Apurba Jahangir

When I met Apu

My introduction to Soumitra Chatterjee happened in a strange way. It was in the early 2000s, around the month of September, when Nrityanchal used to host dance festivals of three or four days.

Ray: The man behind Bengali cinema

Around 1948, cine clubs were flourishing in Kolkata. A new wave of intellectuals was on the rise. These people thought of cinema to be the voice of the commoners, of the middle class and not just a studio dependent entertainment medium.

STRINGS, KNOBS AND ROCK AND ROLL

To this day he is considered a living legend in the music community—yet he doesn’t sing or play any instrument. Abdur Rafique – known as the first true roadie, the first guitar technician, a musician’s doctor, the real life MacGyver – is the oldest music technician of Bangladesh.

MEMORIES OF BLOOD AND TERROR

It was a Thursday. Madhushudan Dey, owner of the famous Dhaka University Modhur Canteen, went off on his business around noon.

Charulata - The Art of Adaptation

In 1901, after coming back to Shantiniketan from the tiring experience of running a zamindari in Shilaidaha, Rabindranath Tagore wrote the short story Nashtanirh (The Broken Nest), a love triangle set in 19th century Bengal.

Banalata Sen - An Eternal Love Story

Over the years, Bengal has produced a great number of poets. Their verses have touched thousands of people across the world...

Poetry in Frames

In the world of visual arts, Nasir Ali Mamun needs no introduction. For more than five decades, his iconic photographs have inspired

Ghuddi: The Romantic Consciousness of Cinema

There are very few films made in our country that can be credited as alternative films. The last person to showcase this independent approach, both nationally and globally was Tarek Masud.

Robin, the Courageous!

The word 'courage' comes to mind upon reading Muhammad Zafar Iqbal's works of literature.

SHUBHRO: AN EPITOME OF PERFECTION

As the month of February reaches our doorstep, we get ready to embark upon the wonderful journey of Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela— bringing to us not only the sweet smell of freshly printed pages but also filling our hearts with the wonder that is literature.

The Future of Cinema

Cinema is considered to be the most important art form of this century—and to indulge into this art form, this week film enthusiasts witnessed a grand celebration.

Prodigies of Celluloid

Sayeda Abrar Toha Draha, currently a student of class ten at Viqarunnesa Noon School first heard about Children Film Society through her friends and siblings.

Michael the Rebel

Around the middle of the 18th century, the influence of the intellectual awakening of Bengal was at its peak, questioning Bengal's

Snow: A Melancholic Journey

“Pamuk knows that as well as anybody and dramatises it in a raucous scene in which a group of leftists, Kurds and Islamists gather in a hotel room to write a letter to the Frankfurter Rundschau.”

#Infected by Arbovirus

They came, they played, and they conquered! What started out as just two friends jamming with guitars, evolved into one of the most influential rock bands of our country.

Dhaka's Pandora's Box

The definition of a market is an area or an arena in which commercial dealings are conducted. Now one can say that there's nothing remotely poetic about browsing through a market's shops— but what if a market gives the essence of the culture, the people and to some extent, the city as a whole?

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

As the star of Bethlehem approaches, the cakes get ready for the oven and the city lights up – we get ready to celebrate a very

Christmas for all

Duriya Ismat Jahan Usha is a nine-year-old student at Cordova School. Like every year, her excitement grows as December 25

A Tale of a Tragedy

It was December 11, 1971. A N M Golam Mostofa, Veteran journalist of the then daily Purba Desh was catering to family duties.

To walk alone, but strong

In the year 1905 Lord Curzon, the viceroy of India announced the partition of Bengal. The provincial state of Bengal had an area of 189,000 square miles and a population of nearly 80 million.

5 Bangla Dance Songs for the Biyebari!

A Holud night is incomplete without the folk queen! Along with her classics, the new hit number – Local Bus – would definitely be one of the top songs on the Holud playlist!

The Kallol Era: A Glimpse into Bengali Modernism

From the early 19th century, Bengal witnessed a change in its socio – cultural norms as the British Raj came into ruling.

