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. Read More: Netflix Originals in English Coming in June 2023 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. Read More: ‘Deora’: Coke Studio Bangla’s latest featuring Pritom and Islamuddin Palakar is an instant hit   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. Read More: May 2023 New Releases: Top 10 Upcoming South Indian Films 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.

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 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.  Read More: Web series Hotel Relax hits a new record: Bongo 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.  Read More: May 2023 New Releases: Top 10 Upcoming South Indian Films 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. Read More: May 2023 New Releases: Netflix Original English Movies, Series 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. Read More: 10 Netflix Originals Coming in April 2023

Popular Bollywood film actress Rani Mukerji returned to the big screen after two years with the film 'Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway.' At the same time, Anirban Bhattacharya, the heartthrob of Bengali films, made his Bollywood debut through this film. The film is based on a real-life story and plotted from Sagarika Chakraborty's 2022 book The Journey of a Mother. The film has been released on Friday, March 17, 2023, and appears to be a blockbuster. Details about the Film Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway Main Casts Rani Mukerji as Debika Chatterjee; Anirban Bhattacharya as Aniruddha Chatterjee, Debika's husband; Jim Sarbh as Daniel Singh Ciupek, lawyer of Norway; Neena Gupta as Vasudha Kamat, Indian External Affairs Minister (the character based on Sushma Swaraj). Plot Debika and her family - husband Aniruddha, son Shubha, and five-month-old daughter Shuchi - live in Stavanger. During their last visit, Sia and Matilda of Velfred, a child welfare service, take away Shubha and Shuchi, leaving the Chatterjees in shock. They are informed that they are not allowed to keep custody of their children as they are considered unfit. Read More: 10 Netflix Originals Coming in April 2023 Debika then decides to battle the government to regain her children. In the process, she discovers the shocking truth about the child custody system in Norway, prompting her to take drastic action. The rest of the story follows her journey. Director and Producers Ashima Chibber is an Indian film director who began her career as an assistant director for films such as “Rockstar” and "Chakde! India." Ashima's fame in Bollywood has been enhanced by her appearances in multiple blockbusters and collaborations with elite directors, allowing her career to flourish. Her entry into television was concurrent with a new phase in Indian TV. This Hyderabadi girl, who has studied in Delhi and the UK, made her cinematic debut under the direction of acclaimed filmmaker Shimit Amin. In 2013, she made her directorial debut with the romantic comedy "Mere Dad Ki Maruti." The film received positive reviews and was a box-office success. Now she is back with another sensation, “Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway.” The film is produced by Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani, and Nikkhil Advani. Read More: Top 10 Upcoming South Indian Movies in March 2023

Amitabh Bachchan said he was injured while shooting a film in southern India and is recovering at home. The 80-year-old Bollywood superstar posted on his blog Sunday (March 05, 2023) night that he sustained a rib injury while working in Hyderabad on the science-fiction film “Project K.” It’s being made in Hindi and Telugu languages and is slated for release in 2024. Bachchan wrote that he had broken rib cartilage and a muscle tear. He said the injury was “painful” and he consulted a doctor before he flew home to Mumbai, where he has been advised to rest. Read More: Registration now open for Joy Bangla Concert 2023 “I shall be unable to meet the well wishers at Jalsa Gate this evening.. so do not come,” the actor said to fans who often gather outside his home in Mumbai. “All else is well,” he wrote. He said his work on the film was suspended until he’s healed. Bachchan has acted in more than 200 Indian films. His breakthrough came in the 1973 film “Zanjeer,” or “The Chain,” and he rose to superstardom playing bold characters, inspiring fans to copy his hairstyle, clothes and deep voice. Read More: Top 10 Netflix Originals Shows, Movies Coming in March 2023 The hugely popular actor is also a former politician and a television host.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's intervention has been sought to recover footage of the government-funded full-length children's film 'Mike' based on Bangabandhu's historic March 7 speech. This request was made at a press conference organized at Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity on Wednesday. In a written statement read out at the press conference, director and producer of the film FM Shaheen said, “Anytime between 10 pm on February 8 and 10 am on February 9, at the office of bbarta24net.com and Jagran TV on the 11th floor of Padma Islami Life Insurance Bhaban, miscreants stole the portable hard disk containing the latest edited footage of the film 'Mike' that was kept in my desk drawer. The estimated value of the footage is Tk 1 crore 25 lakh.” Shaheen also said, apart from this, Tk 5.35 lakh cash was taken from the drawer of bbarta24net.com editor. The media outlets have been operating since May 3, 2021, by renting a part of the 11th floor of this building as an office. They also claimed that police did not cooperate with them to find the culprits from the beginning. Read more: 'Golpo Bolar Swadhinata Chai': Artists place five-point demands

