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Beyoncé's childhood home in Houston burns on Christmas morning
Beyoncé’s childhood home caught fire early on Christmas morning, though the family living there escaped safely.
The fire was reported at about 2 a.m. Monday and the Houston Fire Department arrived on the scene of the two-story brick house within three to five minutes, the Houston Chronicle reported.
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“We had it contained in about 10 minutes,” Houston Fire Department District Chief Justin Barnes told the newspaper.
Beyoncé Knowles' family bought the home on the 2400 block of Rosedale in 1982 and Beyoncé lived there until she was 5 years old. She was seen taking photos of the property when she was in her hometown for her Renaissance World Tour.
The home in the historic Riverside Terrace neighborhood was built in 1946.
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A messages sent to Beyoncé's publicist was not immediately returned late Monday.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
Valentine's Day Treat: Pori Moni and ABM Sumon's 'Booking' Love Affair
In a scintillating celebration of love just in time for Valentine's Day, Bongo, the OTT platform, has announced the production of four captivating short films under the banner "Love Stories- Bhalobashar Dine Bhalobashar Golpo."
Setting the stage for an enchanting cinematic experience, these films are inspired by the heartfelt narratives of renowned writer Bishwajit Choudhury's book, "Sholpo Doirgho Premer Golpo."
One of the four compelling tales is the much-anticipated 'Mimir Khala,' brought to life through the lens of visionary director Mizanur Rahman Aryan.
The film, aptly named 'Booking,' is an adaptation of Bishwajit Choudhury's 'Mimir Khala.' Aryan expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "This story is a gem from Bishwajit Chowdhury, and such narratives have been absent from our screens for far too long. I am confident that audiences will be captivated by the magic woven into this tale."
The signing ceremony for 'Booking' recently took place at the Bongo office, marking an exciting collaboration between celebrated stars Pori Moni and ABM Sumon, said a media release on Friday.
This marks Pori Moni's second venture with Bongo after the success of 'Puff Daddy,' promising audiences a fresh and enthralling cinematic experience.
Bongo's Chief Content Officer, Mushfiqur Rahman, shared his excitement, stating, "At Bongo, we are committed to delivering exceptional content that resonates with our audience. 'Love Stories- Bhalobashar Dine Bhalobashar Golpo' is our special Valentine's Day gift, featuring four talented filmmakers presenting narratives that prioritize our audience's preferences in every aspect, from story selection to casting. We are confident that our work will be cherished by audiences."
Director Mizanur Rahman Aryan, renowned for his expertise in romantic dramas, is set to elevate the art of storytelling with 'Booking.' As the anticipation builds for Valentine's Day, Bongo promises an unforgettable experience with this curated selection of love stories, inviting viewers into a world where emotions unfold with every frame.
Popular TV series Sisimpur to reair on RTV from Jan 6
Children's popular educational and entertainment television series Sisimpur is returning to RTV.
Sisimpur will be reaired on RTV every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at 5:00 pm starting January 6. It will be rebroadcast at the same time on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
‘Amader Ei Potaka’: Chhayanaut, Dhaka University celebrate V- Day 2023
Children will be able to watch Sisimpur on the TV screen six days a week.
RTV has recently signed an agreement with Watermark MCL, the distribution partner of Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, the producer of Sisimpur.
‘Domm’: Chorki, Alpha-i, SVF announce Redoan Rony’s directorial comeback
RTV CEO Syed Ashik Rahman and Watermark MCL MD Palash Mia signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.
Mohammad Shah Alam, MD of Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, along with other top officials of the three organisations, were present on the occasion.
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USAID Bangladesh has been supporting the development and implementation of all Sisimpur activities in Bangladesh from the very beginning.
‘Amader Ei Potaka’: Chhayanaut, Dhaka University celebrate V- Day 2023
Marking the 52d Victory Day, the country’s leading cultural institution Chhayanaut and Dhaka University jointly celebrated a cultural event titled ‘Amader Ei Potaka’ at the central field of Dhaka University on Saturday.
This year, the institutions celebrated the seventh edition of this festivity.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof ASM Maksud Kamal and Executive President of Chhayanaut Dr Sarwar Ali inaugurated the event.
Private television station Deepto TV live telecasted the fifty-minute cultural program.
Songs including “O Amar Desher Mati,” “Purbo Digonte Surjo Utheche,” and “Karar Oi Louho Kopat” were presented at the event, among a total of eight group songs.
Compositions of Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Gobinda Halder, Abdul Latif, Mohammad Moshad Ali, Gazi Mazharul Anwar and Gurusaday Dutta were presented at the event.
