Art and Culture
"The caged bird has flown away": Farewell to Lalon geeti pioneer Farida Parveen
Birds take flight without anyone knowing, no one senses it. Just a gust of bad wind against the cage, and its wings are set free into the endless sky.
Wish I could live a little more for the sake of song
Renowned folk singer and “Lalon’s daughter”-famed Farida Parveen passed away today, Saturday (13 September), at 10:15 pm. She was 71. Born on 31 December 1954 in Singra, Natore, she spent 55 years with music. On 24 January 2025, she visited the Views Bangladesh office, filling it with her vibrant and and versatile songs and conversations. During that visit, she spoke about her musical journey, Lalon songs, and various aspects of the Bangladeshi music scenario. That conversation was published in two instalments on 27 January and 8 March 2025. A few days later she fell ill. The Views Bangladesh family kept in touch with her while her condition was deteriorating. But now she is gone. Today, Views Bangladesh republishes her final interview for its readers.
Syed Mujtaba Ali’s language learning and his humour
One of the finest novelists, short story writers, translators and humourists in modern Bangla literature is Syed Mujtaba Ali. He was born on 13 September 1904 in Karimganj of Sylhet, then part of Assam in undivided British India. A large part of his education was spent at Santiniketan. There he learnt Sanskrit, English, Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Hindi, Gujarati, French, German, Italian and several other languages. For study, employment and simply out of a passion for travelling, Mujtaba Ali roamed many countries of the world. In humorous writing he was unmatched in Bangla literature. Today, 13 September, is the day of his passing. From the 'Syed Mujtaba Ali Rachanabali" published by Student Wage, five incidents are presented here for readers.
The background to Sunil Gangopadhyay becoming a poet
No one kept their word, thirty-three years have passed, no one kept their word” or ‘For a long time I have had a wish to buy a mountain”—these are lines that immediately bring to mind Sunil Gangopadhyay. Though his literary life began with poetry, it was as a novelist that he gained immense popularity.
Why teen movie 'Superbad' included in the top 100 films of the century
The selection panel included Oscar-winning directors Pedro Almodóvar, Sofia Coppola, Barry Jenkins, Guillermo del Toro, and actors Julianne Moore, John Turturro, among others. Streaming services and superhero blockbusters have radically changed the way films are watched and thought about in the past 25 years.
Salutations to you, conversational poet Shaheed Quaderi
If one were to ask, who was the most passionate conversationalist among Bengali poets, one of the first names that would come up is poet Shaheed Quaderi. At one time, Shaheed Quaderi himself was synonymous with adda (casual intellectual gatherings). It was said of him that he could strike up a conversation even with a lamppost. The poet himself said, “I am an immigrant addabaj (conversation enthusiast).” He would lead the adda himself. Where did the adda not take place—Beauty Boarding, Rex Restaurant, the home of novelist Rashid Karim, the home of poet Shamsur Rahman, the office of educationist Fazal Shahabuddin, office of the magazine Sandhani, and Purana Paltan—everywhere. Adda was held regularly.
Final days of Kazi Nazrul Islam
It is almost impossible to determine the number of countless writings published on Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. In Michael H Hart’s book, “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History”, Kazi Nazrul Islam is named among the greatest of all time. There is nothing new to be said about the poet. In short, Nazrul was the poet of rebellion and equality. He was one of the most prominent figures in Bengali literature, music and culture.
Will Vijay Thalapathy’s political party be a blockbuster, or will it collapse at ballot box
Tamil cinema superstar Vijay Thalapathy is shaking up Tamil Nadu politics within just 18 months of launching his political party ‘Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam’ (TVK). The name means ‘Victory of the Tamil People’; but the question is—will he stop at creating a stir, or will he truly change the rules of the game? Let us try to understand that today.
The ‘Bahubali’ of a thousand years ago
Almost 1200 years ago, in the 9th century, a Digambara monk named Jinsen composed an extraordinary epic. His work, known as the Adi Purana, was based on the life of the first Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha, and the stories of his two sons, Bharat and Bahubali. This was not an ordinary tale; it was a remarkable saga of conquering pride and attaining spiritual liberation. In it, we witness the journey of a warrior who becomes a supreme sage.
Four acclaimed hits running simultaneously
Cinephiles in Bangladesh are enjoying a week that comes once in a blue moon. It is not often that multiplexes screen several big-budget, ambitious films at the same time—each managing to win over audiences as well as critics. Currently, four highly anticipated films of different genres are running in the country's multiplexes. These films have not only created a stir at the box office but have also received excellent ratings from audiences and critics alike. Let's find out more about these four films.