
12 September 2022, 12:24 PM

Pori Moni-Razz celebrate Rajya’s first month

Celebrity couple Pori Moni and Razz celebrated the first month of their baby boy, Rajya, with a colorful cake. They are having the time of their lives with their adorable first child.
12 September 2022, 11:00 AM

Anyone can be a hero: Why I love ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’

From mental health struggles to characters with different racial and LGBTQ+ backgrounds, the series shines a light on people—and heroes—of diverse identities.
11 September 2022, 13:00 PM

Chanchal Chowdhury on his fame, acting, and projects

Chanchal Chowdhury's stellar performance in Taqdeer shows just how magnificent he can be in convincing the audience about his character. The result is a thoroughly gripping web series on the OTT platform, Hoichoi. This performance earned him the Best Actor (male) award in the popular category, in the Blender's Choice-The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards 2021. 
10 September 2022, 04:38 AM

Globetrotting at your fingertips with Nadir On The Go

“Nadir On The Go” is a popular YouTube channel, maintained by Nadir — a Bangladeshi documenting travelogues since 2016, as he visits different cities across the globe. Recently, Nadir won the Best Content Creator award in the Travel Vlog category at the Blender’s Choice-The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards 2021.
10 September 2022, 02:53 AM

I was trembling with fear on my first scene with Tabu: Badhan

Azmeri Haque Badhan became more of a household name and a creative force to be reckoned with, after Abdullah Mohammad Saad’s directorial debut film “Rehana Maryam Noor”. The movie is the first Bangladeshi film in history to be officially selected for the Cannes Film Festival, in the Un Certain Regard section.
9 September 2022, 13:33 PM

Bangladeshi artworks exhibited in Nepal

Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu, in association with the Siddhartha Art Gallery, is organising an art exhibition in Nepal as part of the celebration of 50 years of Nepal-Bangladesh diplomatic relations.
9 September 2022, 07:55 AM

Drik celebrates 33rd anniversary with Amiya Tarafdar’s ‘The Long Journey Home’

Drik Gallery has celebrated its 33rd founding anniversary with the inauguration of Indian photographer Amiya Tafadar’s solo exhibition “The Long Journey Home”. The exhibition, featuring heart-wrenching photographs captured during the War of Liberation, 1971– was inaugurated on September 4, 2022. This open-for-all exhibition will run at Drik Gallery from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM every day till September 16, 2022. 
8 September 2022, 15:11 PM

From 'Monsoon Wedding' to 'Highway': The Repressed World of Child Abuse

From Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding” to Imtiaz Ali’s “Highway”, the chronicle of Hindi cinema mainly was linear with similar kinds of stories, songs, making and melodramatic extravaganza. Nevertheless, it is high time that the country, which is to date wrapped up with archaic societal injustice, discrimination and backdated familial norms, realises the importance of telling stories that had not been heard before.
8 September 2022, 12:39 PM

‘Poran’ comes to the city of love, Paris

Raihan Rafi directorial "Poran" has continued on its trajectory of success since its release. After casting its magic in Australia, the film is now set for theatrical release in Paris, France starting tomorrow.
8 September 2022, 09:16 AM

Trailer for Tasnia Farin starrer ‘Nishwas’ out

The official trailer for the web-film, “Nishwas”, which is directed by Raihan Rafi, has been released today. Previously, the director impressed audiences with his film, “Poran”. Chorki released the trailer for “Nishwas” through their official Facebook page.
7 September 2022, 15:05 PM

South Asia Speaks creative writing mentorship open for applications

The free, year-long fellowship for creative writers from South Asia, is accepting applications until September 30, 2022. 
7 September 2022, 07:35 AM

To get more, one must want less: Abul Hayat on his life’s philosophy

Veteran thespian and director, Abul Hayat won over the hearts of millions with his remarkable performances on radio, television, the silver screen, and the stage over the last five decades. Last year, two of his books were launched at the Ekushey Boi Mela. So far, he has authored a total of 34 books. The Ekushey Padak-winner turned 78 today. In a candid conversation with The Daily Star, Abul Hayat shared his philosophy of life, his aspirations and much more.
7 September 2022, 04:30 AM

Gulf states ask Netflix to remove "offensive" contents

Gulf Arab countries on Tuesday asked Netflix to remove “offensive content” on the streaming service, apparently targeting programs that show people who are gay and lesbian.
7 September 2022, 04:02 AM

I never even dreamt of becoming an actor: Zahara Mitu

After being crowned Miss Super Model Bangladesh in 2017, model and actress Zahara Mitu became a prominent face in the entertainment industry. She starred in the Kazi Hayat directorial film “Joy Bangla”, which is scheduled for release on Victory day, December 16, this year. Not only that, she is also preparing to start shooting for the film “Agun”, in which she will star opposite Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan. In a recent interview with The Daily Star, the talented actress talked about her journey to stardom and much more.
6 September 2022, 15:30 PM

Gazi Mazharul Anwar made me who I am today: Sabina Yasmin

The sudden demise of legendary songsmith Gazi Mazharul Islam has left behind a massive void in the country’s cultural arena, which was graced by his tireless work for over six decades.
5 September 2022, 15:33 PM

There will never be another Gazi Mazharul Anwar: Khurshid Alam

“A brilliant lyricist like Gazi Mazharul Anwar will not be born again in our country. It might seem like an exaggeration, but it is true,” said veteran musician Khurshid Alam while reminiscing about Gazi Mazharul Anwar, who passed away on Sunday.
5 September 2022, 15:12 PM