Artist Abul Kalam Azad performed Shah Abdul Karim's song “Jibon Amar Dhonnyo Je Hai” in a solo voice. Tropa Mazumdar presented selected parts of Syed Shamsul Haque's poetic drama "Payer Awaj Paoa Jay".
The event concluded with a collective rendition of the national anthem at 4:31 pm, commemorating the moment of surrender of the Pakistan Army on the historic December 16 in 1971.
Around 1000 artists-teachers-students of Chhayanaut joined this event along with Thirteen Hussars Open Scouts Group, Bratachari, Azimpur Girls High School, Ati Bhawal Higher Secondary School, Udayan Higher Secondary School and College, Dhaka Imperial College, Nalanda Vidyalaya and Sunnydale.
In 1967, Chhayanaut started Bengali New Year celebrations to instill the belief inof living in self-identity amid the exploitation, deprivation and oppression of Pakistani rulers on the then-East Pakistan's Bengali netizens.
Chhayanaut has been organizing the Victory Day cultural event with the vow to restore the country's equality, to keep netizens united and to spread the renaissance in the culture for thousands of years.
The unique rendezvous first took place in a joint initiative with Dhaka University on Victory Day in 2015.
‘Domm’: Chorki, Alpha-i, SVF announce Redoan Rony’s directorial comeback
Popular Bangladeshi OTT platform Chorki CEO Redoan Rony, also known for his fan-favourite television directorial ventures such as ‘FnF’, ‘Housefull’ and films like ‘Chorabali’ and ‘Ice Cream’, is all set to return as a silver screen director with his new film ‘Domm’.
A first-ever collaboration between Chorki, another Bangladeshi production house Alpha-i Studios and Indian film production and distribution company Shree Venkatesh Films (SVF), the film will star the National Award-winning popular actor Chanchal Chowdhury as its lead cast.
Set to be released across Bangladesh and India in 2025, the film is based on a true story, according to the filmmaker.
Also read: Coke Studio Bangla to launch Season 3 next year
The film's announcement was made at a press conference on Saturday at the Pan Pacific Hotel Sonargaon, joined by the producers, the director and other associates of the film.
"As a storyteller, I have always been inspired by true events, and this narrative motivated me to pursue my long-held desire to return as a director. Whenever a person falls into any dangerous situation, we empathically feel that he is unfortunate; but the reality is events like that make an ordinary man stronger and his enormous mental agility can rescue him from any catastrophic situation. This is the tale I'm attempting to express in the film Domm,” Redoan Rony said at the press conference.
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Chanchal Chowdhury, known and lauded for his stellar performances as a silver screen actor in films such as ‘Monpura’, ‘Aynabaji’, ‘Debi’, and ‘Hawa’, to name a few, shared his excitement to work with Rony in the film.
“Rony and I have been sharing a great relationship for almost two decades, and I was overwhelmed when I first heard the story of this film. This is a big collaboration with three major productions on board including SVF which is known for many legendary films in West Bengal and I am equally excited and nervous for this film, but mostly excited.”
The director also introduced the three-member scriptwriting team for the film, led by young director Syed Ahmed Shawki, known for his much-acclaimed web series ‘Karagar’ starring Chanchal Chowdhury.
Chorki President and Strategic Head Zaraif Hossain said, “From the very beginning, Chorki's goal was to deliver quality content to 300 million Bangla-speaking audiences around the world. Now with Alpha-i and SVF, Chorki has united to advance that mission. This is going to be a great opportunity and a significant milestone to bring our entertainment industry work to the worldwide audience on a larger scale.”
SVF Co-founder and Director Mahendra Soni said, “With this film, SVF is taking another important step to deepen our relationship with the Bangladeshi entertainment industry. We are not just making films but nurturing a community and culture, and we aim to make Bengali language movies to reach every corner of the world.”
Alpha-i Studios Managing Director Shahriar Shakil said, “We realized that our audiences are keen to watch entertaining content made with international standards. We always tried to deliver quality content despite several limitations; now we are eyeing to break the barriers and go even bigger with this film alongside Chorki and SVF.”
The event was joined by several popular personalities in the country’s entertainment industry including Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Raihan Rafi, Adnan Al Rajeev, Masuma Rahman Nabila and others.
Also read: ‘Forced to Flee’: Mobile filmmaking workshop ends with MoU signing at ULAB
Is Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki look inspired by son AbRam?
