The New Nation - Internet Edition

Parveen Sultana’s musical soiree

Entertainment Report

Parveen Sultana walked to the centre of the stage and dominated it through a span of more than twenty songs. On Saturday, it was her moment in the spotlight, seeing that 'Tomar du chokhe chokh rekhe,' a CD of twelve of her songs, had only moments earlier been released at the National Museum. Those who have kept track of Sultana's progress in recent times will have a fairly reasonable comprehension of the elevating quality of her songs. The voice is rich, the mastery over delivery is remarkable, all of which is again reflected in these new songs. Penned by Ashraf Hossain and MR Waseq, with music in the capable hands of Deba, these songs are an aesthetic delight. In 'Brishti ashar pelona shomoy,' 'E kemon borsha elo,' 'O matal shure' and the like, the versatile in the artiste comes alive yet once more.

And it was such versatility that was on display, in all its substantive form, on stage as Parveen Sultana took her audience down the lanes that eventually zigzagged their way to some of the more verdant of musical landscapes. She began with Tagore's 'Gram chharha oi ranga matir poth,' moved on to the still-searing 'Padmar dheu re' before turning around to recreate the magic of the old Sabina Yasmeen number, 'Majhi nau chhaira de.'

These early songs worked up the energy in her, and made expectations soar in her audience. In her element, she moved effortlessly into 'Aami roopnagarer rajkonya,' 'Tomar du chokhe chokh rekhe' and 'Ochenar moto kore na chenar obhinoy.' The evening deepened, passing into the mellowing phases of night. Parveen Sultana showed precious few signs of fatigue.

Through 'Naach moyuri naach' and 'Shaat bhai chompa,' she progressed to 'Tokhon tomar ekush bochhor bodhoy.' The melody eventually exploded into the firecrackers of old Shondhya Mukherjee numbers.

And then came the tragically soothing Shahnaz Rahmatullah song, 'Je chhilo drishtir shimanaye,' followed swiftly by that Naheed Niazi reminder of 'Akasher oi miti miti tarar shaathe koibo kotha.'

Bengali music trends of 19th and 20th centuries

Entertainment Report

Department of Production of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organised a research-oriented programme titled 'Bangla music trends during 19th and 20th century' at the Music and Dance Centre on May 25.

Besides renowned singers such as Khairul Anam Shakil and researcher Prof Mridul Kanti Chakroborty, promising singers of Department of Theatre and Music of Dhaka University presented songs written and composed by the major representatives of the two centuries.

Work of Devendranath Tagore, Ramnidhi Gupta, Sridhar Kathak, Monomohan Chakraborty, Ram Prashad, Joytirindranath Tagore, Lalon, Kangal Harinath, Radharaman, Hason Raja, Rabindranath Tagore, Dwijendra Lal Roy, Rajanikant Sen, Atul Prasad and Kazi Nazrul Islam were highlighted.

Professor Mridul Kanti Chakroborty of the Department of Theatre and Music, did the research and planning of the programme.

Secretary to the Ministry of Planning, Zafar Ahmed Chowdhury was the chief guest and folklorist Shamsuzzaman Khan was the special guest at the programme.

Director of Department of Programme of Shilpakala Academy, Bikash Kishore Das delivered the welcome speech. The event was presided over by Ashraful Mosaddeq, secretary of the academy.

Discussants appreciated the research-based programme.

Tisha writes story for a play

Entertainment Report

Tisha has proved her skill in modelling and acting to the viewers for last few years. She achieved huge success in both media. Tisha is a supper duper hit star of showbiz. When she was a child artist she got not only fame in dance and singing she also got national award. With all of her potentiality now she is showing us a new one. That is her writing skill. Now she is going to write story for a play. Recently on her writing a play is going to shoot. Director will be Naim Imtiaj Niamul.

Beside of this Tisha is busy with some other plays. Many plays are playing different channel. In ATN Bangla going to play a story based upon old Dhaka 'Soua Pache Arai Len'.

In the play Tisha is talking a local language of Dhaka. The story of Mominul Islam and directed by Golam Soharab Dodul.

Tisha is doing a great job in the play, commented by many viewers.

Not just Adi, there’s another man in Rani’s life

For all those who thought that it's only Aditya Chopra who has a sway over Rani Mukerji, there's news. The pretty lass has admitted that there's someone else too who tops her list of favorites and holds a 'special place'.

But wait, we are not hinting at any romantic link up, Rani's admiration for this co-actor is nothing but professional. The actress who has had a career spanning 12 years and 40 movies is candid enough to admit that things would not have been the same for her had it not been for Shah Rukh Khan.

