Shababa Iqbal

5 own voices romance books that will warm your heart

The path towards truly diverse representation in literature necessitates that marginalised authors are given the chance to tell their own stories and shape our understanding of diverse experiences.

5d ago

When BookTok amplifies diversity, who controls the narrative?

When certain types of books are consistently marketed and sold more than others, it can result in a lack of diversity in the types of stories and perspectives that are being shared

3w ago

‘The Hunger Games’ and the danger of desensitisation to violence

In making the Hunger Games unglamorous, Suzanne Collins challenges the audience to reflect on how they view violence in entertainment

Navigating cancel culture in the literary world

Cancel culture is best treated as a collective decision to minimise the cultural influence a person and their work have moving forward.

Should book adaptations always be faithful?

When it comes to casting, direction, design, and other varying aspects of production, the author being at the heart of it all can be a huge asset, assisting in the transformation of their ideas and offering tidbits of inspiration or knowledge that may otherwise be missing.

How Netflix’s ‘Shadow and Bone’ adaptation can be improved

Season 2 of 'Shadow and Bone' will be out on Netflix on March 16—how can it do better justice to the texts than Season 1?

‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ adaptation hits all the right notes

The streaming adaptation retains the flash-forward tell-all interview framing device through an on-screen documentary.

In praise of Enola Holmes, and the women in mystery who save themselves

Nancy Drew always knows how to save herself and others from seemingly hopeless situations. For instance, she uses specific techniques to free herself from ropes, sends SOS signals with a tube of lipstick, and uses spike heels to break out windows. Her blue convertible car is a symbol of radical feminine freedom.

Books to read if you enjoyed ‘House of the Dragon’

Like A Song of Ice and Fire, The Priory of the Orange Tree is told from the perspective of many different characters in various parts of the world, with different loyalties, religions, ranks, and abilities.

Hulu’s ‘Rosaline’ is a witty, predictable parody of ‘Romeo and Juliet’

The movie tells the classic love story from the perspective of Juliet's cousin Rosaline, who happens to be Romeo's recent ex-girlfriend. Crushed when Romeo meets Juliet and begins to pursue her, Rosaline schemes to foil the famous romance and reclaim her man.

How ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ mirrors the social media age

To me, Wilde’s novel articulates the deepest anxieties of the late Victorians and continues to offer us ways to interpret our own experiences.

Of diverse princesses and demigods: Is racebending in fantasy adaptations enough?

Progress is underway, but some studios are still hiding behind the curtain of racebending as if it will solve all of the problems of race innate to cinema itself. Nonetheless, all of it matters—Ariel and Annabeth being portrayed by young Black women—because what we read and watch feeds our imagination.

The Little Mermaid: Has Disney sanitised our expectations from fairytales?

Thanks to 2023's The Little Mermaid, Black and brown girls can finally see themselves as princesses in a film where the protagonist's skin colour is not as instrumental to the story as the princesses' heritage was in Aladdin, Mulan, and The Princess and the Frog.

Anyone can be a hero: Why I love ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’

From mental health struggles to characters with different racial and LGBTQ+ backgrounds, the series shines a light on people—and heroes—of diverse identities.

Two upcoming Pinocchio films—why does he still resonate?

Zemeckis' version will likely be a comforting trip into nostalgia and sentiment, an ode to the power of the human heart to do the right thing despite life's many temptations. At the same time, del Toro's will be a dark fairytale with troubling implications, examining how we puppets can learn to think for ourselves.

‘Emily’ and creative freedom in literary biopics

It got me thinking that we are fascinated by the behind-the-scenes lives of our cultural obsessions, and the personal lives of authors can come to feel like public possessions just as much as their works. It is this sense of ownership that can risk conflict over films about literary icons.

International Youth Day: Why I enjoy reading YA books as an adult

We are drawn to stories about first experiences, and YA literature is rich with it. First experiences draw us in because they are the crucible for change.

How BookTok motivated me to read again

It has made literary criticism—often regarded highbrow or excessively academic—feel accessible.

‘Persuasion’, ‘Bridgerton’, ‘Emma.’ What’s missing from these quirky period dramas?

Studios seem to think female characters need to be glossed with a “zany” and “feisty” persona in order to be relevant.

