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.

6m 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?

7m 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.

10m 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
November 2, 2018
November 2, 2018

RAYHAN ISLAM SHUVRO

Rayhan Islam Shuvro has been a part of various projects and rocked out at several underground concerts in his young career. Having

October 31, 2018
October 31, 2018

A glimpse into fahad al alam's Dust to Dust

In May 2018, photographer and writer Fahad Al Alam launched A piece of whisper, a self-published book containing his photographs, all shot on film, and a book of poems, separately.

October 26, 2018
October 26, 2018

Autumn Leaves and Paperies held at The Create Space

Autumn Leaves and Paperies, the inaugural exhibition of The Create Space held from October 19-20 at Baridhara, was a celebration of fall with all things artistic – starting from delectable scented candles, amazing notebooks, exclusive art prints, stunning jewelry to

October 17, 2018
October 17, 2018

Exploring stories of heroic daughters

To celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, HerStory Foundation hosted a live reading and signing event of their book, Her Stories: Adventures of Supergirls by Amiya, in collaboration with Bookworm Bangladesh in North End Coffee Roasters at Dhanmondi.

October 7, 2018
October 7, 2018

Mahmudul Hasan Adnan

Young director Mahmudul Hasan Adnan aspires to turn ideas into profitable entertainment.

October 7, 2018
October 7, 2018

Saria Saguaro's many creative endeavours

Saria Saguaro, popularly known by her alias Pretty Sh.tty Art, is a visual pop artist whose work involves everything in pop culture,

September 28, 2018
September 28, 2018

Thriving with the sitar

Nishit Dey, a promising sitar player, initially stepped into the field of classical music through the tabla. Born in Mymensingh, Nishit is

September 26, 2018
September 26, 2018

Teller of riveting stories

Television director and writer Ashfaque Nipun worked in the famous production house Chabial for years before hitting a pivotal

September 25, 2018
September 25, 2018

Cafe Shanchayita's 'Cha Chakra'

Founded by fashion designer, artist, social worker and eco-thinker Faiza Ahmed, Manas, a contemporary fashion house, pays tribute to the likes of Rabindranath Tagore,

September 18, 2018
September 18, 2018

Enabling the music community

National Music House (NMH) is a musical instrument manufacturer and importer based in Dhaka which makes top-class exclusive musical instruments and imports from noted brands like Conn & Selmer, Buffet Cram Pone, Yamaha, Ludwig and several others.