Films and television can be strong drivers of social change and can have a transformative effect on society, Dhaka University (DU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Akhtaruzzaman said Monday. He was speaking at the 11th-anniversary celebration of the Department of Television, Film, and Photography of DU. "This department not only provides professional training but also teaches the students to think critically. It helps them develop an innovative mindset too," Akhtaruzzaman said. "Also, there is an opportunity for this department to further strengthen the industry-academia relationship as the guest teachers of this department are directly connected with the media industry," he added. The daylong programme was held at the Teacher-Student Center (TSC) auditorium of the university. Akhtauzzaman inaugurated the event as the chief guest around 12.30pm. Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor ASM Maksud Kamal and the founding chairman of the Department of Television, Film, and Photography Professor AJM Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan were also present. Read more: Open master’s programs at DU to start from 2022-23 academic session

Three days after the trailer for Hansan Mehta’s much-talked-about Bollywood film ‘Faraaz’ was released, Ruba Ahmed, the mother of Abinta Kabir who was killed by militants in the Holey Artisan Attack on July 1, 2016, alongside Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain, Tarishi Jain and Ishrat Akhond, among others, said that she is against releasing the film and will try to stop projecting the film in Bangladesh. Ahmed, who is already fighting a legal battle alongside Tarishi Jain’s mother in the Delhi High Court to stay the release of ‘Faraaz’ which is scheduled to hit theatres in India on February 3, said in a press conference at the Abinta Kabir Foundation on Thursday that the filmmakers have violated their privacy and made the film without their proper consent.  “For the last six years, I have been dealing with the enormous pain of losing my only daughter, Abinta Kabir, whom we lost due to that horrific incident. When we first came to know in 2019 that Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt was planning to make a film on the incident, we sent him a letter to which he replied that he respects my decision and will not continue the film,” Ruba Ahmed said at the press conference.  Stating that she was shocked to discover the poster of ‘Faraaz’, realising that the filmmakers did not stop making the film. She then contacted Hansal Mehta, director of the much-acclaimed biographical financial thriller television series ‘Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story’ and asked about the project. “I asked him what gave him the right to make the movie as this incident happened in Bangladesh and it is being made in Bollywood, and he answered that he wanted to draw attention against violence through the film. My question is, a number of terrorist events took place in India between 2016 and 2023 - why can’t they make movies based on the events that happened in India?” Outlining her concerns about the film, Ruba Ahmed said, “We lost 22 people in that incident including Abinta Kabir, Tarishi Jain, and Faraz Hossain, to name a few. However, as the name also suggests, there is undoubtedly more emphasis on one character in the film. The filmmakers did not observe the incident in person, how could the film portray only one of them as a hero?” “In this film, they changed Abinta's name to Ayesha, Tarishi's name to Tari, and even I was also portrayed as Rabeya. In the trailer, they showed a riot scene where my daughter's picture was also visible. Without our consent, how they got the right to invade and violate our privacy?” she questioned. At the press conference, she was also asked about Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s much-talked-about film ‘Shonibar Bikel’ (Saturday Afternoon) which is also fictionalized on the same incident and battling with Bangladesh Film Censor Board for its release since 2019. "Farooki received my legal notice and responded to me. The decision to proceed with the film now totally rests with the Bangladeshi government and the censor board," she said. “I don’t want anyone to imagine the pain of witnessing your daughter's last moment on the silver screen. This movie should not come to Bangladesh. This type of personal tragedy should not be screened on Netflix or Amazon or any other OTT platform," Ruba Ahmed said at the press conference. Produced by T-Series and Benaras Media Works, ‘Faraaz’ features an ensemble cast with six newcomers including legendary Indian actor Shashi Kapoor’s grandson Zahaan Kapoor marking his Bollywood debut in the title character. The film premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on October 15 last year.  The release date was finalised after the Delhi High Court recently refused to grant a stay for release in a suit filed by the mothers of Abinta Kabir and Tarishi Jain, who claimed their right to privacy with respect to their deceased daughters. “To ensure that the film doesn't get to come to Bangladesh, I will go to the Supreme Court of India," Ruba Ahmed said. Read more: Holey Artisan Victim Faraaz's Heroism is Now on the Silver Screen

