Two of Bangladesh’s most celebrated actors, Abul Hayat and Dilara Zaman, are set to share the screen in “Bela o Bikel”, a new drama that promises to be as heartfelt as it is rare in today’s industry.

Over the past week, my Instagram feed has been practically throwing "My Oxford Year" at me, with Tumblr-text captions over softly lit stills, reels romanticising ancient libraries and English cities, and teary-eyed confessions that claim this film destroyed them, in the best way. And like any curious cinephile, I clicked to watch it on Netflix. What I found was a film trying to be both the dream and the ache, the fantasy and the wake-up call.

Two musicians with a shared fascination for horror—Saidus Salehin Sumon of Arthohin and Shakib Chowdhury of Cryptic Fate—are set to bring their eerie imaginations to the big screen. Longtime friends, the duo have watched countless horror films together and travelled across the country in search of spine-chilling stories. Along with their friend Jibran, they once created the radio show “Bhoutist” from these experiences. Now, Shakib and Sumon’s story is being adapted into a horror film titled “Andhar”, to be directed by Raihan Rafi.

Thanks to the release of the nationally beloved film “Utshob” on OTT, it has found its way into social media discussions. Lauded for its family-friendly, emotional, and evocative script, the film arguably peaks in the scene between Sunerah Binte Kamal and Zahid Hasan. A lighter facet of the emotional reunion of the father-daughter duo is Sunerah screeching, “How come this coffee is 350 taka? Outrageous!”, a humorous dialogue which has unexpectedly set off debates on social media.

Deepika Padukone is transitioning from acting to producing for the upcoming Hindi adaptation of the 2015 Hollywood film “The Intern”. 

British actor Ray Brooks, best known for narrating the classic children’s series “Mr Benn” and for his roles in “The Knack … and How to Get It”, “Big Deal” and “Taxi!”, passed away on Saturday (August 9) at the age of 86.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs, in association with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, will host the premiere of the docu-drama “36 July” this evening at 7pm at the National Theatre’s main auditorium. Written and directed by Abdullah Khan, the production will be performed by Turaag Shilpi Goshthi, the cultural arm of the Tamirul Millat Central Students’ Union (Taksu).

Netflix has confirmed an early renewal for its live-action adaptation of “One Piece”, announcing the season three pickup during an annual celebration of Eiichiro Oda’s iconic manga in Tokyo. The news comes months before the premiere of season two, slated for 2026, and much earlier than the season two renewal, which arrived weeks after the show’s 2023 debut.

Vicky Zahed and Afran Nisho have teamed up for some of the most talked-about projects in recent years, including “Punorjonmo”, “Chirokal Aaj”, amongst others.

Netflix has released the official trailer for “The Thursday Murder Club”, Chris Columbus’ film adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling novel. The mystery thriller, premiering August 28, brings together an impressive cast led by Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie.

The Toronto International Film Festival is scheduled to run from September 4 to 14.

The English-language Bangladeshi feature film “Dot” has received clearance from the Film Censor Board, paving the way for its release. Producer Barua Manojit Dhiman confirmed the news, adding that the official release date will be announced soon. The film is directed by Barua Sunanda Kakon.

He began his journey with Goutam Koiri’s “Antonagar” (2023) and quickly gained recognition through standout performances in Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s “840” (2024), Vicky Zahed’s “Tithidor” (2024), and Ashfaque Nipun’s “Jimmi” (2025)—projects that significantly boosted his career. In conversation with The Daily Star, the actor reflected on his recent work and shared insights into his creative process.

TIFF 2025, set to run from September 4 to 14 in Toronto, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year and is expected to draw the world's top filmmakers, industry executives, and press, making it an exceptional opportunity for the “Ali” team to share their work with an international audience.

The return of the iconic daily soap “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” has proven to be a television phenomenon, clocking an impressive 1.659 billion watch minutes across TV and streaming platforms in its launch week, Star Plus announced yesterday.

Described as “Heat” meets “Hell or High Water” with the soul of a Bruce Springsteen ballad, the story follows Chalamet as a former MotoGP racer whose career was cut short by a devastating crash. Now running a small garage while caring for his drug-addicted father, his life takes a sharp turn when his father dies.

For those weary of superhero flicks and sequels, Star Cineplex is set to bring a chilling alternative this Friday with the release of two horror films.

To mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9, NTV will air a special tele-drama titled “Joya” tonight at 9:30pm.

Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” has solidified its place among the platform’s biggest English-language films of all time. As of the week of July 28–August 3, the musical fantasy has racked up a staggering 158.8 million views since its premiere on June 20, securing the No 4 spot on Netflix’s all-time English-language film chart.

Marking his first non-Avatar feature in nearly 15 years, Cameron’s next film tackles the devastating legacy of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima — a story he calls the most powerful he's encountered since “Titanic”. The announcement coincides with the 80th anniversary of the bombing on August 6, lending further emotional weight to a project he describes as both deeply personal and artistically challenging.