Yes, the actress has a soft spot for King Khan. "I was considered a newcomer in 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', but Shah Rukh never let me feel like one.

The treatment he gave in spite of his superstar status then overwhelmed me. I respect his dedication and the extra effort he puts towards his work. I still learn a lot from him," said the dusky beauty. In fact the two have acted together in several films, including hits like "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai," "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", "Chalte Chalte" and "Veer-Zaara".

They were also seen together in the critically acclaimed offbeat film "Paheli", which was based on a short story written by Vijayadan Detha. Interestingly Rani who has been appreciated opposite co-actor of many films Saif Ali Khan did not have that good an opinion about him. "In my recent film 'Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic' it was a good experience working with him. But while doing 'Hum Tum' we had some reservations. With time, we get along well and have mutual respect for each other."

So what about marriage plans?

"You people are too much interested in my marriage. But let me tell you that I don't have a marriage plan for a long, long time. I want to do a lot of films now and don't see marriage in the near future."

-Zeenews

Epic film 'Che’ looks at guerrilla’s life and death

Entertainment Desk

Benicio del Toro plays Argentine guerrilla Ernesto 'Che' Guevara in an epic four-hour double bill which looks first at his role in the Cuban uprising before moving to his campaign and eventual death in Bolivia.

Steven Soderbergh directed the Spanish-language movie 'Che,' which may be released in theatres in two parts titled 'The Argentine' and 'Guerrilla,' although he would also like to give movie goers the chance to see them together.

Soderbergh, who won the Cannes film festival's Palme d'Or for best film in 1989 with 'Sex, Lies & Videotape,' said he was fascinated by the character of Guevara, who has gone on to become a symbol of rebellion the world over.

"Cuba is less of an issue for me than Che," he told reporters on Thursday in Cannes, where 'Che' is in the main competition of 22 entries. I think he's great movie material is really what it comes down to. He had one of the most fascinating lives I can imagine in the last century."

Soderbergh originally intended to make a film only about Guevara's bid to stoke rebellion in Bolivia, but felt audiences needed to know about what happened in Cuba first.

"To understand why he thought they could win in Bolivia you needed to see what happened in Cuba, because the odds were similar at a certain point."

For Oscar-winning del Toro, who was born in Puerto Rico, playing the idolized idealist was a daunting task. "As I went into the research of the character I became more and more like a deer in the headlights, more afraid of approaching him because I kept learning," he said.

TWO PARTS, TOUGH SELL?

The first half of 'Che' jumps between Guevara's involvement in the Cuban uprising that helped Fidel Castro seize power in 1959, their first meeting in Mexico and Che's visit to the United States in 1964 when he addressed the United Nations. Del Toro portrays Guevara as a courageous man of unswerving principle who inspires fear and respect among his men and ordinary people and administers often brutal justice. After Cuba, the Argentine-born doctor set off for Congo to foment revolution there, but his African campaign failed.

Soderbergh picks up Guevara's life again in Bolivia, where he travelled dreaming of a Cuban-style uprising.

Heavily bearded and exhausted, Guevara looks increasingly isolated as, afflicted by crippling asthma, his small band of followers are gradually picked off and the peasants he sought to recruit turn their backs on him.

Guevara was finally caught and executed by CIA-backed Bolivian soldiers after an interrogation on October 9, 1967. His body was flown to Vallegrande and put on display in a hospital before being buried in an unmarked grave.

Early reaction to 'Che' has been mixed, with reviews questioning its length and Soderbergh's apparent determination to avoid heightening the drama through Hollywood conventions.

When asked about such criticism, Soderbergh responded: "I find it hilarious that most of the stuff being written about movies is how conventional they are, and then you have people t they are upset that something's not conventional."

Also screening on Thursday in Cannes was French competition film 'La Frontiere de l'Aube" ("Frontier of Dawn").

Shot in black and white by French director Philippe Garrel, it shows a love story tipping into madness and stars the director's son Louis Garrel and Laura Smet, daughter of French rocker Johnny Hallyday.

I’m very lucky: Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie, an actress, a mother of four and soon to be six, and involved in many humanitarian efforts all over the world, feels this hectic lifestyle is easier than having a regular career.

The pregnant actress is currently in France with her partner Brad Pitt and is expected to have twins. According to reports, Jolie said: 'I'm very, very lucky. A lot of mothers don't have a job where they can just work a few months in a year and then come out for two days for a press conference. My schedule is very small in comparison when it comes to hours so I can afford to spend as much time as possible with my children.'

The couple just bought a 35 million pound chateau on the French Riviera which comes with a forest, and they make sure one of them is always at home.