The New Nation - Internet Edition

Magic: PC Saha: A promising magician

M Nasiruddin

Prokash Chandra Saha (PC Saha) is a young magician of Bangladesh. The famous magician PC Sarker's able student magician RP Saha's only successor PC Saha. He has not yet completed his education life; still he has earned name and fame by showing more than hundred magic shows at home and abroad. He has, by his eloquent speech, artistic tactics and good physical appearance created hundreds and thousands of fans. He has already taken a place as teenage craze in the society. He is the citizen of Kapilmuni, Paikgacha, Khulna by birth. At present he is studying final year of Masters degree in Daulatpur BL College, Khulna.

From childhood he was enchanted by his father RP Saha's magic shows, Just to quench his thirst for encouragement. He has learned from his father all the sides of magic tactics which has taken reality in 2000. In that year RP Saha "Jadu Surju" become sick in showing magic in Goraikhali of Khulna, still he took the stage wearing his father's dress by keeping aside the hue and cry of the spectators. He showed different magic and the viewers were entertained. he was greatly encouraged to enter in the magic world. By praiseworthy spices by the numerous spectators and by their continuous claps. In 2004 he obtained membership of Bangladesh Jadukar Parishad, the recognised national committee of magicians.

Besides in 2006, PC Saha, has obtained membership of International Brotherhood of Magicians-USA, the world greatest magicians organisation, which has given him a honourable position in the magic world. Although he is very young, he is an expert in magic. As such on 22/05/2008 the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has handed over to him the Licence of the magic party named "Jonaki Jadu Chakra", established by his late father, as a recognition of his contribution in magic. He has seen his father's obtaining the title of 'Jadu Surju'.

He also had seen the car landing by thousands of viewers of father's motorcycling by plastering his eyes, which encouraged him to enter the colourful world of magic. But the promising young magician has told that his late father Jadu Surju RP Saha could not obtain any honourable recognition due to non-advertisement of media although he had experience of long 35 years as a professional magician at home and abroad. In every moment he had to fight with financial crisis. PC Saha the only successor of his father has taken his father's magic instruments as his own and just to materialise his father's wish to become worldwide famous magician. His father named his son PC Saha in conformity with the name of his instructor PC Sarker.

The young magician has always the mission and vision to become a great magician as wished by his late father. Much financial help is required to invent new tactics of magic to face the modern world and as such, sometimes he does not obtain encouragement. He has expressed his hope that the art of magic may earn foreign exchange along with honour for the country by showing magic abroad if proper patronage and financial help from the general public and the government organisation.

Exhibition: Bangladeshi artworks in Beijing Int’l Art Biennial

Entertainment Desk

The 3rd Beijing International Art Biennale, China 2008 was inaugurated on July 8 at the Gallery of the National Art Museum of China. Artworks of eight artists from Bangladesh are taking part in the month-long exhibition, said a news release.

Including Bangladesh 81 countries are taking part in the show. Artists Abu Taher, Ranjit Das, Khalid Mahmud Mithu, Debashish Paul, Sarkar Nahid Niazi Nipu and Khurshid Alam Selim and Md Mizanur Rahman, Director of the Department of Fine Arts of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, took part in the inaugural session of the exhibition. Bangladesh Embassy to China always cooperated the participants there.

In symposium, one of the main attractions of the exhibition, 15 countries presented papers. Among them, participation from Bangladesh was significant.

Md Mizanur Rahman presented paper on contemporary arts of Bangladesh in the seminar.

On behalf of Bangladesh, participants from Bangladesh invited countries to attend the 13th Biennial Asian Fine Arts Exhibition 2008 that will be held in October in Dhaka.

News Release: Yoga course continues

Entertainment Desk

A three-month yoga course started at the Dance and Music Training Centre of the Indian High Commission at Dhanmondi in Dhaka on July 8.

Eminent yoga instructor and therapist Mukesh Kumar is conducting the course organised by the High Commission of India, Dhaka in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Interested persons may contact the Information and Cultural Wing of the high commission (Tel 9888789-91 Ext-250) or Mukesh Kumar (Tel 8615491) for registration.

Bollywood: Priyanka refuses to kiss Harman

Priyanka Chopra

SantaBanta.com

Strangely for an intense love story there's an abysmal lack of sexual synergy between the lead pair in Love Story 2050.

And that's because Priyanka point-blank refused to kiss Harman at a crucial juncture in the plot….or perhaps 'point-blank' isn't the correct term to describe Priyanka's reasonable decision to not smooch on screen, even if the co-star happens to be her real-life boy-friend.

When asked about the kiss that the Ms gave a miss Harman laughed, "How did you get to know about?

It's true both Dad and I felt a kiss would have been most appropriate midway through the narration when the first Priyanka character dies in my arms. Dad had written a kiss into the story here. I was supposed to kiss her as she dies in my arms. But Priyanka chose not to shoot the kiss. We respected her decision and let it be." But what's with Priyanka's reluctance to express love in a natural way, with a kiss especially when the co-star is Harman?

"That's exactly why she didn't do the kiss, " explains Harman. "She couldn't make a concession with me because then other filmmakers would've accused her of preferential treatment. So we simply scrapped the smooch."

Priyanka incidentally, had done a kiss in her first film Andaaz.

"But that's when she was new and had no choice. Now on principle she won't kiss on screen. I respect her decision," defends Harman.

Priyanka is pretty clear on the issue. "It doesn't matter who the co-star. I won't do certain things on screen. Period."

Hollywood: Oscar buzz mounts for late Heath Ledger

Canberra, Agencies

Actor Heath Ledger won rave reviews from Australian critics on Friday for his final performance as the Joker in the new Batman movie, fuelling speculation of a rare posthumous Oscar.

Australian film critics said the late actor was "manically mesmerizing" and overshadowed everyone else in "The Dark Knight" that was previewed in Sydney on Thursday ahead of the movie's world premiere in New York on July 14.

'Hypnotic farewell from the Joker,' wrote Sydney Morning Herald critic Garry Maddox, saying the film was a reminder of the brilliance of the 28-year-old actor who died in his Manhattan apartment in January of an accidental prescription drug overdose.

"And who knows? The campaign for a posthumous Oscar nomination that has started overseas might just gather momentum when 'The Dark Knight' opens next week."

The Australian newspaper's critic David Stratton said Ledger's performance of "an unforgettable, genuinely creepy, villain" was a cross between Marlon Brando and James Cagney with a touch of Edward G Robinson thrown in.

The Daily Telegraph's film editor Vicky Roach said there was a morbid intensity to the interest in Ledger's final performance but his "triumph in creating one of the most memorable villains in recent cinematic history should be celebrated."

Ledger's eerie performance as the Joker has already won him plaudits from international critics and co-stars, making him an unlikely forerunner to posthumously win the Academy Award for best supporting actor next February. Ledger was nominated in 2006 for an Oscar for best actor for his role as a brooding gay cowboy in 'Brokeback Mountain.'

"If there's a movement to get him the first posthumous (acting) Oscar since Peter Finch won for 1976's "Network, sign me up," wrote Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers.