Entertainment
Films and TV Drama based on Samaresh Majumdar’s Literary Works
Samaresh Majumdar, the renowned Bengali novelist from West Bengal, India passed away on May 8, 2023. He was not only a prolific writer but also a source of inspiration for many filmmakers and TV drama producers. Majumdar's works were known for their realistic portrayal of social issues and human emotions. Some of his novels have been adapted into critically acclaimed films and TV dramas. From the Naxal movement in "Kalbela" to the character of detective Arjun in "Buno Haansh," Majumdar's works have taken the Bengali literary and cinematic world to a new height. Let’s explore some of the most memorable films and dramas based on Samaresh Majumdar's novels.
7 Films and TV Dramas based on Samaresh Majumdar’s Works to Watch
Kaalbela
Directed by Goutam Ghose the film "Kaalbela" was released on May 19, 2016. This film features a stellar cast including Soumitra Chatterjee, Santu Mukherjee, Parambrata Chatterjee, Rudranil Ghosh, Bratya Basu, Anandi Ghose, and others.
The story, based on a novel by Majumdar, revolves around the disillusionment of young Bengali students who take up the cause of revolution, only to be left with unanswered questions regarding the conduct of those who change their tracks midway.
The story is set against the backdrop of the political unrest in Kolkata during the 1960s, where we see Madhabilata fighting against societal norms as an unwed mother, while Animesh questions the ideology he once fought for. The film highlights the struggles faced by these young revolutionaries and the impact it has on their lives.
The film manages to capture the essence of the novel and brings it to life on screen. Overall, "Kaalbela" is a compelling drama that is worth watching for its stellar performances and thought-provoking storyline.
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Buno Haansh
“Buno Haansh” is a Bengali action thriller film directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, based on a novel by Samaresh Majumdar. The film was one of the high-budget films of Tollywood and was released on 15 August 2014.
The main theme centres around Amal, who gets deeply involved in smuggling and eventually realises that he is a part of a dangerous game.
The film features Srabanti Chatterjee and Tanusree Chakraborty as the female leads and Moon Moon Sen as the central character.
“Buno Haansh” was produced by Bhushan Kumar and Arindam Sil served as the executive producer. The film was shot in various locations, including Mumbai, Bangladesh, and Thailand.
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Arjun – Kalimpong E Sitaharan
Bengali thriller film titled "Arjun - Kalimpong E Sitaharan," directed by Prem Prakash Modi and produced by Mukul Sarkar, was released in 2013. The movie starred Om Prakash Sahani and Sabyasachi Chakraborty as the lead actors.
Arjun is a famous Bengali fictional character created by the renowned novelist Samaresh Majumdar, primarily for a young audience. The film's storyline is based on two novels of Samaresh Majumdar, "Sitaharan Rahasya" and "Khunkharapi."
The storyline revolves around Sita, a teenage girl on the brink of adulthood, born and raised in the United States, who is brought to Kalimpong by her father to keep her away from her boyfriend, whom he considers a bad influence. The situation gets complicated when everyone appears to be part of a conspiracy and deception. The climax reveals that Sita's father is the culprit, as disclosed by Amol Shome (played by Sabyasachi Chakraborty). Arjun (starring Om) helps his mentor Amol solve the case in Kalimpong.
The film was shot in different locations in West Bengal and Sikkim, including the scenic spots of Kalimpong with misty mountains and dense jungles.
Critics and reviewers gave the film mixed reviews, with some criticising the weak dialogues and loud background score. Nonetheless, Om's depiction of Arjun, a sleuth of the Gen X, received praise.
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Garbhodharini
“Garbhodharini” is a TV adaptation of Samaresh Majumdar's novel that narrates the story of four friends who want to change the outlooks and values of their society.
This actor just became a father for 7th time at age 79
A spokesman for Robert De Niro confirmed to CNN on Tuesday (May 09, 2023) that the actor has once again become a father.
