At the 30th Busan International Film Festival, the Kyrgyz-language film "Kurak" was honoured with the Bangladesh July Memorial Prize.

Music often serves as a form of therapy, and when it comes from a film, it carries an even deeper power, bridging the audience with the characters and their stories, enhancing the emotional flow. “Megh Balika” from the Shihab Shaheen directorial web film “Kacher Manush Dure Thuiya” is one such song that beautifully captures this essence.

Coke Studio Bangla has released its sixth track of Season 3, “Moha Jadu”, marking a first-time collaboration between Bangladeshi music producer Habib Wahid and Tajikistani singer Mehrnigor Rustam.

The performances that follow will include Shyama Sangeet, devotional songs, patriotic numbers, and contemporary songs. Solo performers scheduled to appear include Anima Rai, Deblina Sur Dola, Rituraj and Sinthi Saha.

Two years on, Part II continues that spirit. This edition places nine artists in the spotlight, while the original eighteen remain as the symbolic “+ONE” — etched into memory, time, and artistic discourse. Their earlier contributions highlight that exhibitions are not isolated events but part of an ongoing conversation across years, works, and audiences.

British-American composer Mark Ronson is set to collaborate once again with filmmaker Greta Gerwig, this time for Netflix’s highly anticipated adaptation of “The Magician’s Nephew”, the sixth novel in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series. Gerwig, who previously worked with Ronson on the 2023 blockbuster “Barbie”, is writing and directing the fantasy adventure, which will serve as a prequel to “The Lion”, the Witch and the Wardrobe”.

Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio returns to the big screen with his much-anticipated film “One Battle After Another”, set for worldwide release on September 26. Bangladeshi audiences will get to experience the epic action-thriller on the same day, with Star Cineplex confirmed as the local distributor.

Universal Pictures has unveiled the final trailer for “Wicked: For Good”, the sequel to director Jon M Chu’s 2024 musical fantasy hit. Running three minutes and five seconds, the trailer continues the story after the events of the first film, revealing how the friendship between Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba evolves against the backdrop of a divided Oz.

Coke Studio Bangla has returned to rhythm after more than a year’s pause, following the release of Hashim Mahmud’s “Baji” to launch its third season. That was followed by “Long Distance Love”, performed by Ankan Kumar and Sheikh Mumtahina Mehzabin. The latest entry features celebrated musician Habib Wahid, who joins Tajik singer Mehrnigor Rustam for the upcoming song “Jadu”, set to premiere today on the Coke Studio Bangla YouTube channel.

Experimenting with dark content has always been one of director Vicky Zahed’s strengths as a storyteller. This time, his web series “Chokro”, based on a dark yet real-life plot, earned him the Best Director (Series) award at Blender’s Choice – The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards this year.

Lipa reaffirmed her stance by adding, “It will always be Free Palestine, but using a global tragedy as a tool to sell newspapers is something I find profoundly disturbing.”

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.

Then came a bold post-production decision. Initially, Adnan followed the familiar Coke Studio colour palette. But something about the song resisted. “I felt an instinct to lean into black-and-white, to give the video a timeless look. It wasn’t in the plan, and there was back-and-forth with the agency and client. But they trusted the vision. In the end, it became the first black-and-white Coke Studio song ever.” For him, the absence of colour gave the emotions their true form. “Colours should always reflect emotion. Here, the emotions demanded black-and-white.”

Iconic Bangladeshi rock band Warfaze has made history as the first South Asian band to partner with Zippo on exclusive band-inspired lighters.

Warner Bros Pictures has released the first official trailer for “The Bride”, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s bold reimagining of the Frankenstein myth. The gritty horror film stars Jessie Buckley as the Bride and Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s monster, set against the backdrop of 1930s Chicago.

A brand-new album titled “Bujhlam”, presented by GaanShala and Ek Nirjhorer Gaan, is set to be released tomorrow. The album features four original tracks written and composed by Enamul Karim Nirjhor and performed by celebrated singers Somnur Monir Konal, Masha Islam, Dola Rahman, and Antara Rahman.

Claudia Cardinale, the Tunisian-born Italian actor who became one of the defining faces of European cinema in the 1960s and 70s, has died at the age of 87.

“Last Suffer” weaves together Anton Chekhov’s ageing character Vasili Svetlovidoff and moments from the life of French playwright and performer Molière.

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio describes his upcoming action thriller “One Battle After Another” as a sharp commentary on today’s polarised world.

Legendary singer Sabina Yasmin, who had been away from music while battling cancer, has recorded a new track after regaining her health. Titled “Otit Golpoguli”, the song will soon be released under the FA Music label.