The New Nation - Internet Edition

Theatre: CAT receives Ibsen Award

Entertainment Report

Theatre troupe Centre for Asian Theatre (CAT) received Ibsen Scholarships for International Ibsen Projects 2008 at the National Theatre Stage in Oslo in Norway on September 1.

This was disclosed at a press conference organised by CAT at Dhaka Reporters Unity recently. Prof Abdul Mannan, President of CAT, Mosharraf Hossain, General Secretary, Rokeya Rafiq Baby, Member of the Executive Committee of CAT, among others, were present at the conference.

Speakers said, the Ministry of Culture of Norway provides scholarships for international Ibsen projects to a person or institution that works to uphold the spirit of Ibsen. The projects do not necessarily have to be plays by Ibsen or translations, nor do they have to refer directly to Ibsen.

CAT has produced several plays by Ibsen such as Ghosts, Wild Duck, A Doll's House, Peer Gynt and Brand. Moreover, it has produced Resurrection, based on Ibsen's life and works, written by Kamaluddin Nilu. As part of the scholarship, CAT is currently planning to produce The Lady from the Sea, they said.

Prof Mannan said, "CAT wishes to establish a leading international Ibsen centre in Asia, and therefore needs to develop and educate their staff in several of the theatrical professions." Besides CAT, The Commonwealth Theatre of USA, Writers Projects in Afghanistan and herStay of Norway received the scholarships, he said.

Celebrity News: Sharmin Lucky hosts Chandrabindu

Sharmin Lucky

Entertainment Desk

Popular television celebrity Sharmin Lucky is now busy with the new variety show 'Chandrabindu.'

The programme is being aired on Channel i at 9:30pm every Friday. Nurul Alam Atique is the director of the show. The 26-episode programme was highlighted some exceptional and interesting topics. The topic of the first episode was 'ghost.'

Other subjects that will be highlighted in upcoming episodes are mother, death, crow, childhood, train and insanity.

Memory: Salman Shah’s 12th death anniversary today

Salman Shah

Entertainment Desk

Today is the 12th death anniversary of popular film actor Salman Shah. He died on September 6 in 1996.

Shahriar Chowdhury Imon, who used Salman Shah as a film name, was a superstar. The name, Salman Shah, evoked an era in the Bangladeshi filmdom. In the early 1990s when the country's film industry remained stagnant and when vulgarism and weak-script movies ruled the industry, Salman Shah entered the film industry in a spirit vibrant with promise. The ailing film industry witnessed a real romantic hero and welcomed a new era in the romantic film genre with his appearance.

To mark the Salman Shah Smriti Parishad organises a memorial meeting, film screening and Salman Shah Award giving ceremony at Zahir Raihan Colour Lab Auditorium of BFDC in the city today. Managing Director of BFDC ANM Badrul Amin will be present as chief guest at the meeting. It was back in 1993, that film buffs for the first time observed the superstar of modern Bengali films, Salman Shah, with the blockbuster Keyamat Thekey Keyamat. Directed by Sohanur Rahman Sohan, the film was the remake of the Indian blockbuster Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. In his debut movie, Salman earned a niche through his mesmerising performance and quality acting skills and soon he turned into a heartthrob of the young film connoisseurs. The pair Salman Shah and Moushumi were treated as the most popular team after Razzak-Kabori, right after the release of the film. Salman Shah, which is actually a pseudonym of Shahriar Chowdhury Imon, started his acting career in TV drama. However, he came to the limelight through his first film. Apart from Keyamat Thekey Keyamat, in his short span of film career he also acted in another hit 18 movies. His on-screen chemistry with his first heroine Moushumi and then Shabnur were the most wanted silver screen couples of that time.

But, unfortunately, the country's film industry observed the most shocking day on September 6, 1996 with the untimely demise of its talented actor Salman Shah, who was in fact at the pinnacle of his career at the time. Since his death nine years have been passed, but the industry, his fans and friends still yearn for the superstar. Salman was found hanged at his home, according to media Salman's wife, Samira was responsible for his death but 11 years on, no one has been officially charged for his murder.