The Oscar winner broke the news in an interview with ET Canada on Monday, where he was promoting his new film, coincidentally titled “About My Father”.
When the topic of paternity came up during the conversation, the 79-year-old gently corrected the interviewer when she said that De Niro had six children.
“Seven, actually. I just had a baby,” the actor said.
Read More: Netflix Originals in English Coming in June 2023
Netflix Originals in English Coming in June 2023
Netflix is a streaming giant known for its vast collection of TV shows and movies. Like every month, Netflix will be releasing several highly anticipated English language originals, including dramas, comedies, and documentaries in June 2023.
English Language Originals Releasing on Netflix in June
Black Mirror (Season 6)
The popular dystopian anthology series "Black Mirror" is making a comeback, and fans won't have to wait long for it. The show's sixth season is set to premiere on Netflix in June of 2023. The season 6, helmed by director Charlie Brooker, features an impressive cast of actors, including Aaron Paul, Anjana Vasan, Annie Murphy, Auden Thornton, Ben Barnes, Clara Rugaard, Daniel Portman, and others.
In typical "Black Mirror" fashion, the newest season is expected to deliver more dark and disturbing storylines. The show is produced by Brooker and Jones' new production company, Broke & Bones.
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Manifest (Season 4 – Part 2)
Manifest, a popular supernatural drama series, is set to release its final 10 episodes on June 2. The storyline centers around a group of 191 passengers who went missing for five years and returned with supernatural abilities, including "callings" that guide them toward certain outcomes. The predicted Death Date of June 2, 2024, for these passengers, is significant in the show's lore, as it could also lead to the demise of humanity.
Jeff Rake, the creator of this web series, has teased that the first calling in the final batch of episodes will change everything and that an unexpected character, Eagan, may hold the key to the passengers' salvation. Manifest stars Melissa Roxburgh and Josh Dallas, have also made their directorial debuts in the final season.
Tour de France: Unchained (Season 1)
The upcoming documentary series, Tour de France Unchained, is set to premiere on June 8, as announced in the first official trailer released on Le Tour de France’s YouTube channel. The series, which is based on the 2022 race, was first announced in March 2022 as a collaboration between Netflix and A.S.O., the organizer of the Tour de France.
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Produced by Quadbox, a joint venture between Quad and Box to Box Films, the sports film producer behind the popular Formula 1 series Drive to Survive on Netflix, Tour de France Unchained will focus on the trials and tribulations of eight teams participating in the race, including Jumbo-Visma, and the eventual victory of Jonas Vingegaard.
Never Have I Ever (Season 4)
Never Have I Ever has been created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, and its fourth and final season is set to debut on June 8, 2023 on Netflix and will consist of ten episodes. The series is a coming-of-age comedy about a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl named Devi Vishwakumar, played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. The fourth season will revolve around Devi and her gang's senior year at Sherman Oaks High School, including prom, college, and more romance.
The series will have a returning cast, including Darren Barnet and Jaren Lewison, along with the new cast Michael Cimino. The drama series is known for its comedic and touching portrayal of Devi's life, including her family, friends, and love life, while also addressing issues such as grief and identity.
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Human Resources (Season 2)
The second season of this web series will be released on Netflix on June 9, 2023. The show is a spinoff of the popular adult animation "Big Mouth" and features the daily lives of creatures such as Hormone Monsters, Depression Kitties, Shame Wizards, and more, as they help humans navigate various stages of life.
This Netflix original series is created and executive produced by Kelly Galuska, Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin. The main stars include Nick Kroll, Maya Rudolph, Aidy Bryant, David Thewlis, Randall Park, Keke Palmer, and Brandon Kyle Goodman, among others.
The second season is said to be the final season of the series, and any remaining storylines will be wrapped up in "Big Mouth's" new episodes. The drama also features guest stars such as Florence Pugh, Miley Cyrus, Eugene Levy, Sam Richardson, Niecy Nash-Betts, Jason Mantzoukas, and Isabella Rossellini.