The Three-Day Folk Fest: In Summary

The month of November started out with a bang! Starting off with the Dhaka International Folk Fest, the month has a lot in store for us --- more music and also literature.

Selling Luck On the Streets

It takes a lot of courage to live in a city, especially when it is a city like Dhaka. As our beloved congested and noisy Dhaka grows, so does the hassles of the good people who live here.

The 'Aynabaji' Experience

On September 30, Dhaka witnessed the release of Amitabh Reza's directorial debut-- Aynabaji.

Back to studies with promise of freedom

The boom in the export-oriented Bangladeshi garments has caused more women to enter the workforce than ever before. A

Dreaming Bigger, Dreaming Better

On April 24, 2013, a disaster shook the whole nation when the Rana Plaza building, an eight-storeyed factory complex supplying clothes

The Workers' Revolution

When Rokeya Khatun was in college her father suffered from a cancerous tumour. This led to her family struggle with finances. The strain of earning money became hectic day by day.

A Maestro of Designs

Mazharul Islam, the single most dominant influence on modern architecture in Bangladesh, is one of the reasons why Architecture transcended into art in the country.

10 years of our Nobel Peace Prize

It was October 13, 2006. I was stuck in a coaching centre, waiting for inevitable doom as a math quiz was about to take place.

The Times Are a Changing

In the 1970, the world was shocked with news of the famous band, the Beatles, breaking up. The following year, while John Lennon and Paul McCartney were busy trading insults in the press, the quiet Beatle, George Harrison, was set out to make rock and roll history.

Beginning of Reality

It was the end of the Second World War. Bennito Mussolini's government collapsed in 1943 and with it fell down the glorious Italian film industry.

Rediscovering Dhaka Collegiate School

In 1835 the General Committee of Public Interaction submitted a proposal to Lord William Bentinck, asking to

The Mother of Thousand Eighty Four

On July 28, 2016, we lost a mother – a mother who taught us to dream, who coached us to speak for the rights of others and

In garden of Roses

Around the early 1900's, Hrishikesh Das became one of the prominent zamindars in Dhaka. He had a knack for luxury, and was often complimented by his friends for his houses around the area which is now Tanti Bazar.

Accounts of War

January 1, 1972, The Indian Council of World Affairs published a collection of stories about the serious abuses that Pakistani forces committed during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The book was called “How Pakistan Violated Human Rights in Bangladesh.”

1 Minute Please!

Rahul Anand is a composer, lyricist and vocals for the eccentric musical group Joler Gaan. He also plays a number of unconventional

1 Minute Please!

Mejbaur Rahman Sumon is a renowned director of our country. His television fictions such as “Ami Arupar Kache Jaachi” and “Tarporo Angurlota Nondo k Bhalobashe” have been quite popular among the viewers. He is also the guitarist and vocalist for the popular band “Meghdol”. The Star Weekend talks to this multi-talented young artist about his work, inspiration and much more.

Shopping Down the Memory Lane

As soon as the Eid bonus hits our pockets, we Bangalis tend to go head over heels about new panjabis, kamizes and all sorts

Digging into the Halim!

“So what's your real name?” “They call me Mama! Even my wife and kids, and I love it that way!” answered Mama of the legendary Mama Halim with a proud smile on his face.

Last Call for Vacation!

Adventure and travelling has recently seeped into our society, be it among the upper or middle class. Weekend getaways have

Rivers in Reel

In 1958, an attempt was made to present the lives of fishermen of Bangladesh through a 35 mm reel. Inspired by the famous novel Padma Nodir Majhi by Manik Bandopaddhay, Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz wrote a screenplay which tip-toed around the

A Step Towards Humanity

In our country, the number of people with disabilities is high enough to merit special attention. Based on a report from the World Bank and World Health Organisation, there are 10.5 million disabled adults living in our country. Most of these people are unable to work, mostly not because of their disability, but for their lack of training.

Maya Dip: A Quest towards Solitude

In recent times, a lot of social media users are seen glorifying a certain place they recently encountered. Hundreds of check-ins have been made on Facebook and the selfies are uncountable. Some are calling it the ultimate place for a getaway from the