Rakshanda Rahman Misha

Sarees, dancing, cheers and applause — the screening of Rubaiyat Hossain’s “The Difficult Bride” at the Venice International Film Festival turned into a celebration of Bangladeshi cinema on the prestigious international stage.

What began as a celebration of a decade of promoting Nazrul Sangeet has now turned into a nationwide search for the next generation of performers.

At its heart is the image of a migratory bird—a creature flying away from its cage, carrying the ache of leaving home. “Pinjarake Pushal Moyna uri uri jai re” becomes more than a folk refrain in "Mulluk"; it speaks of a community separated from its ancestral homeland and left to build a life far from where their ancestors came from.

At the centre of the story is Bokul, played by Priyontee Urbee, who seeks revenge after being humiliated. Mir Rabby takes on the role of the antagonist, who is always seen with a roktokorobi, or red oleander flower, tucked behind his ear.

When Rubaiyat Hossain's "The Difficult Bride" made history as the first feature-length film from Bangladesh to compete at the Venice International Film Festival, it wasn't just the film that had everyone talking. Curiosity quickly turned to its leading lady, Zaineen Karim Chowdhury, who, interestingly, shares her first name with the character she plays. One question lingered above all else: what made Rubaiyat believe that Zaineen was her "Difficult Bride"?

Some photographs document history. Others preserve grief, resilience, and everyday realities that might otherwise fade with time.

Some photographs document history. Others preserve the grief, resilience and everyday realities that might otherwise fade with time. Bringing together many of those defining moments from 2025, the fifth edition of the Bangladesh Press Photo Competition 2026 commenced at Drik, where the winners of this year were announced.

When Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman shared their rendition of "Saanwariya Saanwariya" from the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Swades" on his Instagram Story, it was a moment that left musicians Sanzida Mahmood Nandita and Shuvendu Das Shuvo both stunned and deeply inspired.