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Tom Cruise flies ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ plane during MTV Awards acceptance speech
At the MTV Movie & TV Awards on Sunday, Tom Cruise, the "Top Gun: Maverick" actor, got an award for best performance in a movie for his role in the 2022 picture, and delivered his acceptance speech in a pre-recorded video that showed him flying a jet.
Cruise thanked viewers for voting for him and stated, "I love you, I love entertaining you," reports CNN.
Cruise piloted the jet personally, according to a Paramount spokesman who verified this to CNN on Sunday. She went on to say that the jet Cruise was flying was his, and that it was the same P-51 Mustang he flew in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Cruise is known for performing his own stunts, and he even thanked audiences for their support of the blockbuster sequel in a video released to his verified Instagram last year, in which he was shown free-falling from a jet.
Steven Spielberg himself dubbed Cruise the "Savior of Movies," and he ended his speech on Sunday by adding, "See you at the movies."
"Top Gun: Maverick," the sequel to the 1986 hit "Top Gun," was the highest-grossing movie of 2022, following years of instability at the box office caused by the pandemic, and is Cruise's first film to exceed the billion-dollar mark.
Overall, Cruise flying a jet to receive an award adds new meaning to the line from "Top Gun: Maverick" character Rooster (Miles Teller), "It's not the plane, it's the pilot," the report concluded.
Popular writer Samaresh Majumdar dies at 81
Renowned author and novelist Samaresh Majumdar died in Kolkata on Monday. He was 81.
He breathed his last around 5:45pm at a private hospital in Kolkata, Anandabazar daily reported.
He had long been suffering from multiple health complications. The Sahitya Akademi award-winning novelist was admitted to the hospital on April 25 due to brain haemorrhage. Later, his respiratory problems worsened.
Samaresh Majumdar is the author of many timeless novels including Uttaradhikar, Kalpurush, Kalbela. He was born in 1942 in North Bengal. He spent his childhood in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.
His other notable novels include Satkahan, Tero Parvan, At Kuthuri Noy Dorja, Anurag etc.
Besides winning many national and international awards, Samaresh Majumdar has won the hearts of millions of readers at home and abroad.
‘Deora’: Coke Studio Bangla’s latest featuring Pritom and Islamuddin Palakar is an instant hit
Presenting a high energy, festive song that combines Bangla folk genres ‘Shaari’, ‘Jaari’ and ‘Pala Gaan’ with electrifying urban grooves, Coke Studio Bangla released its fifth track “Deora” on Sunday (May 07) night across all its digital platforms.
Composed, produced, mixed and mastered by Pritom Hasan – one of the most versatile contemporary musicians, “Deora” is dedicated to the boatsmen’s rhythm and energy during ‘Nouka Baich’ or traditional boat race, popular in rural Bangladesh and held during the monsoon and autumn seasons.
The title of the song refers to ‘brother-in-law’ in the regional dialect of north Bengal, and this type of song is performed during the boat races – cheering on the racers – from the banks of rivers.
The biggest surprise in the song has been the superlative performance by Islam Uddin Palakar, renowned in the ‘Pala Gaan’ tradition of Bangla folk songs. “The rich heritage of this genre usually requires elaborative theatrical performances where the actor takes on multiple roles – sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, and sometimes an inanimate object – to present stories to their audience. These performances can take up to 8 hours without a break.” – Coke Studio Bangla describes.
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Pritom jointly penned the lyrics with Fazlu Majhi, a boat racer himself who also performed in the song with his team. The first Bangladeshi Grammy Award-nominated artist Armeen Musa and her ‘Ghaashphoring Choir’ added another dimension to the song.
Describing the fusion in detail, Coke Studio Bangla mentioned on the song’s YouTube description, “…’Shaari Gaan’, usually associated with physical labour, and ‘Jaari Gaan’ known for its motivational lyrics – the perfect combination for a sport that requires the participants to have quick bursts of intense energy for rowing their boat across the finishing line.”
Web series Hotel Relax hits a new record: Bongo
Bongo’s latest web series, Hotel Relax, reached record subscription sales, thanks to its enticing plot and wonderful characters, said a press release.
Hotel Relax, directed by Kajal Arefin Ome, is about a group of unusual individuals like dacoits, cloth merchants, pickpockets, conmen, etc, with intriguing back stories that gather at an infamous hotel - Hotel Relax.
The web series followed the events that took place at and around this hotel. As a result of these individuals, Hotel Relax has shattered records in Bangladesh’s OTT space since its release on April 24.
Hotel Relax was released during Eid-ul-Fitr as a six-episode web series with exclusive payment partner bKash.
The casts of this web series are Purnima, Mishu Sabbir, Ziaul Hoque Polash, Marzuk Russell, Chashi Alam, Parsa Evana, Saraf Ahmed Zibon, Md. Saidur Rahman Pavel, Musafire Syed Bacchu, Abdullah Rana, Schumonn Patwary, Lamima Lam, Shimul Sharma.
Within 10 days of release, it has reached a whopping 3 crore minutes of watch time, 4+ million plays and over 200,000 customers that have paid to watch it. Viewers from over 100 countries have viewed and praised this one-of-a-kind action comedy web series.
Mushfiqur Rahman Manzu, Bongo's chief content officer, said, "Hotel Relax is our premium web series, which is released in pay-per-view (TVOD) mode." Since release, it has been performing wow! Hotel Relax has already set some records. Thanks and gratitude to Ome and his team for their passion, sincerity and courage. I am truly hopeful about our content industry's bright future. Welcome to “Hotel Relax."
Director Kajal Arefin Ome said, "Nowadays almost all web series are based on thrills and crime, but I wanted to take another route and entertain my audience with fun. "I think this story hasn't been tried in Bangladesh before.”
May 2023 New Releases: Top 10 Upcoming South Indian Films
Movies have always been one of the biggest forms of entertainment around the world. In recent times, the four industries of South Indian movies- Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada - have become hugely popular among film enthusiasts for their unique storyline, engaging content, powerful acting, creative cinematography, etc. Let’s take a look at the 10 most anticipated South Indian films releasing in May 2023.
Top 10 South Indian Movies to Release in May 2023
Dhruva Natchathiram
Dhruva Natchathiram is one of the most hyped South Indian movies of 2023 that started production in 2016. It is a Tamil spy thriller film. Gautham Vasudev Menon directed and wrote the story and screenplay of the film. In this movie the main casts are Vikram, Ritu Varma, and Aishwarya Rajesh.
Vikram played the central character John who is on a New York based undercover operation. John with his team rescues their team leader after his unexplained and mysterious disappearance. The budget for this film is unknown. This movie will be released on 19 May, 2023.
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Custody
Custody is expected to be a blockbuster this year. This movie is an action thriller produced by Srinivasaa Silver Screen. In this film Venkat Prabhu is the director and screenplay writer. Naga Chaitanya Akkineni is in lead role along with Arvind Swamy and Krithi Shetty. Priyamani, Sarathkumar are playing the supporting roles.
The movie was filmed in both Telugu and Tamil languages at the same time. The budget for this movie is approximately Rs 30 crore. It is dated to be released on 12 May, 2023.
Ugram
According to expectations, the upcoming film "Ugram" is anticipated to become a blockbuster hit this year. This movie is an action thriller produced by Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi. In this film Vijay Kanakamedala is the director and screenplay writer both.
Allari Naresh is the lead actor, with Mirnaa and Indraja also featuring in the film. Additionally, Sharath Lohithaswa and Shatru will be playing supporting roles. The amount of money allocated for the production of this movie is around Rs 20 crore. "Ugram" is set to release on May 9th, 2023.
