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Event: Memories of poet Shamsur Rahman recalled

Discussants at the seminar at National Press Club:
NN Photo

Entertainment Report

Poets, educationists and litterateurs at a seminar in the city said that we could identify poet Shamsur Rahman as a poet of post-colonial period in the light of timeframe. Shamsur Rahman started writing his poets for the last forty years of the previous century. He recognised 'blooded circle of the political history' of the subcontinent. For this reason, he used structural frame of the European poetry in his poems. But there were also languages of the local people, said the speakers.

The seminar on 'Shamsur Rahman: Colonised Poet' organised by Sovyata at the National Press Club on Friday.

Poet Belal Chowdhury chaired the seminar, while poet Dr Mahbub Hasan, Assistant Editor of daily Jugantor, presented keynote paper.

Prof Dr Biswajit Ghosh, Professor of Bangla Department of Dhaka University, poet Rabiul Husain, Prof Dr Sardar Abdus Sattar, Dr Rashid Askari, Professor of English Department of Islami University, Kushtia, poet Shamim Reza, Moshfiqur Rahman, Lecturer of Lalmonirhat Government College, among others, took part in the discussion. Litterateur Ata Sarkar, gave welcome speech at the meeting, while reciters Joyonto Roy, Nishat ZAhan Rana and Ria Mahmud presented recitations after discussions.

Event: 'Shotoborsher Bangla Gaan’ at Shilpakala Academy

Entertainment Report

To celebrate the first day of monsoon, cultural organisation 'Nibedan' and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy jointly organised a musical soiree titled 'Shotoborsher Bangla Gaan' at Jatiya Sangeet O Nrityakala Kendra Auditorium of Shilpakala Academy on June 15.

At the programme, artistes of Nibedan performed Bengali songs about rain, composed in the last 100 years.

Md Sharful Alam, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, was the chief guest at the programme. Educationist and environmentalist Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, poet-lyricist Mohammad Rafiquzzaman and cultural activist Shadhon Das were special guests. , Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, Director General of Shilpakala Academy, presided over the programme.

Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed said, "Rain blesses all corners of the world but perhaps monsoon has always been extra generous to us. That's why every human emotion, heightened in monsoon, has been referred to in Rabindranath's songs. I don't think beyond the borders of sub-continent, there is any poet who has extensively worked on the theme of rain."

Bishwajit Roy, Director of Nibedan, said, "Contemporary poets rarely write about monsoon. In this city, vision is limited by mushrooming high rises; splendour of monsoon cannot be enjoyed in confinement. For songs about rain, we have to look back. Kalidas, Vidyapati, Chandidas, Rabindranath, Nazrul, Atul Prasad, Dwijendra Lal - all have praised monsoon with pertinent passion. Rabindranath alone wrote over one hundred songs about rain."

The first song of the evening was a chorus. Artistes of Nibedan performed a Rabindra Sangeet 'Hridoy aamar nacherey aajikey'.

Md Sharful Alam performed another Rabindra Sangeet 'Badol diner prothom kadam phool'.

Luna Sayeed rendered a Nazrul Sangeet 'Borosha oi elo borosha'.

Bishwajit Roy rendered a song written and composed by Hemendra Kumar Roy.

Sutopa Roy performed 'Ek boroshar brishtitey bhijey' written by Gazi Mazharul Anwar and composed by Khandokar Nurul Alam. The song, originally rendered by Nilufar Yasmin, was featured in the film 'Jalchhabi.'

Sharmeen Shathi Islam's immaculate rendition of 'Borosha bhorosha diley na tho', written and composed by Amalendu Bikash Kar Chowdhury, received a round of praise.

More recent songs presented at the programme included 'Aaj ei brishtir kanna shuney', written and composed by Shahiduzzaman Swapon and made famous by artiste Niaz Muhammad Chowdhury and 'Konthey amaar badol belar gaan', written by Mohammad Rafiquzzaman and composed by Bishwajit Roy.

Bollywood : I’m doing what no other actress has ever done: Rani

Rani Mukherji

Entertainment Desk

Rani Mukherji might have had two flops in Saawariya and Laaga Chunari Mein Daag but she is confident about the success of her forthcoming film, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. Set to win the hearts as an angel in the film, she speaks to Trans World Features correspondent at length.

This is a new year and your first release this year.

I am all excited about my next film. I hope the audience like it. It's a different kind of film.

So are you nervous?

Come on…no way. I am rather all excited and confident. It has been a great experience working in a film. This type of a film has never been tried earlier in India.

Tell me what attracted you so much that you chose to play an angel in the film…

Of course the story line and my role. I have always tried to do something new for the audience… give them something new. This time too it wasn't different. I play an angel, which no other actress has played earlier in Indian films.

Does that mean you like experimenting?

I have always liked that and done that with my roles. I would rather say that I have been lucky. My directors have always come to me and offered me roles where I have got the chance to experiment.

So how did you go about playing an angel? Experimented a lot…

It was mainly improvisation as there was no set pattern. No one has seen an angel, so we don't know how they talk or walk. So it was completely imagination and improvisation.

And you enjoyed a lot doing that…

Oh yes… that was an experience (laughs). I did all the stunts myself. In fact you won't believe the stuntman got crazy. They generally get more to work with the heroes but this time it was only me who did the stunts. He hardly got a chance to work with Saif…

Okay.. Coming to Saif, you team up with Kunal and Saif once again after Hum Tum and Tara Rum Pum…

That is when your job becomes easy. Kunal is extremely supportive. We all know each other well. Since there wasn't much I could prepare myself for the role of an angel it was Kunal who used to guide me but at the same time he also gave me the room.

There were times when I completely surprised him by doing something on my own. It always helps when you work with friends.

Event

An art competition among the multiple and
intellectual disabled children organised by SEID Trust was
held at the LGED Auditorium in the city recently: Photo:
Sharif Khan