The Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) 2026 kicked off on Saturday (January 31) with a clear message: mobile filmmaking is no longer a novelty, but a legitimate and growing cinematic practice with global reach.

The story follows Bhashan, a child found floating in the waters of the Ganges and taken in by a childless fishing couple from Koshdanga. After the death of his adoptive parents, the now-grown Bhashan begins to grapple with an unsettling question: what is his religion, and where does he belong?

Six plays will be staged across the festival, held under the theme “Andhar Katuk Monchaloke” (Let the stage light cut through the darkness), framing theatre as both artistic practice and social inquiry.

For them, a ray of light arrives in the name of Alok Nibash, an initiative by BANCAT, Bangladesh’s first holistic cancer care home. Here, cancer patients receive free treatment and accommodation, along with counseling and emotional support for both themselves and their families. It is more than a shelter; it is a space of dignity, compassion, and healing. This brainchild of Najmus Ahmed Albab, a cancer survivor himself, was born out of a desire to help those without the financial means to fight cancer, giving them hope, care, and a chance to rebuild their lives.

From youthful longing to philosophical maturity, Rabindranath Tagore’s creative life unfolded as a continuous journey rather than something stagnant. That journey took centre stage at “Jatrapather Anandagan”, a thoughtfully curated cultural programme held on Friday (January 30) evening at Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi.

Bahraini rapper Flipperachi has entered the Guinness World Records after his song “FA9LA”, featured in Ranveer Singh’s blockbuster film “Dhurandhar”, topped the highest number of Billboard Arabia music charts.

The event was not only a tribute to the past but also a declaration of future plans. Gaanchill unveiled a new logo and vision, along with its new slogan: “Legacy never retires; it reinvents itself.”

Niamul Mukta wrote on his Facebook profile, “I did not write the screenplay of the film. The screenplay was written by Muhammad Tasnimul Hasan Taj. I do not know how this award was given to me.”

The book was launched today evening at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom in Gulshan-2, Dhaka, at an event organised by Archiconnect and attended by architects, academics, planners, students, cultural figures and members of the media, marking a significant moment for contemporary architectural discourse in Bangladesh.

Architecture does not have that luxury, or even wants it. It is meant to be entered, tested, and lived inside. "Parallels" leans into that truth, treating architecture as something that unfolds through experience rather than something completed at first glance.

The final drama, “Odyssey,” draws from Homer’s ancient epic of exile, survival and return. Reimagined for the stage, the production foregrounds Odysseus’s long journey as a metaphor for endurance and moral testing, allowing a classical text to speak to contemporary experiences of displacement, uncertainty and perseverance.

As part of the opening day’s events, legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s classic film “Heerak Rajar Deshe” was screened on Saturday at 6 pm at the Bhoirobee office in Dhanmondi.

O’Hara’s career spanned more than five decades, during which she became one of the most respected comic actors in Hollywood, earning multiple Emmy Awards and a devoted global fan base.

Reflecting on the season, she said, “Spring is all about celebration. After winter comes spring, and it’s a season filled with passion and festivity. Everyone loves spring, and so do I.”

Among other roles, O'Hara portrayed Kate McCallister, the mother of Macaulay Culkin's character in the movie "Home Alone"

An evening screening at the same venue reportedly sold only two tickets. The situation appeared even bleaker at several multiplexes, where all scheduled screenings at Vue cinemas in London recorded zero advance ticket sales.

Set in the Rangpur region, the film tells the story of farmers, motherhood, and the emotional lives of people pushed to the margins. Sumon knew the risks. Realist cinema without marketable stars rarely attracts producers or distributors. Still, he chose to pursue a grounded, life-driven narrative rather than an easier commercial route.

Rooted in the enduring conflict of human existence, the play navigates birth, death, crime and the impossibility of true communication through a careful interplay of dialogue and silence. Using symbolic and aesthetic devices, it examines how language both connects and fractures human relationships—how what is spoken often fails, and what remains unspoken carries its own weight.

Sony’s ambitious four-part biopic on The Beatles has officially moved into production, with the first looks at the actors portraying the legendary band now revealed in an unconventional way.

K-pop star Rosé is set to take the stage at the Grammy Awards 2026, marking a historic moment for the genre. The Australian-Korean singer-songwriter will become the first K-pop soloist to perform at the prestigious awards ceremony.