United News of Bangladesh

Actor Mukul Dev, known for his versatile performances across Hindi, Punjabi, and South Indian cinema, as well as television, has passed away at the age of 54. The cause of his death has not been revealed. Mukul, who began his acting journey in the mid-1990s, had been keeping a low profile in recent years. His last known appearance will be in the upcoming film Son of Sardaar 2, which will now serve as his cinematic swansong, reports Hindustan Times. Actor Vindu Dara Singh shared the news of Mukul’s demise on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Rest in peace my brother #MukulDev! The time spent with you will always be cherished and #SonOfSardaar2 will be your swansong where you will spread joy and happiness to the viewers and make them fall down laughing!” Vindu said, “After his parent's death, Mukul was keeping to himself. He would even step out of the house or meet anyone. His health deteriorated in the last few days and he was in the hospital. My condolences to his brother and everyone who knew and loved him. He was an amazing person, and we will all miss him.” Actor Deepshika Nagpal expressed her disbelief, saying she couldn't believe that Mukul is no more. Ishaan Khatter on shifting from The Royals to Homebound: "To Be Honest, It Was..." Manoj Bajpayee also paid tribute on social media, “It’s impossible to put into words what I’m feeling. Mukul was a brother in spirit, an artist whose warmth and passion were unmatched. Gone too soon, too young. Praying for strength and healing for his family and everyone grieving this loss. Miss you meri jaan…until we meet again, Om Shanti.” Born on September 17, 1970 in New Delhi, Mukul Dev made his television debut in Mumkin in 1996 and entered films the same year with Dastak. He went on to act in several notable films including Yamla Pagla Deewana, Son of Sardaar, R... Rajkumar, and Jai Ho.

A major power outage struck southeastern France on Saturday, disrupting traffic and briefly halting events at the Cannes Film Festival as the prestigious event prepared to hand out its top prize. About 160,000 households in the Alpes-Maritimes department lost electricity after a high-voltage line fell Saturday morning, electricity network operator RTE said on X. The outage came hours after a fire at an electrical substation near Cannes overnight had already weakened the grid. Cannes Film Festival organizers confirmed the outage affected the early activities of Saturday and said the Palais des Festivals — the Croisette's main venue — had switched to an independent power supply. “All scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, will proceed as planned and under normal conditions,” the statement said. "At this stage, the cause of the outage has not yet been identified. Restoration efforts are underway."  Ishaan Khatter on shifting from The Royals to Homebound: "To Be Honest, It Was..." Still, screenings at the Cineum, one of the festival’s satellite venues, were briefly suspended, the festival added. Traffic lights in parts of Cannes and the surrounding city of Antibes stopped working after 10 a.m., leading to traffic jams and confusion in city centers. Most shops along the Croisette remained closed, and local food kiosks were only accepting cash. Train service in Cannes was also disrupted.  Michael Jackson biopic with $155 million budget delayed to 2026 Authorities said restoration efforts were ongoing and urged residents to remain cautious during travel.

Ishaan Khatter, who recently created waves with his role as Prince Aviraaj Singh in The Royals, is now making headlines with his Cannes debut in Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. The film, which also stars Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa, has marked a significant moment in Ishaan’s career. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Ishaan opened up about the stark contrast between his suave, polished role in The Royals and the emotionally intense character he plays in Homebound. According to him, the most difficult part was the preparation—truly connecting with the new character and internalizing it enough so that he could perform naturally on set. He shared that it was challenging to separate himself from the character in Homebound, especially since filming for the project began right after finishing The Royals. A major part of the transformation, he revealed, was physical. Director Neeraj Ghaywan asked him to lose weight to better match the look and feel of his Homebound role. Ishaan also mentioned spending two months in Madhya Pradesh during the shoot, fully immersed in the world of the film. Despite the intense process, the critical acclaim the film received at Cannes made it all worthwhile. Homebound is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra, with Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese attached as Executive Producer. Source NDTV  

