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A six-day film festival titled Nakshi Kantha featuring Bangladeshi films began at the Gorki Sadan in Kolkata on Monday.
   Eminent film director Mrinal Sen inaugurated the festival, organised by Einstein Cine Club.
   The festival began with the screening of Kittankhola by Abu Sayeed. The film got the national film award in 2000.
   A total of seven films will be screened at the festival which will continue till July 26, said the organisers.
   The films Noy Namber Bipad Sanket by Humayun Ahmed, Ek Khanda Zami by Shahjahan Chowdhury, Ghani by Kazi Murshed, Swapnadanay by Golam Rabbani, Bachelor by Mostafa Sarwar Farooki and Roopkothar Galpa by Tauquir Ahmed will also be screened during the festival.
   All the films have been produced by Impress Telefilm Limited.

Age has not dampened the spirit of evergreen Bollywood star Dev Anand. The 84-year-old thespian is now busy with his new film Chargesheet, a murder mystery that will star Jackie Shroff and a host of newcomers.
   Actor-director-producer Dev Anand, who introduced stars like Zeenat Aman, Tina Munim and Tabu, among others, told IANS: ‘I always stood for newcomers. I think there is immense talent in our country that needs to be tapped. We, as responsible filmmakers, should always provide them the opportunity to prove their mettle.’
   ‘The story is set in Panchgani where the major portion of the film will be shot,’ said Anand, who is directing and producing the film.
   While Anand will play a retired CBI officer, Jackie will portray an actor in the film. Sameer Kochhar, who has acted in films like Zeher and Jannat, will play a corrupt police officer.
   Anand said Chargesheet will be one of his best projects till date and people will see him at his best as an actor and director.
   ‘I have been working on the script for quite a long time and it has shaped up really well. I hope it will strike the chord with the masses.
   ‘My last few films did not do well as I was not aware of the marketing technique which is prevalent today, but I will not take any chance with this project as it is very dear to me,’ Anand said.
   Anand said he plans to start shooting next month in Mumbai, where he will be filming some of the interior scenes.
   ‘The major portion of the shoot will be in Panchgani, which I will start as soon as the monsoon ends,’ he added.
   The film is expected to be complete by January 2009.
   Talking about Jackie, Anand said: ‘Jackie is very dear to me from the days when we worked together in Swami Dada. He has a very interesting role to play in the film, which I will not divulge now.
   Chargesheet will be the 37th movie of Anand’s production company Navketan Films that has given countless blockbuster hits like Baazi, Kala Bazar, Guide, Jewel Thief, Prem Pujari, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Heera Panna, among others.

Film artiste, AFM Abdul Ali Lalu, popularly known as Lalu Bhai, died of old age complications at his Brahma Palli residence in the district town at 12:00pm on Monday.
   He was 90. The artiste was suffering from heart diseases, high blood pressure and old-age complications.
   Besides wife, he left six sons, a daughter and a host of relatives to mourn his death.
   He was buried at Bhatikeshar Graveyard after the namaz-e-janaza at Jamia Islamia.
   Lalu was a popular name on BTV and Radio. He became popular for his dialogue ‘Kainchain Dehi’, a local dialect in Mymensingh on BTV programme ‘Jadi Kichu Mone Naa Koren’ by Fazle Lohani.
   He worked for the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board and went on retirement in 1989. He somehow ekes out a stark living with the pension money of TK 1646.
   He first appeared in the silver screen through ‘Surjo Snan’ in 1962. He performed different roles in more than 100 films, including Ka Kha Ga Gha Uma, Sonali Akash, Dui Diganta, Raja Elo Shahare, Sat Rang, Nawab Siraj-ud-Dowlah, Chena Ochena, Abanchita and many more.
   He also worked with Abdul Jabber Khan, the first filmmaker of Mukh O Mukhush.