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Hanuman
Hanuman, a Telugu superhero film, is produced by Primeshow Entertainment. The movie is both written and directed by Prasanth Varma. Teja Sajia plays the main role as Hanuman. Supporting cast includes Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and Raj Deepak Shetty.
The story is set in an imaginary village called Anjanadri. The plot is inspired by and dedicated to Hindu God Hanuman. This film has a budget of Rs 17 crore. On 12 May, 2023 the movie is scheduled to be released in Telugu along with ten different dubbed language versions. Furthermore, it will be available on online platforms like Zee5.
Rama Banam
Telugu film Rama Banam offers a blend of action, drama, and romance. It is directed by Sriwass and the screenplay is penned by Bhupathi Raja. Vivek Kuchibhotla and T.G. Vishwa Prasad has produced this movie under the name People Media Factory.
The film stars Gopichand, Dimple Hayathi, Nassar, and Jagapathi Babu in the lead roles, while Vennela Kishore, Ali, Raja Ravindra, and Sapthagiri are in supporting roles. The budget for the production of this movie is not disclosed. The audiences can enjoy the movie from 5 May 2023.
Read More: 6 Bangladeshi Movies Releasing on Eid-ul-Fitr 2023
Concerts returning after Eid with 'Rock N Rhythm 3.0: Tribute Fiesta'
Showcasing heartfelt tribute to internationally popular bands across the world, a special concert titled 'Rock N Rhythm 3.0: Tribute Fiesta' is going to be held on Friday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital.
Being organised by Adventor Communications, the concert promises to be the ultimate music extravaganza, with a blend of contemporary music to suit every taste.
The event will feature live performances by Artcell which will pave its ‘Tribute to The Legends’, Nemesis will cover Coldplay and Incubus, Cryptic Fate (Iron Maiden), Arbovirus (Linkin Park, Green Day), Powersurge (Metalica), Indalo (Audioslave), Mechanix (Alter Bridge, Pantera), Karnival (Radiohead, Nirvana), Ionic Bond (Eluveitie Children of Bodom), Echoes (Pink Floyd), Unmaad (AC DC, Guns n' Roses) and Shonar Bangla Circus will play tributes to Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and Bob Marley.
“Rock N Rhythm” was always focused on the next-gen lineups with their creative charisma. In this musical event, Bangladeshi mainstream bands will cover the songs of renowned international bands along with their own songs, the organisers informed the media.
The concert is going to be held at ICCB Hall 4 and the gate will be opened at 1 pm. The live performances will begin at 2:30 pm.
Tickets for "Rock N Rhythm 3.0" are available for purchase on www.tickify.live. More information about the event, including the full lineup of performers and schedule, is available on the Facebook Page of Adventor Communications.
Serena Williams, Karlie Kloss reveal pregnancies at Met Gala
Move over Instagram (or Snapchat) — the Met Gala was the place to announce pregnancies Monday night, at least if you're Serena Williams or Karlie Kloss.
The tennis legend and supermodel each revealed their pregnancies in interviews on the Met Gala's not-so-red carpet. Williams' announcement had particular poignance given that she stepped away from tennis last year, saying she had to in order to have a second child.
“Believe me,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion wrote in an August essay for Vogue magazine, “I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family.”
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Williams was also afforded more agency in announcing her pregnancy this time, sharing the news alongside her husband Alexis Ohanian in an interview with Vogue livestream host La La Anthony. The first time around, Williams publicly posted a picture in profile on Snapchat, captioned "20 weeks" — which she said was an accident.
Williams, 41, also said in her Vogue essay that she wanted to focus more on her business interests. Their daughter, Olympia, is now 5.
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Kloss, 30, sporting black hair, shared her pregnancy earlier in the night in an interview with another Vogue livestream host, Emma Chamberlain, prompting squeals of delight and an offer to babysit from the influencer.
Kloss and husband Josh Kushner also have a son, Levi, who was born in March 2021.