Shababa Iqbal

Shababa Iqbal is a Journalism graduate of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and a sub-editor of ICE Today. She likes Jane Austen's novels and Disney movies. Email: [email protected].

‘Sunrise on the Reaping’: Fan service and repetitive themes weigh down ‘Hunger Games’ prequel

Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series has captivated pop culture with its bold take on tyranny, sacrifice, and resistance, spanning Katniss Everdeen’s blazing defiance in The Hunger Games (2008) to her final stand in Mockingjay (2010) against Coriolanus Snow’s cold cruelty.

3m ago

‘Nadaaniyan’: It’s time for Bollywood to wake up to unskilled star kids

There is a great debate about nepotism in Hindi cinema. It's upsetting for everyone when clearly unskilled children of famous people are paraded as readymade movie stars, increasing the rift between the haves and the have-nots and highlighting the inequities of various systems across the screen. "Nadaaniyan", starring Khushi Kapoor and Ibrahim Ali Khan in the lead roles, is yet another example of this.

4m ago

Playing it safe: ‘The Roshans’ compromises its own potential

The Roshan family has been active in the Hindi film industry for multiple generations, contributing to music, acting, and direction for over 60 years or so. Naturally, there was a story waiting to be told. Their dynasty includes the patriarch and music maestro Roshan Lal Nagrath, his sons Rajesh Roshan, the music composer, and Rakesh Roshan, the director, and actor, as well as his grandson Hrithik Roshan, who became an overnight sensation with his first leading role in “Kaho Naa… Pyar Hai” (2000) and is one of Bollywood’s most beloved stars today.

5m ago

Fascism, propaganda, and resistance: ‘Wicked’ as a mirror to our times

The basic premise is a powerful one: What if the Wicked Witch of the West wasn't so bad after all, and what if the Wizard and the seemingly perfect society he oversaw were the real threats?

6m ago

‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ is a maze of missed opportunities

The most positive aspect of “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” (2024) is its unpredictability. While the climactic twist is audacious and unique, the film suffers from clumsy execution, falling short of evoking the intended emotions. It's a fine thought, albeit underwritten, and it deserved a bit more complexity than the film's chaotic momentum allows. Nonetheless, I have to say that I did not see it coming.

8m ago

‘Call Me Bae’: Funny and endearing Ananya excels in this heiress-to-hustler story

“Call Me Bae," created by Ishita Moitra with co-writers Samina Motlekar and Rohit Nair, follows the story of poor little rich girl Bella Chowdhary, affectionately known as Bae, played by Ananya Panday. For those who may not be familiar with generational slang, 'Bae' is a term of endearment used to refer to someone's sweetheart.

9m ago

How long can Emily possibly stay in Paris?

The success of “Emily in Paris” reveals that there's room for both highbrow, thought-provoking TV and light, unchallenging fare. While there are plenty of complex, intellectually stimulating shows, there are times when we just want something easy and predictable—shows like “Suits”, “The Office”, and “Friends” continue to top streaming charts long after their original air dates for precisely this reason. There's comfort in knowing what to expect and in watching a storyline wrap up neatly within 30 minutes.

10m ago

‘My Lady Jane’ shakes up British history with unapologetic romance and whimsy

With the guidance of writer and showrunner Gemma Burgess, "My Lady Jane" translates well into an eight-episode Prime Video series that confirms that history is a lot more fun and watchable when approached with an unapologetically tongue-in-cheek attitude.

1y ago
April 29, 2019
April 29, 2019

Widening the repertoire of Kathak

Skilled in the discipline of Kathak, renowned dance exponent and television personality Munmun Ahmed has many prestigious awards to her credit, including the National Award by Shishu Academy for Kathak Dance (1980), UNESCO Cultural Award (2000) NHK Japan Award (2000), BACHSAS Award for Best Dancer (2001), Television Audience Award for Best Dancer (2003), and Meril Prothom Alo Award for Best Dancer (2006), among others.

April 29, 2019
April 29, 2019

Getting to know Team Daekho

The entertaining content platform Daekho has been making waves in the market ever since it kicked off in March 2018, under Qinetic Network, a digital media company.

April 26, 2019
April 26, 2019

Conversations over coffee with KAJOL IBRAHIM

Born into a family with a rich cultural background, Kajol Ibrahim used to go to Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA) with her mother, Badrunnessa Andullah, on the weekends.

April 21, 2019
April 21, 2019

WELCOMING 1426 with Loko Sangeet

Marking the Bengali New Year, Star Melodies, an initiative of The Daily Star promoting Bangla music, arranged a musical evening titled, Loko Gaaner Shurey Borshoboron, at The Daily Star Centre yesterday.

April 19, 2019
April 19, 2019

'Shazam' balances humour with genuine sentimentality

Shazam is about a teenage boy, Billy Batson, who becomes a powerful superhero whenever he says the word 'Shazam'.

April 12, 2019
April 12, 2019

Fahim Anzoom Rumman

An avid fan of cartoons and comic books, Fahim Anzoom Rumman developed an interest in art from a young age. He is the

April 5, 2019
April 5, 2019

Tim Burton's 'Dumbo' doesn't quite take off

Medici Brothers', run by Max Medici (Danny DeVito), is a travelling circus that hosts shows all over the United States of America.

March 30, 2019
March 30, 2019

Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo's 'Unsettled' at Jatra Biroti

Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo's third solo exhibition, Unsettled, is currently taking place at Jatra Biroti in Banani. Apurbo has an academic and

March 21, 2019
March 21, 2019

Santa Clarita Diet

Netflix's recent original productions have been nothing short of brilliant – but one show that stands out is Santa Clarita Diet. Ahead of the show's third season, we discuss a few reasons why you need to watch it right now.

March 8, 2019
March 8, 2019

Chobi Mela X A peek into the world of Gerhard Steidl

Gerhard Steidl, among the world's most respected printers and publishers, and the founder of the German publishing company, Steidl, spoke about the beauty of analogue books in the digital era and explored his inspiration and process as a bookmaker at an event this week.