Shah Rukh Khan is on cloud nine after releasing the “Dunki” teaser on Tuesday morning and walking the red carpet with daughter Suhana at her debut feature “The Archies” screening.
Shah Rukh opened his “Ask SRK” session yesterday by discussing these two events.
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A fan created a collage using pictures of Shah Rukh Khan from “Dunki” and AbRam, reports NDTV.
He wanted to know if Shah Rukh Khan's “Dunki” appearance was inspired by AbRam's look. The fan also praised Shah Rukh Khan's two "handsome" sons.
Shah Rukh responded to this with his trademark humour, "My entire family is good looking. It was a dialogue in ‘Yes Boss’ and I love it."
During a recent “Ask SRK” event, the “Jawan” actor was asked to explain the source of his youthful energy. He went on to say, "I have a little baby at home. So I try and keep his innocence and energy in songs."
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“Dunki”, directed by Rajkumar Hirani and produced by Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, is set to hit theaters on December 21. It is SRK's first collaboration with Rajkumar Hirani. The film also stars Boman Irani and Vicky Kaushal in addition to Taapsee Pannu.
Coke Studio Bangla to launch Season 3 next year
Coke Studio Bangla, the popular global music platform which has been enthralling music lovers in the country since 2022 with its fan-favourite tracks such as "Deora," "Darale Duaarey," "Nasek Nasek" and more, is gearing up to launch its next season in early next year.
The organisers of Coke Studio Bangla revealed this in a recent press meet, while showing the analytics of its successful two seasons.
Momshad Khan, Country Head, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Bangladesh Limited said at the event that over two groundbreaking seasons, CSB has refreshed the music landscape, transcended borders, earning accolades from fans and artistes alike. So far, the platform brought music from different regions including Chattogram, Sylhet and Mymensingh, among others.
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The platform has introduced nearly 100 talented singers, including many undiscovered musicians such as Animesh Roy, Hamida Banu, Aleya Begum, Mukul Mojumder Ishaan, to name a few; kickstarting some of their careers.
While all the applauds have rightly gone to the 20 plus songs created in two seasons and the musicians behind them, the platform itself has been generating numbers that are commendable and had a direct impact on the music industry itself, according to Coke Studio Bangla Music Producer and acclaimed singer-music director Shayan Chowdhury Arnob.
Revealing the analytics, the organisers showcased that Coke Studio Bangla's YouTube channel boasts a total of 2.86 million+ subscribers, surpassing the combined subscriber count of some of Bangladesh's biggest brands, including leading telcos, & MFS. All this was achieved in just 20 months since its inauguration, and additionally, Coke Studio Bangla remains the only Bangladeshi FMCG brand to have both a Silver and Gold YouTube Play Button, a testament to its significant impact.
Furthermore, with an engagement rate of 20%, CSB's YouTube channel surpasses the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry average of below 10%, showcasing the platform's ability to connect with its audience.
Sabbir Romeo's short film ‘Nibhe Jawa Pradeep’ to release on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The global appeal of CSB is evident with 3,700 organic review and reaction contents from 15+ countries worldwide. The top hits of the two seasons are "Bhober Pagol," "Bulbuli," and "Nasek Nasek" from Season 1, and "Deora" and "Kotha Koiyo Na" from Season 2.
In terms of fanbase, Coke Studio Bangla's fans primarily falls under the aged group of 18-34, hailing from various countries. A little over 80% of the total subscribers are from Bangladesh, with India, and the USA in second and third spot. They are followed by countries in the Middle East & Europe, the organizers said.
While Coke Studio Bangla is greatly celebrated in major cities of Bangladesh, like Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, there is a significant fanbase in Kolkata who have embraced the platform with enthusiasm, the organisers stated.
Coke Studio Bangla's Spotify data highlights the platform’s staggering success the most, with a total streaming duration of over 13.8 million streams to date which is equivalent to 75million minutes. As per data from Spotify, since the launch of the platform, Bangla music consumption on Spotify has increased by 4 times. The most streamed CSB songs include "Bulbuli," "Chiltey Roud," "Bhober Pagol" (Season 1), and "Deora," "Kotha Koiyo Na," "Darale Duaarey" (Season 2).
There has been a total of over 1 million user-generated content pieces on TikTok that accumulated more than 400 million views based on the songs from Coke Studio Bangla. The most trending CSB songs on TikTok are "Deora," "Kotha Koiyo Na," and "Darale Duaarey."
With over 1 million user generated reels on Instagram Reels, "Kotha Koiyo Na" stands out as the most trending CSB song on that platform, according to the organisers.
