Maisha Islam Monamee | The Daily Star
Skip to main content
Home
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
El Niño may return, raising concerns over rising heat in Bangladesh
‘We still hope a solution on the reforms will arise out of parliament’
Where are Iran’s frozen assets held and how much is stuck abroad?
বাংলা

Main navigation

  • News
    • Politics
    • Governance
    • Crime and Justice
    • Accidents and Fires
    • Technology
    • Education
    • Healthcare
    • Environment
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Views
    • Interviews
    • Tribute
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Agriculture
    • Industry
    • Startups
    • Global Economy
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • Tennis
    • More Sports
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Relationships
    • Health and Wellness
    • Food and Recipe
    • Travel and Leisure
  • Culture
    • Entertainment
    • Books and Literature
    • Heritage
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Slow Reads
    • In Focus
    • Geopolitical Insights
    • Big Picture
    • Unheard Voices
  • Youth
    • Academics
    • Career and Skills
    • Campus Life
    • Off Campus
    • Pop Culture
  • Ds+
    • Business +
    • Investigative Stories
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
    • Law & Our Rights
    • My Dhaka
  • বাংলা
  • E-paper
  • Today’s News
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
  • E-paper
  • Today’s News
  • News
    • Politics
    • Governance
    • Crime and Justice
    • Accidents and Fires
    • Technology
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Healthcare
    • World
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Views
    • Interviews
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Agriculture
    • Industry
    • Startups
    • Global Economy
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
    • Tennis
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Relationships
    • Heath and Wellness
    • Food and Recipe
    • Travelogue
  • Culture
    • Entertainment
    • Books and Literature
    • Heritage
    • Tv & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Slow Reads
    • In Focus
    • Geopolitical Insights
    • Big Picture
    • Unheard Voices
  • Youth
    • Academics
    • Career and Skills
    • Campus Life
    • Off Campus
    • Pop Culture
  • Ds+
    • Business +
    • Investigative Stories
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
    • Law & Our Rights
    • My Dhaka

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Comment policy
  • Apps
  • Archive
© 2026 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI Lab

Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes
is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.

Maisha Islam Monamee

The author graduated from Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka and is a contributor at The Daily Star. Find her @monameereads on Instagram.

The cultural reinvention of Pahela Baishakh

The cultural reinvention of Pahela Baishakh

14 April 2026, 11:27 AM
What is now one of the most widely celebrated cultural events across Bangladesh actually started as an administrative solution, and its transformation over the centuries offers a surprisingly layered look at how traditions evolve.
14 April 2026, 11:27 AM
Webcams

Webcams for your online class setup: our picks

13 April 2026, 16:41 PM
From affordable entry-level devices to more advanced options with specialised features, here is a wide range of webcams to choose from for your online class needs.
13 April 2026, 16:41 PM
Learning from execution

Next Step / How we learn from work and what we often miss

8 April 2026, 13:22 PM
The idea of “learning from execution” challenges the tendency to treat results as self-explanatory and argues that without deliberate analysis, both success and failure can mislead.
8 April 2026, 13:22 PM
MCDPRHA_MG004.jpg

Understanding the science, salience, and surge of ‘Project Hail Mary’

5 April 2026, 17:14 PM
The theatrical experience has been under quiet negotiation for years, reshaped by streaming, shrinking attention spans, and an industry increasingly inclined to design films for quick consumption rather than sustained engagement. Into this landscape arrives “Project Hail Mary”, a film that feels almost defiant in how fully it leans into what cinema can achieve when it assumes the audience is actually watching.
5 April 2026, 17:14 PM
Casting, controversy and cultural memory in the age of adaptations

Casting, controversy and cultural memory in the age of adaptations

3 April 2026, 15:34 PM
A visible portion, however, reveals something more uncomfortable: how quickly aesthetic preference can blur into racial bias when long-held images are challenged.
3 April 2026, 15:34 PM
983fc89c-915a-46a0-b3d5-7c5400d16fba.jpeg

How World Cup anthems became a global phenomenon

2 April 2026, 09:07 AM
The FIFA World Cup has always extended beyond the ninety minutes on the pitch. It operates as a cultural convergence point where identity, commerce, and memory intersect. Within that ecosystem, music plays a precise role: it frames the tournament, translates its energy across borders, and leaves behind an auditory record that often outlives the matches themselves.
2 April 2026, 09:07 AM
Eid gifts

Here are 7 gadget gift ideas for this Eid

17 March 2026, 15:37 PM
From devices that encourage reading and creativity to gadgets that improve productivity, entertainment, or health awareness, the right tech gift can remain useful long after the festivities end.
17 March 2026, 15:37 PM
efc4f7b5-ced4-4bd8-916b-d0770944f78f.jpeg

The spin-off age: How supporting characters now lead the narrative

10 March 2026, 14:44 PM
For most of film and television history, supporting characters existed with a clear narrative function: assist the protagonist, provide comic relief, move the plot forward, and quietly exit when the hero’s journey took centre stage. They were memorable, sometimes even beloved, but rarely powerful enough to reshape the story’s structure. Yet the modern entertainment landscape, particularly in the age of sprawling franchises and long-form streaming series, has begun to shift that balance.
10 March 2026, 14:44 PM
Understanding the cinema of convenient truths and perfect propaganda

