Documenting Bangladesh 3

Seminar on importance of screening documentaries on TV

By Nadia Sarwat

April 19, 2009

Documentary films portray reality as it is in an artistic way. Thus it can be both a living document of history and a powerful force against social injustice. Though there are several non-fictional, documentary based programmes aired on different TV channels, except on some special occasion, very few documentary films are aired on the TV channels in our country. Addressing this issue, a roundtable was held on the third day of the documentary festival, "Documenting Bangladesh 3", which began at the Central Public Library on April 16.

Fauzia Khan, President of Bangladesh Documentary Council presented the key-notepaper at the seminar on " Importance of screening documentary films on Television Medium." Eminent media personalities Atiqul Haque Choudhury, Nawazish Ahmed, Sara Zaker, Sadya Afreen Mallick, Dewan Shamsur Rakib and others were present as discussants at the seminar moderated by filmmaker Manzare Hasin Murad. 

Pointing to her personal experience as a documentary filmmaker, Fauzia Khan brought forth the limitations of reaching the audience. "Several young individuals are currently eager about documentary filmmaking. Their films represent different shades and colours of our society in an innovative way. But there is no system for marketing these freelance filmmakers' endeavour. Our television channels can play a key role in this respect," she said. Emphasising the importance of documentary films in generating social and historical awareness, Sadya Afreen Mallick said, "Documentary screening should take the form of a social movement. Screening of documentaries or infotainments should focus on the urban areas first, where we have the most wastage, (beginning from energy to serious social issues such as HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, trafficking) and spread out on to the suburbs. And not only through television. Films should be screened at the village level, in small localities and communities in the cities on a regular basis to build awareness among the masses."

Sara Zaker suggested that documentary films could be serialised and issue oriented. About attracting the sponsors concentration, she said, "Organisations should be reminded of their 'Corporate Social Responsibility' to promote documentaries with a social cause." 

Atiqul Haque Choudhury spoke on the limitations of the television channels authorities, as they have to focus mainly on their investments and returns. He mentioned that the sponsors should be addressed to promote documentary films. 

Nawazish Ahmed said, "In an age of extreme globalisation and marketing, the problem becomes manifold. There is no alternative to popularising documentary films to the audience first. Otherwise, channel authorities or sponsors would not be interested. Documentary filmmakers should be more strategic and patient while facing this reality." 

Organised by Bangladesh Documentary Council, the festival has screened several documentaries by prominent and promising filmmakers made during the last couple of years. "Kansater Pothey" by Tareque and Catherine Masud, "Swapnobhumi" by Tanvir Mokammel, "Elyeaser Khoa(n)ri" by Shibu Kumar Shil; "Stories of Change" by Simon and Sara; "Melodies of Soul" by Shabnam Ferdousi, "Genocide Goes On" by Saiful Islam Journal are some of the films that were screened on the third day, April 18. The festival ended yesterday.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Dancers take to the floor from April 23

Cultural Correspondent

Monday, April 19, 2009

Over the last six years, Bangladesh Nritya Shilpi Shangstha (BNSS) has been celebrating the International Dance Day (April 29) with much festivity. This year the organisation has planned to commemorate the day with a weeklong programme, which will commence on April 23 at the National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). 

Noted danseuse and vice president of BNSS, Minu Haque, informed that after the formal inauguration in Dhaka, celebrations will take place in several cities such as in Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Bogra. Haque said that the decision to hold programmes throughout the country aims at interacting with the greater population and to generate mass interest in dance.

Approximately 1000 dance artistes (including several indigenous participants) from all parts of the country would perform at this year's celebration.

One of the highpoints of this year's programme is a dance fair featuring everything related to the art form. The fair will take place at the plaza of National Art Gallery, BSA.

Every year a UNESCO dignitary coveys a message to mark the day and this year will not be any exception. Other highlights of the festival would be a seminal on the present state of dance in the country and an award giving ceremony. Three lifetime achievement awards, named after legendary dance artistes -- Bulbul Chowdhury, G.A. Mannan and Gawhar Jamil -- will be conferred.On April 29, the daylong programme will start with a colourful rally early in the morning and Haque hopes numerous cultural personalities from every sector will attend the rally.

Haque's own organisation Nrityadhara (she is the convener of Nrityadhara) is one of the front-liners to co-operate BNSS in successfully arranging the festival.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.com

Mallika Sherawat attends an elite luncheon hosted by Mayor of Los Angeles

By Bollywood Hungama News Network

April 19, 2009

Mallika Sherawat is certainly among the better known Bollywood stars in the West. Only recently, the actress was invited as a special guest at a Wine-Tasting Luncheon at the Malibu Family Wines, Malibu, California. Mallika was also involved in a celebrity auction as a part of a fundraiser hosted by IFFLA (Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles) whereby the highest bidder got a chance to spend a day with her at a professional photo shoot and have lunch with her.

Now, while the sexy actress is in Los Angeles for the post-production work on her much-talked about project Hissss (with Hollywood director Jennifer Lynch), she recently attended an elite luncheon hosted by the Mayor of LA. Although the gorgeous lady has been in LA for only four short weeks, she is already rubbing shoulders with the who's who of the glamorous city.

She will also be attending the weekend's Fangoria Conference at the LA Convention Center to talk about Hissss and interact with fans there.

Well, Madame Sherawat certainly seems to be getting world-famous day by day.