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Apart from music, Coke Studio Bangla has also had an impact on the art and creative community of Bangladesh, the organizers stated. Since its inception, thousands of fans and artists have shared their creative artwork as a form of tribute to the wonderful songs and musicians.
Sabbir Romeo's short film ‘Nibhe Jawa Pradeep’ to release on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Marking the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Sunday, Ahmed Sabbir Romeo has directed a touching short film, ‘Nibhe Jawa Pradeep’.
The short film portrays the heartfelt story of a child with disability whose only sister becomes helpless and faces physical abuse from a masked wealthy individual in society while covering medical expenses for her brother.
In addition to the director, Priyanka Islam and child artist Al Shahriar also feature in the film.
AK Azad served as the Director of Photography, while film director Monir Hossain Mithu handled overall management.
The film will be released tomorrow (Sunday) evening on the Priyanka Vision YouTube channel.
December 3rd is globally recognized as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
This year, the day marks the 32nd celebration of this day, dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and safeguarding the well-being of individuals facing physical and mental disabilities worldwide.
Additionally, Bangladesh is commemorating its 25th National Day of Persons with Disabilities this year.
‘Forced to Flee’: Mobile filmmaking workshop ends with MoU signing at ULAB
A five-week-long mobile filmmaking workshop organized jointly by the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) came to an end on Friday.
The workshop was held at the permanent campus of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
Inaugurated with the welcome speech by ULAB Pro-Vice-Chancellor Jude Willian Genilo, the event observed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) underscoring the commitment to fostering filmmaking as a means of amplifying refugee narratives by the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Sumbul Rizvi, the country representative, UNHCR, Bangladesh.
Prof Jude William Genilo shared insights into the importance of storytelling and commended the young students for their passion and commitment to filmmaking, emphasizing the profound impact such narratives can have on raising awareness and fostering empathy.He also shared that the MoU signing and the partnership with UNHCR aims to empower storytellers to amplify the voices of those 'Forced to Flee' and create a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the refugees.The chief guest of the event, Sumbul Rizvi, the country representative of UNHCR, graced the occasion with her valuable insights into the world of filmmaking and the role it plays in presenting the stories of refugees as well as the transformative impact of mobile films in capturing the nuances of forced displacement and human resilience.She handed over the certificates to the dedicated participants after that, who completed the workshop.
Following this, the films were screened, based on the theme ‘Forced to Flee’ - written, produced, and directed by the student filmmakers. The workshop was attended by a total of 20 students from different universities. This workshop was coordinated by Md Rayhan Kabir Shuvro.
Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) Advisor Syeda Sadia Mahjabin and Instructor Humayun Farid, presented the vote of thanks at the end of the five-week-long workshop on ‘Forced to Flee’. After the main event, a cultural segment was held by ULAB students.
Established as a unique platform to showcase the creativity of young filmmakers, the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) started its journey in 2015 with the motto ‘New Generation, New Technology, and New Communication’. This event aims to encourage filmmaking through mobile phones.
The 10th edition of the Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF'24) is scheduled to be held in February next year.
Girls Squad is Back!
Zara, Tonni, Riya, Faria, Mim, and Sabrina - six bachelor friends with unique personalities sharing the same flat - captivated audiences in 2021 with their tales of life, mishaps, love, and adventures in the popular drama series 'Girls Squad' on the renowned Bongo OTT platform.
The series swiftly gained immense popularity, and its title resonated across the nation.
Now, after two successful seasons, 'Girls Squad' is back with its much-anticipated third season.
Adding a new dynamic to the Squad, Bangladesh's beloved TikTok sensation, Shamima Afrin Omi, joins the cast for an exciting twist in Season 3.
The stories of the Girls Squad continue to unfold, with the latest season featuring the squad members engaged in various endeavors.
Tiktoker Omi takes on the role of the Squad's new flatmate, while Zara, portrayed by Nabila, is preparing for her wedding.
The squad attends the wedding, only to discover that Zara's marriage is to someone unexpected, deviating from the expected match with Gangua Bhai.
This pivotal moment sets the stage for the main storyline, with numerous incidents and adventures unfolding in the lives of the squad members.
Hridoy Zulfikar, Content Manager at Bongo, expressed enthusiasm about Girls Squad Season 3, stating, "Girls Squad has already become a popular series among viewers. The anticipation for the new season has been palpable for a long time, and we are receiving a positive response right after the release. We hope that, like the previous two seasons, this season will also be well-received by the audience."
Girls Squad Season 3 was released on the Bongo OTT platform on December 1 at 12:01am, said a media release on Friday.