The New Nation - Internet Edition

UODA celebrates Rabindra-Nazrul Joyonti

UODA honours Nazrul exponent Sohrab Hossain, Tagore
exponent Kalim Sharafi and veteran singer Ferdausi Rahman
for their contribution to Nazrul Sangeet, Rabindra Sangeet
and Bangla songs respectively.

Entertainment Report

Department of Music of the University of Development Alternative (UODA) arranged a cultural programme to mark the birth anniversaries of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam at the National Theatre Stage of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on May 26.

Students and teachers of the Music Department of the UODA rendered Rabindra and Nazrul Sangeet.

A brief discussion and an award-giving programme was held prior to the music performances. Founding President of UODA Mujib Khan gave the welcome speech.

UODA honoured Nazrul exponent Sohrab Hossain, Tagore exponent Kalim Sharafi and veteran singer Ferdausi Rahman for their contribution to Nazrul Sangeet, Rabindra Sangeet and Bangla songs respectively.

In his speech Kalim Sharafi said, "I hope UODA's initiative will encourage wider practice of traditional Bangla songs."

Vice Chancellor of UODA Prof Emazuddin Ahmed presided over the programme.

After the discussion, Mujib Khan announced that UODA would introduce three scholarships for students, honouring Sohrab Hossain, Kalim Sharafi and Ferdousi Rahman soon.

The cultural programme started with a group rendition of the Rabindra Sangeet, 'Bishwa beena robey.

' Students and teachers of the Music Department also rendered Rabindra Sangeet - 'Jai tabo bichitra,' 'Sharthok jonomo amar' and Nazrul Sangeet - 'Nobin aasha jaglo jey rey aaj,' 'Jhar jhanjay orey nishan' and 'Na mititey shadh.'

Pranab presents Aishwarya Rai’s movies to Gilani

Aishwarya Rai

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee carried a special gift for Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during his recent visit to Pakistan a box full of movies of Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai.

Gilani, 55, who lists Aishwarya and Shahrukh Khan as his favourite film stars, said it was a "pleasant surprise" when he unwrapped the box presented to him by Mukherjee and found it was full of DVDs of movies starring the Indian actress.

The Prime Minister said Mukherjee`s aides might have found out about his favourite heroine from his book "Chah-e-Yousuf Say Sada", in which he wrote about watching Aishwarya`s movies on his laptop while he was imprisoned during 2001-06 by the Pervez Musharraf regime. Mukherjee visited Islamabad during May 20-21 to resume the composite dialogue process with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

The Indian Minister also met Gilani and President Pervez Musharraf. During an appearance on a morning show on the ARY Oneworld TV news channel, Gilani also said he was not opposed to the screening of Indian films in Pakistani cinema halls.

Gilani discussed his taste in clothes and movies and said good music always helped lift his mood He said he liked to listen to the songs of Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Nayyara Noor, a Pakistani ghazal singer who was born in Assam.

Gilani said he could comfortably wear all types of clothes, including sherwanis, salwar kameezes and safari suits, though he was more at ease in the national dress. He added that he liked to wear black.

-Zeenews

Maxim Gorky festival continues

Department of Theatre and Music of Dhaka University
presents Maxim Gorky's play 'The Lower Depths' at Natmandal
Auditorium of Dhaka University on Tuesday.

Entertainment Report

A week-long presentation of Maxim Gorky's play 'The Lower Depths' began at the Natmandal Auditorium of Dhaka University on May 25. Department of Theatre and Music of Dhaka University organised presentation. The show will begin everyday at 7:00pm till May 31.

The play, translated by noted filmmaker Tanvir Mokammel, and directed by the promising director Sudip Chakraborty, presents the suffering of the people of the working class. Unfortunately unlike the other translations of the Western classics, the play did not match with the pathos of the local people.

The play however, had little interaction with the audience because of dissatisfactory translation and performance. The dialogues, particularly the slang used in the play, sounded harsh to the audience sometimes.

Though the set design, lighting and costume were praiseworthy, the performances should have been more improved. Students of the department worked behind the designs and performed in the play.

According to the organisers, the play is for the first time staged in the country. It is a part of the academic exercise of the 4th year honours students of the department.

Through the play they aim to highlight the significance of the historic May Day and express their solidarity to the poor and common people of the country.

They hope that the Bengali version of the play will uphold the rights of the underprivileged and struggling people of the country without hampering the spirit of the classic.

Aamir shocks Harry Baweja

Aamir Khan's decision to release his nephew's debut vehicle Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na on July 4 has baffled Harry Baweja, who fixed the same date long back to open his son Harman's launch pad Love Story 2050

Harry has put in more than Rs.800 milli on in the sci-fi Love Story 2050 to ensure his son's super success, apart from roping in Priyanka Chopra to play female lead in the film.

"The Bawejas were shocked," said a source close to the film. "They had planned and strategised their film's release almost six months in advance.

They had spoken to all their potential competitors from Salman Khan to Ram Gopal Varma to Apoorva Lakhia and Aziz Mirza to Yash Raj and Tips.

"Harman called them up personally to make sure his film comes on a free Friday. Then suddenly Aamir showed up to create an almost Saawariya - Om Shanti Om crisis. The Jaane Tu release was nowhere in sight when Love Story 2050 was announced. Suddenly, they came out of the blue," said a reliable source.

Harry made a panic call to Aamir.

"Harry knows Aamir from the time he did B. Subhash's Love Love Love where Harry was an assistant director. Ever since they've been in touch. Aamir told him he was indeed thinking of coming on July 4."

Incidentally, Genelia D'Souza, who plays Imran's leading lady, is also Harman's girl in the latter's second release Victory

"The Bawejas' first trailer started on a Sunday. That same day a blog went up saying 'Imran Versus Harman'.

That's when the Bawejas first came to know that Aamir was planning to release on the same day."

However, Harman smiles off competition, saying: "Healthy competition is always welcome. I'd rather focus on my work. We've just started the promotion of our first song. It's one of the costliest songs ever filmed."

-NDTV.com