Netflix’s ‘Persuasion’ misunderstands Jane Austen’s novel entirely

The problem with Netflix’s adaptation of Persuasion is that it doesn't know what it wants to be.

Could Ranbir Kapoor's 'Brahmastra' be the superhero film Bollywood needs?

The teaser for "Brahmastra: Part One", starring real-life couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt as well as veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan and South Indian superstar Nagarjuna, was released today. It is one of the most anticipated Bollywood films of the year.

Off to Cannes: Representing Bangladesh in the world’s biggest film fest

The star-studded Cannes Film Festival kicked off on May 17, 2022, celebrating all things international film and the actors, directors, and crew behind the scenes.

From the ramp to the screen: Shela is all set for challenges

Shirin Akter Shela is best known as the winner of Miss Universe Bangladesh 2019. Sporting a red jamdani shari with a model hood of Bangladeshi rickshaws and ornaments that emulated Bengali letters, she won hearts with her national costume at the beauty pageant’s final competition in the USA.

An evening with Lata Mangeshkar’s timeless melodies

The musical programme, “Akash Pradeep Jale: A tribute to Lata Mangeshkar”, organised by HSBC Bangladesh, was held at Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka on April 1. The event was hosted by Tropa Majumdar.

This is the best time to be an independent artiste - Sonia Hossain

Actress, model, activist, producer, and television personality Sonia Hossain stepped into the limelight with “You Got The Look” in 2003. She was a speaker at the Global SDG Summit 2022 in Delhi this February. We caught up with the multi- talented artiste to find out more about her recent projects.

The Fame Game: Madhuri Dixit deserved a better OTT debut

In recent years, not only did OTT platforms provide us with some fresh new talents, but also initiated comebacks of several popular Indian actresses of the 90s.

The Father of the Nation through graphic novels

As I sifted through the pages of “Mujib”, the graphic novel series depicting the Father of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s life, I could not help but think of how many generations of children could have benefited from this remarkable portrayal of the Father of the Nation.

Sheena Chohan’s ‘Fame Game’

A former Miss Universe participant, Indian actress Sheena Chohan has worked in six films, including Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s “Pipra Bidda” (Ant Story).

Animating the future

Although animation is only beginning to find its footing in Bangladesh, many have made significant strides in this field in recent years.

I lost weight for the film, only to gain it back again: Sabila Nur

Celebrated actress Sabila Nur is set to star in several Valentine’s Day tele-fictions this year, teaming up with Afran Nisho and Apurba, among others. In particular, her pairing with Apurba is a hit with viewers.

5 new on-screen pairs to look forward to

A host of our favourite stars are pairing up for the first time on-screen in different upcoming projects. There is a lot of excitement and anticipation about how they would fare in their given roles. Check out what these pairs have in store for us.

Stop piracy, it’s 2022!

“Black Widow” was one of the most pirated movies of 2021.

5 outstanding web productions throughout the year

This year saw the release of a slew of outstanding Bangladeshi web series and films that had us glued to our screens. As 2021 comes to an end, we bring you a list of some of the best productions, released on OTT platforms.

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man finally comes of age

There has been a sentiment amongst certain sections of people that superhero films, more specifically movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), are the “death of cinema”. Many think pieces have been written around this concept. I think there is an inclination from a lot of people to turn their nose up at popular entertainment, and I would like to challenge them to go watch a screening of “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. Watch the sheer joy this movie unfolds for an audience.

In remembrance of National Professor Rafiqul Islam

National Professor Rafiqul Islam, one of the most distinguished researchers on National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, passed away yesterday at the capital's Evercare Hospital. He was an educationalist, a scholar, writer, and cultural activist. The 87-year-old was the recipient of both Swadhinata Padak and Ekushey Padak, the highest civilian honours in the country. Numerous Nazrul Sangeet exponents fondly spoke about the National Professor with The Daily Star.

‘I am looking forward to working with Shyam Benegal’

Popular actress Sabila Nur has been busy with quite a few tele-fictions, especially for the forthcoming Valentine’s Day. She was recently featured in Chorki’s first ever free mini-series, “Sugar Free”.