The 21st edition of the Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF), one of the longest-running cultural festivals in the country, officially began in the city Saturday, with 252 films set to be showcased from 71 countries till January 22. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen inaugurated the festival as chief guest, while civil aviation and tourism secretary Mokammel Hossain and popular West Bengal actor Sabyasachi Chakrabarty were present as special guests at the inaugural ceremony. Presided over by the DIFF chief patron and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, the welcome remarks were delivered by festival director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, founding organiser of this coveted festival. Inaugurating the 21st edition, Foreign Minister Momen said that the DIFF has given young and aspiring filmmakers in Bangladesh and elsewhere the opportunity to interact with contemporary artistic trends, greatly influencing the development of a strong and positive national cinema culture. "I commend Rainbow Film Society's initiative and effort, which since 1977 have been devoted to fostering a strong film culture in Bangladesh. It truly is one of the Bangladeshi film society movement's most active film organizations, and I wish the festival a great success," Momen said at the ceremony. Read more: Korean Film Festival 2022 opens

Blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick,”“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” and pop stars like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Rihanna just got one step closer to getting Oscar nominations. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday announced shortlists in 10 categories for the 95th Oscars, including documentary feature, international film, makeup and hairstyling, score, original song, sound, visual effects and shorts. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths” was along the 15 films shortlisted in the international film category, one of the most competitive. The category also includes already decorated films like “Holy Spider” (Denmark), “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany), “Saint Omer” (France), “Corsage” (Austria), “EO” (Poland), “Return to Seoul” (Cambodia), “Decision to Leave” (South Korea), “Close” (Belgium) and “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina). The inclusion of “Joyland” marks the first time Pakistan has ever made the shortlist. Most of the directors are first-timers on the shorlist too, with the exception being Iñárritu. India’s official submission was not S.S. Rajamouli’s popular action epic “RRR,” but rather Pan Nalin’s “Last Film Show” which made the cut becoming the first film from the country to do so in over 20 years. “RRR” could get nominations in other categories, including for the shortlisted original song “Naatu Naatu.” Jafar Panâhi was also not put forward to represent Iran, whose selection was not among the 15 and Russia did not submit a film this year. Read: Iran authorities arrest actress of Oscar-winning movie Documentaries advancing to the next stage of voting include Laura Poitras’s Venice-winning “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” about photographer Nan Goldin’s work and activism, Brett Morgen’s David Bowie film “Moonage Daydream,” Daniel Roher’s “Navalny,” about the Russian opposition leader, “The Janes ” about pre-Roe v. Wade activists, “All that Breathes,” “Descendant,”“Fire of Love” and “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song.” It is a rather diverse group of stories and filmmakers: Eight were directed by women and four by people of color. With many below-the-line categories at hand, big budget sequels like “Avatar,”“Top Gun,” and “Black Panther” were well represented in the effects and sound categories, as well as original song which included Gaga’s “Hold My Hand,” The Weeknd’s “Nothing is Lost” from “Avatar: The Way of Water” and Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther.” Also on the original song shortlist are Swift’s “Carolina” from “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Drake’s “Time” from “Amsterdam,” LCD Soundsystem’s “New Body Rhumba” from “White Noise,” Selena Gomez’s “My Mind and Me” from the documentary of the same name and Rita Wilson’s “Til You’re Home” from “A Man Called Otto.” Diane Warren also gets another shot at a competitive Oscar with “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman.” Doja Cat’s song from “Elvis” was not eligible. For the most part shortlists are determined by members in their respective categories, though the specifics vary from branch to branch: Some have committees, some have minimum viewing requirements. “All Quiet on the Western Front” got quite a few spots on the shortlist, including original score, makeup and hair, sound and visual effects. Read: Oscar winners cut off their hair to support Iran protests Among the visual effects selections were “Jurassic World Dominion, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” while makeup and hairstyling includes films David Cronenberg’s body horror “Crimes of the Future.” Other films advancing in makeup and hairstyling include “The Whale,” in which Brendan Fraser transforms into a 600-pound man, “Elvis, “Emancipation,” “The Batman” and the Marilyn Monroe film “Blonde.” The 15 original scores selected were winnowed for from 147 eligible and include “Women Talking” from Hildur Guðnadóttir, “The Fabelmans” from John Williams, “The Banshees of Inisherin” from Carter Burwell, “Babylon” from Justin Hurwitz, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” from Alexandre Desplat and “The Woman King” from Terence Blanchard. Also in the mix are Ludwig Göransson (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”), Nicholas Britell (“She Said”) and Son Lux (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”). Guðnadóttir’s “Tár” score was not eligible, nor was the “Top Gun: Maverick” score, written by Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Lorne Balfe and Gaga. Nominations for all categories will be announced on Jan. 24. The 95th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 12 and broadcast live on ABC.