The New Nation - Internet Edition

Festival: Selim Al Deen Janma Utsab begins

Entertainment Report

The six-day 'Selim Al Deen Janma Utsab' to celebrate the 59th birth anniversary of eminent playwright Selim Al Deen was inaugurated at the National Theatre Stage of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Monday evening.

The Cultural Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury inaugurated the festival, as chief guest, while Nasiruddin Yusuf, Convener of the festival and Director of Dhaka Theatre, drama activists, among others, were present on the occasion.

Earlier the programme started Monday morning with paying tributes to the grave of Selim Al Deen at Jahangirnagar University campus.

Dhaka Theatre and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) have jointly organised the six-day elaborate programme.

The programme featured theatre performances, exhibition, installations, documentary film screenings and seminars. Awards in memory of Maqsudus Saleheen, Bazlur Rashid and Fawzia Yasmin Shiblee were announced at the inaugural ceremony.

Selim Al Deen's three plays - 'Joiboti konyar mon,' 'Prachya' and 'Nimojjon' - will be staged by Dhaka Theatre in the festival. The theatre group will also stage 'Binodini,' an adaptation based on the autobiography of legendary 19th century actor Binodini Dasi under the supervision of Selim Al Deen.

Therefore, two shows of Kolkata-based theatre group Swapnosan Dhani's productions 'Hargoj,' written by Selim Al Deen will be staged in the festival.

The birth anniversary programme also features screening of five documentaries on Selim Al Deen, directed by five young directors. Therefore, in 'Selim Al Deen Memorabilia,' photographs and posters featuring rare moments of the legendary dramatist will be on display.

Lux Channel-i Superstar ’08 starts

Entertainment Report

The Lux Channel i Superstar 2008, a popular talent hunt programme, jointly organised by Unilever Bangladesh and Channel i was announced at a press conference yesterday.

This is the fourth instalment of the talent hunt. The first "Lux Channel-i Super Star" was held in 2005. Since then the contest has been held every year.

The press conference was held at a city hotel where Naushad Chowdhury, Brands and Development Director of Unilever Bangladesh Ltd, Faridur Reza Sagor, Managing Director of Impress Telefilm Ltd, Aly Zaker, Managing Director and CEO of Asiatic Marketing Communications Ltd, previous Lux superstars, among others, were present.

Naushad Chowdhury said, "This year's winner will be awarded the central roles in a mega serial and a film.

This year's endeavour will hopefully inspire more to come forward and win the hearts of millions."

Aly Zaker said, "It is an honour to be a part of this programme. This event plays a major role in finding talents from all over the country."

The registration will be open till September 15. After initial rounds, 25 contestants will be selected who will go through a 'boot camp' process.

They will undergo vigorous grooming sessions with professionals to develop their intellectual skills, confidence, looks, acting skills and more. In this year contest, to make the contest more challenging, new categories like fashion, advertisement, fitness and choreography have been included, said the organizers.

All the necessary information about the registration for this programme will be available at the website www.luxchanneli superstar.com, they said.

TV Watch: Gulshan Avenue on Banglavision tonight

Entertainment Desk

The daily serial 'Gulshan Avenue' to be aired at 9:45pm on Banglavision on Wednesday.

Nima Rahman has written the script of the serial, while Syed Awlad has directed it.

Sujata, Masud Ali Khan, Tariq Anam Khan, Diti, Mou, Apurbo, KS Firoz, Lina Ahmed, Rosy Siddiqui, Sakiba, Tanjika, Shahriar Shuvo and others are being performed in the serial in various roles.

Story of Gulshan Avenue:

Ali Reza Chowdhury has three sons-Shahadat, Sharafat and Shafkat. But only Shafkat is living with him. Yasmin is wife of Shafkat.

They have six children. Shamim, Nasim and Wasim. Farzana is wife of Shamim. But he is searching someone. Wasim recently got married with Samia, daughter of a rich man.

Farah of this family loves promising singer Kabir. But his parents want to force her to give divorce to Kabir.

Once some Rehana came from London and demands Tk five crore from Shafkat. The story goes on with various climaxes and dramas.

Movie News: UAE bans God Tussi Great Ho

Agency

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have ordered the Salman Khan-starrer Bollywood film 'God Tussi Great Ho' off screens in this Gulf nation following complaints that it violated Islamic teachings.

The National Media Council ordered that the movie, released in India and here Friday, not be screened in the UAE after receiving scores of complaints from viewers, the Gulf News reported. The movie also stars Priyanka Chopra and Amitabh Bachchan, and is considered a remake of the 2003 Hollywood production "Bruce Almighty" starring Jim Carrey. In the film, Bachchan plays the role of god as he meets Salman's character Arun Prajapati who blames god for all his problems.

"Those who saw the movie told the authorities they were shocked to find that Bachchan played the role of 'god'," the Gulf News report said.

Gala Event: Fuad, Sumon, Anila, Topu to perform AANSU Night

Entertainment Desk

Band musicians Fuad, Sumon, Anila and Topu will perform at the Alumni Association of North South University (AANSU) Night '08 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city on August 22.

Windmill Advertising Ltd has organised the programme for the AANSU.

On that night, alumni of the North South University will also enjoy a gala dinner, glorious fashion show, performance of DJ Rahat and many more entertainments.

Tickets will be available at the NSU campus (SPZ Plaza), Helvetia and Coffee World and Sagar Publishers.

Fuad is popular as music composer, while Sumon is the main vocalist of his band group Aurthohin.

Anila and Topu are solo performers. Recently their solo albums released. Both of them have been performing in many cultural programmes in the North South University.

Bollywood: Goody quits India TV show

AFP, Mumbai

Controversial British reality television personality Jade Goody has pulled out of the 'Bigg Boss' show in India after being diagnosed with cancer, reports said Tuesday. Indian news channels said Goody had told contestants on the show - the Indian version of 'Celebrity Big Brother' - that she has been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

NDTV said Goody, 27, abruptly flew out of India to return home for treatment, just days after arriving in the country's entertainment capital Mumbai. The media reports said she spoke to her doctor in Britain, then ran out in tears and announced to her housemates on the Indian show, "I have cancer."

Goody's appearance on the show came 18 months after she was accused of racism on British TV's 'Celebrity Big Brother' due to her taunting of Bollywood actress and fellow contestant Shilpa Shetty.

The former dental nurse was evicted from the British show by an audience vote. Shetty ultimately won the show.

Shetty is now working as host of 'Bigg Boss.'

Goody said before appearing on the show she was 'not proud' of her behaviour towards Shetty and that she had come to India determined to "win everyone's heart".

Siddika Kabir’s Recipe on Ntv tonight

Entertainment Desk

Popular cooking related programme 'Siddika Kabir's Recipe' to be aired on Ntv at 8:15pm today.

Prof Siddika Kabir and Sharmin Lucky have jointly moderated the programme. In every episode, a guest has to be invited to perform in the show. Then Siddika Kabir presents her cooking. Sara Zaker and Abdullah Rana have directed the programme.