‘Call My Agent: Bollywood’ combines the glitter of showbiz with apt emotions

Featuring a talented bunch, namely Rajat Kapoor (Monty) Aahana Kumra (Amal) Ayush Mehra (Mehershaad) and Soni Razdan (Treasa), the remake has plenty of Indian celebrities playing fictionalised versions of themselves. But at the heart of it are the overworked, dedicated agents themselves who are constantly putting out multiple fires in their personal and professional lives.

Spooky shows and movies to watch this Halloween

Halloween is a good time for a TV marathon, featuring gripping and spooky tales. Netflix has some big handfuls of tricks and treats with a solid slate of movies and shows worth streaming to get in the spirit. It offers more than a few supernatural horror movies, and even titles on the lighter side. Marking Halloween today, here are some movies and shows you can watch on the platform.

Bollywood stars on the wrong side of the law

Bollywood stars have found themselves on the wrong side of the law on many instances throughout the years.

No Time to Die: A fitting farewell to Daniel Craig’s James Bond

For me, 2006’s “Casino Royale” brought James Bond, the iconic British spy with an eye for the ladies, fast cars, and cool gadgets, firmly into the 21st century. Above all else, Daniel Craig’s first film as Bond was a tragic love story, as the spy met and fell for Vesper Lynd, a woman who showed herself to be very much his equal. Her eventual betrayal and death was the catalyst that transformed Bond into the cynical, hard-edged agent we know and love.

‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ shines with an emotional origin story

Marvel Studios’ latest superhero offering, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”, is the movie that brought me, masked up and sanitised, back to the theatres — and as a longtime Marvel fan, I am glad it did.

Leesa Gazi’s ‘Baarir Naam Shahana’ sheds light on a woman’s courage

British-Bangladeshi writer, director, actor and playwright, Leesa Gazi has dedicated her career to presenting powerful stories told from a woman's perspective via theatre and film. Her documentary film, "Rising Silence", memorialising accounts of Birangona women of the 1971 Liberation War, won several accolades across the world, including Best Feature Documentary at Moondance International Film Festival (USA), Asian Media Award for Best Investigation 2019 (UK), Best Feature Documentary at the PSVI Film Competition by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK. Since 2017, Gazi started working with Global Survivors Network, SEMA, established by Nobel Laureate Dr Denis Mukegwege's Foundation. The first-ever International public address by two Birangona women...

Revisiting Dilip Kumar’s stellar performances

As the world woke up to the news of legendary actor Dilip Kumar passing away yesterday (July 7), an era in Bollywood came to a sudden end. In a career span of nearly six decades, the star gave several unforgettable movies and moments that have been forever etched in the minds of his fans.

Adnan Al Rajeev on his first web project, 'YouTumor'

Adnan Al Rajeev is a renowned name in the television industry, with numerous commercials and tele-fictions to his credit. His production house, Runout Films, is one of the major production companies in Bangladesh. The talented director is now gearing up for the release of his much-anticipated project, “YouTumor”.

Shamol Mawla talks ‘Mohanagar’

“Mohanagar” depicts the events of a fateful night in a police station in Dhaka, where paths of criminals, an eminent industrialist, the general public, and members of the press, intertwine in the aftermath of a road accident, for a period of seven hours. The series, produced by Shopnoghuri Productions, features Mosharraf Karim as O C Harun, Zakia Bari Mamo as Shahana Huda, Shamol Mawla as Afnan Chowdhury, Mostafizur Noor Imran as Moloy Kumar, and Khairul Basar as Abir Hasan, among others.

Books to read if you miss travelling this summer

I know it’s hard when you want to travel, but life, owing in no small part to COVID-19, has other plans. If you are anything like me, then you are probably avoiding spending too much time watching the news right now. One way I found to cope with these strange times is to escape into books, especially those that transport me to wonderful locations. Here are five such books to read if you miss travelling.

‘Friends’ Reunion: The one where everyone gets nostalgic

“Friends” was a show I watched with my grown-up cousins in the evenings on Star World. I was young – too young to watch Monica and Chandler kiss, or to understand what it actually meant when an enraged Rachel asks Ross about the girl at the copy machine, “how was she?” Yet, I learned to love the show before I even really watched it.