TV Watch: Aim in Life on Ntv tonight

Raunak Hassan and Tinni in drama serial Aim in
Life

Entertainment Desk

New drama serial 'Aim in Life' to be aired on Ntv at 8:15pm today.

The serial is being aired on the channel every Saturday and Sunday.

Masud Sezan has scripted and directed the drama serial.

Moshrraf Karim, Kushum Sikder, Raunak Hassan, Tinni, Nafiza, Saju Muntasir, Nafa, Shirin Alam, Rifat Chowdhury, Abdullah Rana, Kochi Khondaker and others performed in different characters in the serial.

Besides, former national cricketer Khaled Masud Pilot, singer SI Tutul and musician Jewel Aich has performed as guest characters in the serial.

TV Show: Chorkuthuri on ATN Bangla tonight

Zahid Hasan and co-artist in drama serial
Chorkuthuri

Entertainment Desk

The 47th episode of drama serial 'Chorkuthuri' to be aired on ATN Bangla at 8:40pm today. Ayon Chowdhury has scripted the drama, while Zahid Hasan has directed it.

Pijush Bondapaddhya, Tushar Khan, Dr Ezaz, Intekhab Dinar, Chandni, Kushum Sikder, Chitralekha Guha, Jhuna Chowdhury, Tofa Hasan, Shirin Alam, Noyon, Tariq Swapan, Abid Rehan, Rumi, Zahid Hasan and others performed in the serial.

Hollywood: Economic woes set tone for spring NY Fashion Week

Reuters, New York

What do you wear to a recession? Women will pare down to essentials and make what they have go further, both in fashion and in their day-to-day spending, say trend-watchers and designers who unveil spring 2009 looks at New York's semi-annual Fashion Week starting on Friday. Practical, tailored looks will prevail over frivolous frills, say designers who hope to lure women into buying something new, despite the prospect of recession by year's end.

Enticing US consumers to splurge on fashion is not easy against a backdrop of lost jobs, home foreclosures, a battered stock market and US dollar, and surging food and fuel prices. Nor do the dark economic clouds look likely to lift next spring, said David A Wolfe, creative director of trends forecaster The Doneger Group.

"These clothes for spring and summer of 2009 will hit when the economy is at the lowest of the low," he said. Styles will reflect the times, as they did in the Great Depression and in World War Two, he said. The 1930s brought long somber hemlines, and the 1940s saw fitted women's suits.

Bollywood: Kunal Khemu, Soha Ali team for comedy

Soha Ali

Agency, Mumbai

Kunal Khemu of 'Kalyug' fame and Soha Ali Khan team up for a comedy titled '99' - one short of a century. "Kunal is playing a young and clever man who wants to hit that century in life and the conflict that he faces to score hundred makes the story. Everyone can identify with him," Aditya Shastri of People Pictures told IANS.

"Soha plays a Delhi girl. Each one (Soha and Kunal) has a pre-conceived notion about the other, which makes the story interesting," he added. Commenting on the title of the film, Shastri said: "The film is titled '99' because it is set in the year 1999. Secondly, it also deals with the magical "one' number that turns 99 into hundred." The film also stars Vinod Khanna, Boman Irani, Cyrus Broacha, Mahesh Manjrekar and Simone Singh. "Everyone agreed to do the film after hearing the story. The script is the forte of the film. Every character has a definite role in the film. For instance, Vinod Khanna has a very interesting part, but I would not like to disclose it now." Shastri is co-producing the movie with Anupam Mittal. Being made at budget of Rs100 million, '99' will be directed by two America-based Indian directors - Raj Nidimuro and Krishna DK who have earlier directed movies like 'Shor' and 'Flavors.' "The shooting for the film has started and we plan to wrap it up by Oct 8. I think it will be ready for release by January 2009," said Shastri.

Shastri's company is also working on a few other films, which includes "Click," "Marry" and "Charles and I."