It can seem like awards ceremonies are given an inordinate amount of importance. Not only do critics, every now and then, disregard a compelling work of fiction, but the entire endeavour also begs the question: what is the purpose of awards and critical acclaim? Marvel films have been famously ignored by the critics, irrespective of the mammoth fan following and box office returns they accumulate, even though immensely successful box office hits, such as “Titanic” and “Avatar”, have been known to have an impact on the Oscars. However, things seem to be changing in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), led by Kevin Feige.

Today would have marked the 90th birthday of eminent artist and Language Movement veteran Murtaja Baseer, who passed away last year. The artist, who revolutionised modern art in Bangladesh in his glorious six-decade career, had also made a remarkable mark as a poet, litterateur, novelist, numismatist, researcher, and filmmaker.

Sony Cinema Hall in Mirpur-2 has been modernised to Star Cineplex’s Sony Square. It will be open to the public from August 20. "Before that, the Mirpur branch of Star Cineplex will be formally inaugurated on August 19,” said Mohammad Hossain, the former head of Sony Cinema Hall.

The Bangladesh Mahila Samity (BMS) is set to reopen with "Lal Jomin" today. It is presented by Shunyan Repertory Theatre. The play, written by Mannan Hira and directed by Sudip Chakraborty will be staged for the 277th time.

Today marks the 60th birthday of music legend Ayub Bachchu.

Projonmo (a place for performance), will present their second and third productions on August 25, at Satyajit Ray Auditorium, ICCR, Kolkata, with Khudra Nrigostir Sangskritic Institute, Khagrachhari. For this, they have extended their gratitude to Lubna Marium, Artistic Director of SHADHONA, Bangladesh, and Jiten Chakma, Deputy Director of Khudra Nrigostir Sangskritic Institute, Khagrachhari. The first dance recital, “Jhalak”, will be presented by Bangladeshi students in Kolkata, under the direction of Md Hanif.

Today marks the first death anniversary of eminent artist Murtaja Baseer. The art maestro sealed his name in the history of modern art of Bangladesh with his multifarious talents and an extraordinary ability to see even the simplest things from a bird eye’s view.

Renowned actor Shakib Khan opened up about the much talked about arrest of Pori Moni today, with The Daily Star. “Being her colleague, as far as I know, Pori Moni grew up without her parents,” said Shakib. “There is a huge difference in the way she grew up, compared to others her age. Her struggles have definitely not been the same as other people. Perhaps not having a guardian around has often led her to make decisions which were not right for her.” 

Many filmmakers have grasped the idea of plausible horror stories, opening doors to numerous subgenres to explore. For nearly two years, we have faced one form of horror in our real lives with the advent of the global pandemic. It is the horror of being locked indoors for an undefined period of time.

In a career spanning over three decades, Tareen Jahan has earned acclaim for her versatile performances. In addition to being a splendid actor, she has been a talented dancer and singer since childhood.

Self-taught artist Nazir Hossain is popularly known as ‘Tiger Nazir’, for his remarkable contribution to folk art, and paintings of tigers. He mainly works with the traditional medium of art, ‘Potchitro’, or scroll painting.

Tareque Masud's films compel us to think anew. An archivist and a brilliant storyteller, he was fondly known as the ‘Cinema Feriwala’. The artiste is an indispensable name when it comes to film studies. Masud and his close collaborator, cinematographer Mishuk Munier, passed away in a tragic car accident ten years ago, on this day.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a multifaceted impact worldwide. As a result of it, we had to surrender helplessly to an invisible virus and people of all classes have been defeated by a sneeze or a dry cough. Now very unexpectedly, people have to walk everywhere wearing masks. The world's economy, politics, religion, science, research, education, literature, and culture have been severely affected.

With an array of popular television fictions under his belt, celebrated actor Intekhab Dinar has built a powerful presence on OTT platforms in recent years. From a convincing portrayal of a commanding chairman in "Taqdeer" to a whimsical fictional character in "Ovineta", he has made the best of his acting prowess. In "Dwikhandito", the final episode of the Chorki anthology series, "Unoloukik", Dinar aces an impeccable, breathless performance of over 20 minutes. He spoke to The Daily Star about his journey with the project, and more.

Una Stubbs, who played Mrs Hudson in the hit series, “Sherlock”, passed away in Edinburgh, Scotland, on August 12. She was 84.  

On July 23, the tele-fiction "Ghotona Shotto" was aired on Channel i, where “negative, misleading, and harmful ideas” about children with special needs were presented. Subsequently, Channel i Managing Director Faridur Reza Sagar and its spokesperson Shykh Seraj were among those sued under the Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act.

Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have reportedly teamed up for acclaimed filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani’s upcoming film.

Natyachakra, the oldest theatre troupe in the country, has been performing on stage for the last 49 years. They have successfully produced 54 plays. “Bhaddarnok” is one of the most staged and widely acclaimed plays by this prominent group.

Shuvasish Bhowmick of father-son singing duo Baap ka Beta, released his first single “Obocheton Mon” online recently. The song, written by Jakaria Jalal and composed by Kanak Acharya, is a collaboration by the singer and Bashundhara Digital.

According to a report by Closer Online, Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer are dating. The publication said that the two stars have been spending more time together since they filmed the “Friends” reunion with their co-stars, earlier this year.