Source: http://www.bollywood.com

Boy dies while imitating reality stunt show

IANS

Lucknow,April 19 

Nine-year-old Chandan Singh was an avid watcher of MTV's reality show "Roadies" and never missed an episode. But Saturday night's episode was to be his last. The boy hanged himself accidentally while imitating a stunt on the show.

Chandan, a Class 3 student, had watched the episode where two female contestants, Palak and Paloomi, were made to stand on a wooden stool with their hands tied. A rope was also placed around their neck. Another semi-finalist, Noman, was then given three minutes to save one of them.

"He watched the episode on the third floor of our house along with his friends and tried to imitate the stunt after his friends left. After hearing a loud noise, I rushed to the room and found Chandan hanging from the ceiling fan," his uncle Bhagat Singh told media persons.

Inspector Jaganath Saroj of Vikas Nagar police station said: "According to his uncle, Bhagat Singh, with whom he used to live in the Vikas Nagar locality, Chandan never missed any episode of the show."

Chandan was taken to a nearby hospital but was declared dead by the doctors."The incident was reported to us Sunday morning and the body has been sent for post-mortem," Saroj added. Chandan's father, a native of Pithauragarh, is a farmer.

Source: http://www.bollywood.com

Slumdog child star for sale? father denies

Agencies
Posted: Apr 19, 2009

The father of 'Slumdog Millionaire' actress Rubina Ali Qureshi allegedly tried to sell her for 200,000 pounds for adoption, a sting operation by a British tabloid has revealed but he has refuted the claim. 

The 'News of The World' today claimed that Rafiq had tried to sell nine-year-old Rubina to their reporters, who were posing as the agents of a wealthy Arab Sheikh keen on adopting the famous child during a sting operation last week. The newspaper has published the photographs of Rubina and her father alongwith their reporters and also posted a video of the sting operation titled "Oscar Girl For Sale" on their website. But Rubina's father Rafiq Qureshi has denied their claim saying it was a conspiracy to "malign" him. 

"They said that Sheikh's wife wanted to adopt Rubina but I said, 'I can't give away my child'. They called me again the next day and talked in English. I could not understand but said yes to whatever they said. I never knew it would create such a controversy," Rubina's father said about the meeting. 

"I will never sell Rubina. All these allegations are false. It is a conspiracy to malign my reputation. The voice in the video is not mine," Rafiq claimed. 

Rubina's stepmother Munni reiterated her husband's statement saying, "An Arab lady had approached us to adopt Rubina but her father told her that she could come and meet the child but we will not give her up."

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Ranbir is happy with Deepika: Riddhima

Agencies
Posted: Apr 19, 2009 

While the rest of Bollywood is abuzz with reports of a rift between the industry's 'It' couple Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, the actor's sister Riddhima Kapoor says that the couple are very much in love. 

"I have met Deepika, and she is a very talented and intelligent girl who has achieved a lot despite her young age. My family likes her. I am happy for my brother because he is happy with her" Riddhima said. 

From the time they started dating last year after hooking up on the sets of ‘Bachna Ae Haseenon’ Ranbir and Deepika have been inseparable and grapevine suggested that the young couple plan to get hitched soon after Rishi Kapoor started referring to Deepika as 'bahurani'. However, the first signs of trouble came when Ranbir's growing friendship with Katrina Kaif made headlines and then Neetu Singh dismissed Deepika as 'just a girlfriend'. But when asked about the reports, Riddhima brushed them off saying that she had not heard any such news about a rift between the two. 

Riddhima, a fashion designer married to Delhi based businessman Bharat Sahni, had surprised the film fraternity when she decided not to follow the rest of her family into showbiz and instead set up shop as a designer in Delhi and the young entrepreneur still sticks to her decision.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Madonna injured in fall from horse in Hamptons

NEW YORK (AP) 

April 19, 2009

Madonna is under the care of doctors after falling off a horse over the weekend — an accident she is blaming on the paparazzi.

A representative for the superstar said Madonna suffered "minor injuries" after she fell while horseback riding in the Hamptons, a playground for the rich and famous on the eastern end of Long Island, N.Y.

"The accident occurred when the horse Madonna was riding was startled by paparazzi who jumped out of the bushes to photograph the singer, who was visiting friends," Liz Rosenberg said in a statement Saturday evening.

The 50-year-old singer was treated at a Southampton hospital and released, and is being monitored by doctors, Rosenberg said. No other information was released and a request for additional comment was not immediately returned Sunday morning.It was unclear whether the incident happened on private property and whether photographers were trespassing in the incident; Southampton police did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment Sunday morning.This is not the first time Madonna has been injured riding a horse. She was thrown from a horse in England in the summer of 2005, cracking three ribs and breaking her collarbone and a hand in that accident.

She saddled up again a couple of months later, when she was a guest the "Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS. She and the talk show's host rode their horses outside his Manhattan studio. She said it was the first time since her fall that she had been back in the saddle.

"I have a bit of excitement tainted with fear," she said then before climbing on.

She also said she hadn't been back on a horse since that fall "because my record company is not very keen on the idea of me injuring myself."

This is latest setback for Madonna. Earlier this month, a judge in Malawi denied her request to adopt a 3-year-old girl from the southern African country. Madonna, who adopted son David there, has said she will appeal the ruling.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.google.com