Understanding the cinema of convenient truths and perfect propaganda

Cinema has always been a mirror, but particularly in the last decade, it has started holding that mirror at a rather flattering angle. The reflection now has a bit more nationalism, a bit less nuance, and sometimes, an entire political manifesto playing in the background. The trailer for "The Taj Story", which asks whether the Taj Mahal might once have been a temple, does not merely invite curiosity; it stages curiosity as corrective history. It is the newest actor in a growing ensemble of movies that treat doubt like doctrine and cinema like a courthouse. And while we once saw filmmakers wrestle with moral ambiguity; in present times, the only ambiguity lies in whether you are watching entertainment or an election campaign.
24 October 2025, 04:52 AM
Why we keep falling for the same rom-com tropes

Why we keep falling for the same rom-com tropes

Rom-coms tell us that even in the chaos of real life, some things are beautifully predictable. The same misunderstandings, the same meet-cutes, the same last-minute airport chases somehow never get old.
22 October 2025, 04:00 AM
Gods, graves, and gallery lighting: A love letter to looted civilizations

Gods, graves, and gallery lighting: A love letter to looted civilizations

They say you cannot see the world in a day, but they clearly have not been to the British Museum. After five hours of exploration, I came out questioning three things: time, empire, and how exactly one steals a whole moment without anyone noticing.
19 October 2025, 13:17 PM
Gen Z guide

The Gen Z guide to smarter learning

For Gen Z students who have grown up navigating both online classes and algorithmic chaos, learning smarter isn’t about working harder or longer. It is about using the right tools with the right mindset.
14 October 2025, 05:44 AM
The quiet rage beating beneath ‘Dhadak 2’

The quiet rage beating beneath ‘Dhadak 2’

Despite flaws, this is a milestone in the reluctant evolution of Bollywood's conscience
10 October 2025, 09:02 AM
‘Alice in Borderland’ struggles to escape its own maze

‘Alice in Borderland’ struggles to escape its own maze

The new season begins back in the mortal world, where Arisu and Usagi are living as a married couple, supposedly free of the horrors that nearly consumed them. Their peace, however, does not last. Usagi, still haunted by her father’s absence, becomes vulnerable to the manipulations of Ryuji Matsuyama, a researcher obsessed with proving Borderland’s existence.
5 October 2025, 04:00 AM
TV Series 2025,

Finished ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’? Let’s find your next binge

Plenty of shows and movies capture the exact same feelings that hooked us on TSITP—so consider this a fan-to-fan guide to what to watch next. Each of these picks delivers a flavor of TSITP, whether it’s the romance, the setting, or the emotional gut punches we secretly live for.
3 October 2025, 05:54 AM
The many faces of Durga Puja in cinema

The many faces of Durga Puja in cinema

What remains fascinating is how the aesthetics of Durga Puja on screen often mirror the aesthetics of cinema itself. Both are public spectacles designed to overwhelm the senses, to invite immersion and disbelief. A pandal is not unlike a film set, meticulously crafted, temporary, and destined to dissolve after a few days.
30 September 2025, 04:00 AM
the-bads-of-bollywood-cast-explain-the-controversial-title-620.jpg

"The Ba***ds of Bollywood": All shine, no spine

"The Ba***ds of Bollywood" arrives like a party that knows it is both entertaining and dangerous to attend. It is gleefully loud, crammed with cameos and inside jokes, and built out of the familiar ingredients of commercial Hindi cinema. At the same time, it repeatedly lets loose sharp, uncomfortable flashes that refuse to be smoothed over. Watch it as a satire and you will laugh often. Watch it as an indictment and you will feel the edges. The series wants to do both things at once, and that ambition is its central thrill and also its chief flaw.
28 September 2025, 04:00 AM
Memory, music and the fragile shape of modern romance

Memory, music and the fragile shape of modern romance

At its heart, the film is a story of Krish Kapoor, a volatile and ambitious young musician played by Ahaan Panday, and Vaani Batra, a lyricist played by Aneet Padda, who together discover not only the soaring highs of romance but also the fragility of time when Vaani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. What begins as a meeting of music and words gradually turns into a meditation on the meaning of love when memory itself starts slipping away.
24 September 2025, 13:03 PM
maisha_tasnim_sreshtha_65.png

The summer I learned what first love feels like again

I remember the first time I heard about "The Summer I Turned Pretty". It was in a group chat with my friends, where two of them were fighting as Team Conrad vs Team Jeremiah. "You have to watch it," they said and I was skeptical at first, dismissing it as just another teen drama. But when I watched the first episode, something clicked. I know it is super embarrassing to be obsessing over a teen drama as a twenty-something year old but this show really had its sweet way of pulling me in. I never thought a show about a teenage love triangle could make me feel like a teenager again, but here I was, waiting eagerly for a new episode each Wednesday.
23 September 2025, 15:04 PM
AI for job application

