Sharmin Joya

After five years, the 12th Parliamentary Election is taking place in Bangladesh today. The entire country is talking about the implications of this momentous event today. In films, telefictions, and web projects, we see political personalities portrayed by several artistes. We reached out to five celebrities who have donned such roles on-screen and asked if they were genuine politicians then what would be their foremost focus in implementing the changes.

Amongst them, one is titled “Gayeeya”, which will star Prarthona Fardin Dighi under the direction of Gias Uddin Selim. This short film marks their first collaboration together. Khairul Basar will be seen opposite Dhighi in this film, while her father Shahrukh Fardin Subrata will also play a pivotal role in this production.

Kicking off 2024, a new series titled “Sinpaat” by the director was announced on the OTT platform Chorki, making it the first OTT content to be released on a local platform this year. The Daily Star catches up with the director to learn more about the series. 

As we step into 2024, the film industry endeavours to maintain the momentum witnessed in the preceding year. Some have wrapped up shoots and are in the post-production stage, others are poised for theatrical premieres, and some are in the pre-production stages.

A plethora of OTT content was released in 2023, captivating audiences and fueling discussions throughout the year. Let's take a glance at the top 5 favourite OTT contents from around the globe, as selected by Bangladeshi renowned directors.

In her career, she has worked on projects such as “Ladies and Gentlemen”, “Boli”, “Kaiser”, “Dui Diner Duniya”, “Over Trump”, “Myself Allen Swapan”, “Virus”, “Something Like an Autobiography”, and upcoming work is “Kachher manush Durey Thuiya”, amongst others.

The actor performed on stage in plays like Jean-Paul Sartre's “Deowal” and Momtaz Uddin's “Bornochora”. In the 1997-98 season, when Tarek and Russell moved to Dhaka, Rubel joined Tirjak. There, he acted in various plays such as Bertolt Brecht's “Samadhan” and Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet”. He also wrote plays for Tirjak, titled “Lojja” and “Shotyandho”.

The actress, who won the Best Actress award at Festival de Saint -Jean-de-Luz, in France in 2019 for Rubaiyat Hossain’s ‘Shimu’, was announced the Best Actress in the National Film Award (2022) for her portrayal of her namesake this year. She will be taking home the award jointly with Jaya Ahsan ('Beauty Circus').

OTT has elevated the film industry as well: Afran Nisho

Nisho is in the talks for more OTT projects, including “A Common Man” to be directed by Ashfaque Nipun, “Ashur” (based on the life of the serial killer Roshu Kha) to be directed by Shihab Shaheen. At the same time, the “Punorjonmo” famed actor is preparing himself for yet another exciting role on the big screen, which is to be announced soon.

Tisha cited that the narrative of “Mujib” has been shown from Bangamata’s perspective. After being a part of the project, the actress realised that this film will remain as a visual testament for the next generation, to know about the actual contributions of Bangamata.

Starring Shobnom Bubly and Sariful Razz in the lead roles, the government granted film’s “poster reveal” event was held today at capital’s Krua Thai restaurant, with the crew present surrounded by the press and media.

One does not get the opportunity to witness the candid chemistry between the much-loved real-life couple in our industry, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and Nusrat Imrose Tisha. A Tuesday afternoon spent with them at their residence gave The Daily Star a rare peek into their sweet family life, along with their exciting upcoming projects.

On first glance, one might mistake him as the shady character of ‘Nahid’ from a popular commercial from a fintech company. ‘bKasher Nahid’ instantly became a synonymous with scammers everywhere. However, the actor behind the character is anything but.

“Rokeya is one of the most challenging and popular characters I have donned,” she said. “In the last three years, wherever I went, be it in or outside the country, people kept asking me about the next instalment,” quipped the actress, who added that she has never experienced this much hype for any other project.

The void left by her cannot be filled, and it was a tremendous ordeal for both me and my son. Taking care of my son on my own in the US has made it challenging to manage my work commitments. However, he is my top priority, and I will plan everything accordingly.

The year 2023 has proven to be an eventful one for Tasnia Farin. Apart from her debut in the silver screen, she successfully completed her graduation and delighted everyone with the announcement of her marriage to Shaikh Rezwan, her long-time companion.

Now, the question still remains— if the creators of “Antarjal” and “Dushshahoshi Khoka” had not stepped back, then, according to the rules, would there have been a chance for “Jawan” to hit theatres in Bangladesh?

Swastika also informed the Indian media that the shooting will begin from November. Himu is still unsure about this information. “We are still working on the script, and until we complete the pre-production phase, we cannot begin the shoot,” he concluded.

2023 has been a great year for Shamol Mawla, as six OTT projects featuring the actor were released until now. “Each character I have donned so far in the web arena is different from one another,” said the “Mohanagar” famed actor.