Fans of Michael Jackson will have to wait longer for the highly anticipated biopic “Michael,” directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson, the late pop icon’s nephew. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer revealed during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call that the film is expected to be delayed beyond the 2025 fiscal year, reports Variety. Feltheimer said, “I would note that it is likely we will move ‘Michael’ out of the fiscal year which will impact fiscal ’26 financial results but will bolster an already strong fiscal ’27 slate.” Lionsgate’s fiscal year ends on March 31, 2026, suggesting the film will likely be released sometime after April 1, 2026. Variety reported last month that the film could be split into two parts, further contributing to the delay from its original release date of October 3 this year. Avengers’ Delayed: Marvel pushes Doomsday, Secret Wars to December 2026 and 2027 “Michael” wrapped principal photography in May last year, but the script by John Logan is currently being revised ahead of planned reshoots. Despite being prominently featured in last year’s Lionsgate CinemaCon presentation, no footage was shown at this year’s event. The biopic, which carries a budget of approximately $155 million, features a star-studded cast. Colman Domingo and Nia Long portray Jackson’s parents Joe and Katherine Jackson, while Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca. Larenz Tate appears as Motown founder Berry Gordy, Laura Harrier as music executive Suzanne de Passe, and Kat Graham as Diana Ross.

Marvel Studios has pushed back the release dates of its highly anticipated team-up films, “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” as part of a wider shake-up of Disney’s theatrical release calendar. “Avengers: Doomsday” will now premiere on December 18, 2026, a delay of more than seven months from its originally planned May 1, 2026 debut. In line with that change, “Avengers: Secret Wars” has also been moved, shifting from May 7, 2027 to December 17, 2027, according to Variety. The delays were confirmed by Disney on Thursday afternoon, as the studio also revealed a substantial reorganisation of its upcoming film schedule. Among the key changes was the removal of several unannounced Marvel titles. The slot previously held on February 13, 2026 for an “Untitled Marvel” film has been entirely dropped, while the November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2027 dates have been reclassified as “Untitled Disney” releases. Shankar Mahadevan collaborates with Google’s AI tool to create new song As a result, only two Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films are now slated for 2026 — “Avengers: Doomsday” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” The changes also create a notable content gap for Marvel. There will be no theatrical MCU release between “The Fantastic 4: First Steps” on July 25 and the next Tom Holland-led “Spider-Man” film on July 31, 2026. This marks the longest interval between MCU features since the COVID-19 pandemic halted releases between 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” and 2021’s “Black Widow.”

Bollywood actress and Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta has taken legal action against her fellow board members, Mohit Burman and Ness Wadia, by filing a case in a Chandigarh court. The three serve as directors of KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited, the company that owns the IPL franchise Punjab Kings. Zinta is contesting the validity of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on April 21, claiming it violated procedures laid out in the Companies Act, 2013, and other governance rules. She had raised objections to the meeting in an email dated April 10, but says her concerns were disregarded. Zinta alleges the meeting was conducted by Burman with Wadia’s backing. Although she and another director, Karan Paul, were present at the meeting, Zinta is urging the court to deem it invalid. A central issue in her petition is the appointment of Muneesh Khanna as a director, which both she and Paul opposed. Zinta’s legal request also includes barring Khanna from acting as a director and suspending any decisions made during the controversial meeting. She further wants the court to prohibit the company from holding additional board or general meetings unless both she and Paul are present and Khanna is excluded, until the dispute is resolved. Aishwarya Rai channels desi elegance in saree, sindoor at Cannes red carpet Despite the legal battle, Zinta continues to publicly support the team during the IPL 2025 season. Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, the Punjab Kings have performed impressively, securing a playoff spot for the first time since 2014. With 17 points from 12 games, they currently rank third and are aiming for a top-two finish. Their final league matches are scheduled against Delhi Capitals on May 24 in Jaipur and Mumbai Indians on May 26. Source: With inputs from NDTV

The upcoming Nazrul Concert 2025 originally scheduled for May 30 has been postponed by one day to pay tribute to the late President Ziaur Rahman on his 44th death anniversary. The concert will now take place on Saturday, May 31 at 5 pm on the capital’s Manik Mia Avenue. Organised by the Kazi Nazrul Institute, the concert marks the release of a new music album featuring 10 inspirational songs by the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, remastered by 10 of the country’s most popular bands. Participating bands include Warfaze, Souls, Dalchhut, Ark, Shironamhin, Different Touch, MNB, Rebel, Black, and F Minor. The event will be inaugurated by Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Brazilian police arrest 2 people over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in Rio In addition to live band performances of songs from the new album, the concert will also feature other motivational compositions by Nazrul, poetry recitations, and other cultural segments. Entry to the event is free for all. Speaking about the initiative, Md Latiful Islam Shibli, Executive Director of the Kabi Nazrul Institute, said, “From the start of my tenure, this album and concert were key priorities. It also received attention under Priority Program 7 of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.” Referring to recent student-led movements, he added, “As the youth continue to fight for an equal society, Nazrul’s songs remain a powerful source of inspiration. This album is part of our commitment to that spirit.” The album features songs such as "Tora Shob Joyodhoni Kor," "Jago Onoshon Bondi," "Karar Oi Louho Kopat," "Ei Shikol Pora Chhol," "Durgo Giri Kantar Moru," "Bajiche Damama Bandhore Amama," "Porodeshi Megh," "Joy Hok Joy Hok," "O Bhai Khati Sonar Cheye Khati," and "Mora Jhonjhar Moto Uddam." Lady Gaga draws over 2 million fans to free concert on Copacabana Beach All tracks from the album will be released digitally through the Kabi Nazrul Institute’s official website and social media platforms.

A fire broke out at the Banani residence of prominent singer and composer Bappa Mazumder on Thursday morning but the artiste and his family escaped unharmed. According to Bappa, the fire originated from the ground floor of the building due to an electrical wiring issue and quickly spread toward the upper floors. Sharing the harrowing experience on social media, Bappa wrote on Facebook, “Just got saved from a fire in our building on 2nd floor (we live on the 3rd floor) due to electrical wire issues. But we all are safe. Thanks to the Fire Brigade Service for their prompt response. Otherwise it could have been something very different. And… well… can't even think about it” Speaking to media, Bappa recounted the terrifying moment: “I was alerted through an intercom call that there was a fire in the building. I tried to get my family out, but the smoke was so thick we couldn’t see anything,” he said. Miles members reunite with founding father Farid Rashid in New York He added, “Suddenly, I felt the heat of the fire on my face and panicked. We stood on the balcony for a while, then I contacted lyricist Shahan Kabondho, who was nearby. With his help, we managed to get out safely.” Bappa married actress Tania Hossain in 2018. The couple has two daughters. No casualties were reported in the incident and further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the damage and cause of the fire.

Renowned Indian singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan has embraced artificial intelligence in music creation by collaborating with Google to develop a new song using its generative music model, Lyria. The Grammy-winning artist showcased the capabilities of the AI tool during a virtual appearance at Google’s annual I/O developer conference held on May 20 in Mountain View, California. Google used the event to introduce its latest AI innovations, including tools designed for filmmaking and music generation. As part of the unveiling of Lyria 2, Google Research Scientist Jason Baldridge introduced a “music AI sandbox” created in collaboration with musicians. “It is a tool for professionals to explore the possibilities of our generative music model Lyria, in their work. Let's watch a clip starring legendary Grammy-winning singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan putting the music AI sandbox and Lyria to use,” said Baldridge, reports Hindustan Times. The featured video shows Shankar Mahadevan in his studio, where he shares his experience working with the AI tool. “I am a music composer, singer, producer and a happy man... Working with Sandbox is great. We inputted our requirements and it gave us a bed. We used that bed and we came up with this song,” he said. Javed Akhtar says he'd choose hell over Pakistan amid troll attacks Titled ‘Rubaro’, the song was created using Lyria and developed in collaboration with Shankar’s team. The video highlights their creative journey, including selecting beats and adjusting pitches, offering a glimpse into how AI can assist musicians in shaping their artistic vision. Reflecting on the experience, Shankar added, “For a musician, it is such an inspiring tool. You open a door and you see there’s another room... And then you open another room, and you have another door... That is what AI does.” Known for his versatility across Bollywood, classical, and devotional music, Shankar Mahadevan has lent his voice to hit tracks like Maa, Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Desi Girl, Kajra Re and Uff Teri Adaa.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, a regular at the Cannes Film Festival, has finally made her much-anticipated appearance — and she didn’t disappoint. Making a grand entrance at the premiere of The History of Sound, the Bollywood star exuded Indian royalty in a white sari, adorned with traditional jewelry and a touch of sindoor. Images and videos of the actress quickly went viral, showing her striking graceful poses for photographers. Her ensemble featured a dramatic long pallu draped over her left shoulder and an elegant lace train on the right. Aishwarya greeted the paparazzi with a warm namaste and radiant smile, while also charming fans with waves and flying kisses as she ascended the iconic steps of the Palais des Festivals.