How AI can transform your job search

The sheer volume of administrative and creative tasks when applying to multiple jobs can feel overwhelming, and that is where AI can genuinely become a personal productivity partner. When used thoughtfully, AI can save time, reduce errors, and help you present your best self to potential employers.
23 September 2025, 05:36 AM

‘Metro… In Dino’ captures love in its chaos

“Metro… In Dino,” currently trending at No 4 on Netflix, plunges viewers into the messy, unpredictable, and deeply human world of modern love. Director Anurag Basu returns with his signature intertwining narratives, tracing the lives of four couples across Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, and Pune as they wrestle with desire, loyalty, heartbreak, and self-discovery. At its core, the film probes the nuances of contemporary relationships, exploring the spaces between desire and fidelity, longing and responsibility, routine and excitement. Basu never shies away from the uncomfortable: questions of infidelity, emotional neglect, and the tension between individual ambition and shared life are addressed head-on, yet never in a preachy way. His storytelling is deliberate, oscillating between comedy, melancholy, and romantic whimsy in a way that mirrors the characters’ own emotional unpredictability.
18 September 2025, 04:00 AM
AI colleague

AI - the new colleague on your desk

From language models to workflow automation, AI tools are increasingly integrated into everyday work, promising efficiency and insight. Yet adoption remains uneven, in part because misconceptions abound.
16 September 2025, 04:56 AM
iPhone 17 worth buying

Is the iPhone 17 worth buying?

Every September, Apple asks us to upgrade. And every September, we wonder whether the shiny new iPhone is worth stretching our wallets again, or if last year’s model is still good enough. How much better is the iPhone 17 compared to last year’s iPhone 16? And if you are already thinking of spending big, how does it hold up against Android’s superpowers?
10 September 2025, 08:13 AM
Ducsu election 2025

An election that could return Ducsu to the students

There is a sense of possibility in the air, a rare, almost tangible feeling that something is different.
8 September 2025, 14:00 PM
‘Wednesday 2’: A spellbinding return to Nevermore Academy

‘Wednesday 2’: A spellbinding return to Nevermore Academy

When Netflix released the second season of "Wednesday" in two parts, I initially wondered whether this decision was driven by narrative necessity or simply by the platform’s strategy to keep the conversation alive for longer. After all, the first season had been a global phenomenon, and splitting the follow-up into two halves carried the risk of breaking its rhythm. Having now seen the complete season, I can say that while the release format interrupted its flow, the content itself proves that the creative team paid attention to the lessons of season one and delivered something richer, darker, and more confident. This time, the show leans further into the shadows while still delivering the sharp wit and macabre humour that made its first season so irresistible.
7 September 2025, 06:00 AM
A musical, a satire, a lament: The many faces of ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

A musical, a satire, a lament: The many dimensions of ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

I found myself wondering why an animated film had suddenly taken the world by storm, topping Netflix’s global charts. Animated titles rarely reach this kind of universal acclaim unless they are tied to a massive franchise, and yet here was "KPop Demon Hunters", a seemingly niche story about idols battling demons, sitting at number one. Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to dive in. What I found was a film that managed to wrap a playful premise around a surprisingly layered commentary on fame, identity, and the relentless machine of modern pop culture.
3 September 2025, 10:49 AM
The weight of myth and maternal fury in ‘Maa’

The weight of myth and maternal fury in ‘Maa’

Every few years, Bollywood offers a story of maternal heroism, where a mother becomes both protector and saviour, taking centre stage in a narrative traditionally dominated by male leads. "Maa" enters this lineage with Kajol in the titular role, a choice that immediately draws attention. The film, currently streaming on Netflix, blends horror with mythology to weave a narrative that pits a mother’s fierce love against supernatural forces rooted in Bengali folklore. Set in Chandrapur, West Bengal, the story is anchored in the legend of Raktabeej and the fierce presence of Kali Maa, aiming to merge ancient myth with contemporary familial stakes. On paper, the premise is ambitious: a mother willing to defy mortal and supernatural odds to protect her child, all while exploring broader social themes, particularly the value of a girl child in a patriarchal setting.
31 August 2025, 07:11 AM
The summers we obsessed over teen love triangles

The summers we obsessed over teen love triangles

This summer, we, the netizens, turned Instagram into a courtroom to decide whether Belly should pick Conrad or Jeremiah. My feed, once a respectable mix of vacation reels, fit checks, work memes, and unsolicited life advice from people who barely graduated high school, has turned into a teenage courtroom where strangers plead their case for fictional love triangles. We type furiously about the fate of a girl whose biggest problem is which handsome boy gets to stand in the rain with her, and read captions declaring loyalty to a boy who exists only in Prime Video’s servers. It feels as if the world pressed pause on adulthood and collectively moved into a beach house where heartbreak is cinematic, summers are eternal, and every decision feels like a new episode. And we—fully grown, allegedly serious and busy people—are here for it.
28 August 2025, 06:38 AM

Pagination

  • Show more
Home
Journalism without fear or favour
Follow Us

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Comment policy
  • Apps
  • Archive
© 2026 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI Lab

Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes
is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.