In celebration of Friendship Day, young filmmaker Zobaydul Rahman’s debut feature “Ural” premiered last Friday across three major cinema halls in Dhaka — Star Cineplex, Blockbuster Cinemas, and Lion Cinemas. 

Two of Dhaka’s longest-standing single-screen cinema halls, Geet and Sangeet, have shuttered operations once again, citing an ongoing drought in quality Bangladeshi film releases and a dramatic decline in audience turnout.

Throughout last July, Drissho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj stood as a powerful voice of resistance – uniting artists, cultural activists, and public figures against the state-led oppression faced by protesting students. A year later, they came together to invoke the spirit of that movement with a daylong event held at the Bangladesh National Museum, bringing together survivors, families of martyrs, and cultural members together under one room.

Veteran actress Babita has taken a nostalgic trip down memory lane, sharing a series of rare photographs from her early career on Facebook. The post, which features a collage of portraits and film stills from her golden days in the industry, was warmly received by fans.

Jeremy Strong, the Emmy-winning star of “Succession”, is reportedly the frontrunner to portray Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Network Part II”, directed and written by Aaron Sorkin. The role was previously played by Jesse Eisenberg, who earned an Oscar nomination for his performance in the 2010 original film helmed by David Fincher.

Two critically acclaimed Bangladeshi productions, “Saba” and “Pett Kata Shaw” , have been officially selected for screening at the prestigious Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025, under the Subcontinent category. The festival will run from August 14 to 30.

The short film “Aborto – The Circle”, starring acclaimed Bangladeshi actors Mosharraf Karim and Robena Reza Jui, has been officially selected for screening at the eighth Bengali Film Festival of Dallas 2025, to be held in Dallas, Texas. The film is directed by Mahamudul Hasan Tipu.

Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan has won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the very first time in his 30-year-long career. The 59-year-old actor was jointly honoured alongside Vikrant Massey for their performances in “Jawan” and “12th Fail”, respectively, at the 71st National Film Awards.

Bangladeshi artist and Dhaka University Fine Arts graduate Naima Karim’s second interactive virtual reality short film, “Mirage”, has officially been invited to the Venice Immersive Competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica).

Popular TV host and screenwriter Rumman Rashid Khan is launching his new celebrity podcast “Behind the Fame with RRK”, premiering today with Mehazabien Chowdhury as the first guest.

Zahur opened up about the industry’s longstanding disregard for actors who play maternal or supporting characters. Despite her national recognition—including multiple National Film Awards—she says she was frequently underpaid, and often not paid at all.

“Ural”, the debut feature by Zobaydur Rahman, releases today across Star Cineplex, Blockbuster Cinemas, and Lion Cinemas in Dhaka. Marking World Friendship Day on August 3, the film celebrates the bonds between youth, with a story that weaves together camaraderie, rebellion, love, and resistance against injustice.

Amazon MGM Studios has appointed Steven Knight, creator of “Peaky Blinders”, to write the screenplay for the next James Bond film, according to reports by Deadline. The upcoming instalment will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, with Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing under their respective banners, Pascal Pictures and Heyday Films. Tanya Lapointe will serve as executive producer.

From stage to street, artistes and activists led a cultural revolt against brutality and censorship

Popular actress Azmeri Haque Badhan has spoken out against a wave of personal attacks and online harassment she has faced in recent days, alleging that the abuse came not only from strangers but also from individuals within her own professional circle.

This 16th edition of IFFM will be held from August 14 to 24, with a centenary tribute to the legendary Ritwik Ghatak headlining its programming. Ghatak’s evocative portrayals of partition, displacement and identity redefined the language of Indian filmmaking.

South Korean actor Gong Yoo, known internationally for his roles in “Squid Game” and “Train to Busan”, has won a defamation lawsuit against a woman who falsely accused him of harassment and threats online.

The beloved Bangladeshi magazine show “Ityadi” is set to return to screens with a special rebroadcast of a classic episode filmed 16 years ago. Tomorrow, Bangladesh Television (BTV) will treat the audience to this memorable episode, originally aired in August 2009, immediately after the 8 pm Bangla news.

The Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada is known for spotlighting horror, supernatural, and fantasy genres. Nuhash Humayun’s horror web-series “Dui Shaw” was notably screened at the festival yesterday and the director himself is currently in Canada to attend the event.

Actors Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White are reportedly in early talks to star in Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming sequel to “The Social Network”, as per sources familiar with the project’s development.