Veteran actor, director and visual artiste Afzal Hossain has shared a deeply personal reflection on his artistic journey, revealing that acting in films was never part of his original plan.

According to trade website Sacnilk, the film earned about ¥105 million (around ₹6.06 crore) within 14 days of its release in Japan.

Bangladesh has secured a major achievement at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2026, as political thriller "Master", directed by Rezwan Shahriar Sumit, won the Big Screen Award in the festival’s prestigious Big Screen Competition section.

The controversy follows the recent release of investigation-related documents by the US Department of Justice, which have reignited global scrutiny of Epstein’s network.

Created by Puneet Krishna and directed by Gurmmeet Singh, the film will see the return of key characters from the series. Pankaj Tripathi reprises his role as Kaleen Bhaiya, while Ali Fazal returns as Guddu Pandit. Fans are especially excited about the comeback of Munna Tripathi, played by Divyenndu, one of the most popular characters from the show.

A new Valentine’s Day special drama titled “Je Kotha Hoyni Bola” is set to premiere this season, starring Jovan and Naznin Nahar Niha. The romantic musical drama has been directed by Jakaria Showkhin and will be released on CMV’s official YouTube channel on Valentine’s Day.

Babita is an internationally acclaimed film actress. After acting in Satyajit Ray’s “Ashani Sanket”, she was honoured in many places around the world. In her own country, she has received the National Film Award many times. She has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Film Awards. The Mayor of Dallas gave her a lifetime honour. She has received many other awards and honours as well.

In the cultural arena, veteran actress Farida Akhtar Babita, legendary late musician Ayub Bachchu, folk singer Islam Uddin Palakar, and pioneering rock band Warfaze have been selected for the prestigious award.

The initiative comes at a time when Hollywood remains wary of AI’s growing role, amid fears of job losses and long-term disruption to creative labour.

The film, which premiered on January 30 after a highly successful theatrical run, surpassed the first-weekend viewership of major titles such as “Animal”, “Fighter”, and “Pushpa 2: The Rule”.

This Falgun and Valentine’s Day, popular OTT platform Chorki will unveil its latest flash fiction content, “Tiffin Box”, for viewers across the country.

A new romantic drama titled “Maya Boner Horin” is set to be released on Valentine’s Day, featuring the popular on-screen pair Niloy Alamgir and Jannatul Sumaiya Heme. The special drama has been produced with Valentine’s Day audiences in mind and will premiere on the NAF Entertainment YouTube channel.

The 55th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is currently underway in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, with three Bangladeshi films selected for the festival this year. Among them, Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s political thriller “Master” had its international premiere on February 2.

Nawba Tahiya Hossain, one of the promising young faces of the entertainment industry, surprised fans on Wednesday after announcing her decision to step away from showbiz permanently.

The film also received international recognition, including screenings at major festivals abroad and winning the Best Feature Film award. The Daily Star spoke to Putul about the film, her career journey, and her newly launched theatre production house.

The actor credited much of his personal and professional stability to his wife, Shirin. “Her contribution is immense. After marriage, I was working, acting, dedicating long hours to theatre and television. She held the family together. I would say ninety per cent of what I am today is because of her,” he said.

Speculation around the much-talked-about wedding of Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda has intensified after the actress appeared to subtly acknowledge reports about their marriage date. For weeks, reports have suggested that the popular actor couple will tie the knot later this month in Udaipur. While neither Rashmika nor Vijay has issued an official announcement, a recent interaction with paparazzi has added fresh fuel to the rumours.

Actor Siam Ahmed has said he does not see Dhallywood megastar Shakib Khan as a competitor, stressing that his only focus is improving his own work as an actor.

Amar Bhashar Cholochitro Utshob 1432 kicked off yesterday at the University of Dhaka. Organised by the Dhaka University Film Society, this year marks the 24th edition of the festival.

Bangladeshi filmmaker Mezbaur Rahman Sumon’s latest feature film “Roid” has received a major international boost, with Widishaa Originals, the production house led by International Emmy Award-winning producer Apoorva Bakshi of “Delhi Crime” fame, joining the project as executive producer. The development was announced while the film is competing in the Tiger Competition section at the ongoing International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).