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In her time she was called the ‘Flower of the Native Stage’ and the ‘Moon of the Star Theatre.’ She introduced the modern techniques of stage make-up blending European and indigenous styles, at a time when there was no role model before her. She is none other than the mother of Bengali theatre—Binodini Dasi. Prominent theatrical group Dhaka Theatre’s avant-garde production Binodini delineates the life sketch of the legend. Jointly organised by Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Bengal Federation, the theatre buffs got the opportunity to witness the most acclaimed play of the year Binodini in the ongoing Natyatshab.
   In the British colonial days, courtesans performed the female characters since women from conservative backgrounds were not allowed to act in theatre. Binodini Dasi, an actress with a dark past, made tremendous contribution to our theatre in the 19th century.
   Simon Zakaria, with guidance from Selim Al Deen, Nasiruddin Yousuff and Shimul Yousuff, has dramatised Binodini. Simon has used two autobiographies by Binodini Dasi— Aamar Kotha and Aamar Abhinoy Jibon, several poems written by Binodini and a few reference books on this pioneering female theatre artiste of the subcontinent.
   Directed by Nasiruddin Yousuff, Binodini is a solo performance by Shimul Yousuff.
   Kamaluddin Kabir is the set designer while Ishrat Nishat is the light designer of the play.
   The colourful story of Binodini’s life, its vicissitudes, dreams and betrayals are set down in the play. The play unfolds Binodini’s description of the men and women who taught her, exploited her and loved her.
   Recruited from the prostitutes’ quarters at age eleven, Binodini soon became the leading actress of several major theatrical companies, appearing in eighty roles during her meteoric career. This play forms a rare testimony to the talents and travails of the first generation of Bengali actresses, who came to the theatre from impoverished, disreputable families. Playing the roles of warring heroines and self-sacrificing satis, these working women embodied middle class aspirations for moral purification and national glory, and struggled to find economic and social refuge in their own lives.
   Shimul Yousuff as the nineteenth century legendary actress with her graceful stage appearance just mesmerised the audience. Her flawless depiction of the character of Binodini, sometimes with the help of narrations, sometimes with acting or singing — were just mind blowing. The play unfolded us a mystery that delineated the true life sketch of the legend—her dark past, her turning into an actress , her dedication towards theatre and how by dint of sheer talent and hard work, Binodini soon became the passion among the well-to-do theatre loving ‘babus’ of Calcutta along with her other facets of life. In the course of portraying Binodini, Shimul’s display of the glimpses of the women characters that the legend once played, for instance, Pramila, Sita, Draupadi, Radhika, Ayesha, Kaikeyi, Motibibi, Kapalkundala and others, were just amazing.
   And Shimul Yousuff was remarkably convincing in the commanding the show as Binodini.

The Tri-Continental Film Festival continues today, with the festival’s only Bangladeshi film, ‘Matir Moina’ being screened. The films will be screened at the Star Cineplex in Bashundhara City.
   Matir Moina (Bangladesh)
   11:00am, 4:45pm
   Synopsis
   In a village in Eastern Pakistan at the end of the 1960s, homeopathic doctor Kazi, an orthodox Muslim, is wary of his brother Milon, a student who is a bit too libertarian for his taste. He decides to send his 10-year-old son Anou to an Islamic school to keep him away from Milon’s bad influence. While at the school, the boy begins a friendship with Rokon, an orphan who is rejected by the other pupils. Back home, Anou’s sister, Asma, becomes ill, but her father refuses to look after her with antibiotics that Milon has provided. Meanwhile, a violent civil war begins.
   Festivals/awards
   Cannes (Critics’ Prize, Opening Film Directors’ Fortnight), Marrakech (Best Screenplay), Karafest Pakistan, Montreal, Edinburgh, Cairo, Munich, Palm Spring, Oscars.
   Khamosh Pani
   2:30pm, 7:15pm
   Synopsis
   Ayesha is a middle-aged widowed mother whose life centres around her son Saleem, a gentle, dreamy teenage boy. When Saleem gets involved with a group of reilious fanatics, he begins to change, and his relationship with his mother becomes more and more estranged.
   Festivals/awards
   Locarno (Golden Leopard, Best Actress), Nantes (Silver Montgolfere, Critics’ Prize)
   Tickets: Tk 100 for matinee shows, Tk 150 for evening shows (all excluding VAT). Thirty per cent discount for students.

Deepa Mehta’s controversial film Water will open the tenth International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK 2005), beginning in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, which would see more than 300 films from around the world and the country.
   The IFFK 2005’s focus was on Turkey where a package of Turkish films from the 70’s and 80’s has been curetted to show the problems that Turks faced within their country. Alongside is a package of films from Germany focusing on immigrant Turks today with their violence and passionate search for identity.
   The World Cinema section has the latest entries from Asian, African, Latin American and European countries. Werner Herzog’s Wild Blue Yonder (Germany), Ian Gabriels’s Forgiveness (South Africa), Emir Kusturica’s Life is a Miracle (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) Xiaoshuai Wang’s Shanghai Dreams (China) were among the films that would be screened at this section.
   The Competition section had more than 150 entries, out of which 14 were short listed for screening at the festival and the jury consisting of Bertrand Tavernier, Ketan Mehta, Piers Handling, and Tahmineh Milani will be choosing the best at the festival.
   All 14 films were from Africa, Asia and Latin American countries.
   Rituparno Ghosh’s Antar Mahal (Bengali), Dreaming Lhasa (English) directed by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam and Perumazhakkalam (Malayalam) by Kamal were the Indian entries in the section.
   The Indian Films Today, Malayalam Cinema Now, and Documentaries and Shorts sections will have about 350 films in the fray to be screened.

Charon’s 2nd furniture and handicrafts exhibition is being held at Drik in Dhaka. It will remain open from 3:00pm to 8:00pm till December 10. On display are sofa sets, divans, cabinets, dining tables, dressing tables, decorative doors etc. Among the decorative pieces, the lamp-stands in different sizes and designs are very attractive. They have used mostly pine, teak, mahogany and other timber of good quality blending the traditional with modern designs. Subir Obayed said, ‘To meet the demand of the viewers we have displayed more furniture items in our new designs.’

The bloodthirsty undead are at it again. This time, it’s the Reapers - a race of super vampires hungry to eliminate all inferior vampire breeds and remake the human race in their image. But one thing sharper than their blood-sucking fangs threatens their new order — Blade (Snipes, Unstoppable, Undisputed). While the Reapers may be unhappy about their current life in limbo, Blade will finish the job. Swapping wooden stakes for a head-lobbing sword and those cool silver pokers, the leather-clad samurai savior of the human race from Marvel comics is ready to harvest souls of the undead.
   HBO
   9:30pm
   Starring
   Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson