ওয়াশিংটন বাংলা রেডিও Washington Bangla Radio USA

Mumbai, July 31, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) The 5 feet 7 inch tall actress Kate Beckinsale is always in the news for her films and her personality. This time around she is back in the limelight for her film “Total Recall” of Sony Pictures in which she is playing the character of Lori. The film which releases worldwide on 3rd August also stars Actor Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel alongside Kate in the lead roles. Producer Toby Jaffe and Neal Moritz’s this film is directed by Len Wiseman.

Kolkata, July 30, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Nigel Akkara aka Vicky is the irresistibly handsome lead actor in Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee's Bengali feature film Muktodhara (2012). He plays Yusuf Mohammad Khan, a prison convict who, like Nigel in real life and also like the famous bandit Ratnakar who later became sage Valmiki, has great inner conflict. Nigel spent almost a decade incarcerated in a prison after being arrested and sentenced in his early 20s for some seventeen counts of felony, including kidnapping, extortion and accessory to murder. Among his most infamous deeds was his involvement in abduction and murder of Kishore Hirawat, the son of a rich Jute merchant, in 2000 (it was one of Nigel's gang members that pulled the trigger that killed Hirawat). The incident was reported in The Telegraph daily in 2000.

Read all about Nigel Akkara and watch his interview with WBRi about his lead role in the new Indian Kolkata Bengali movie Muktodhara (2012).

Kolkata, July 26, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Director-duo Provash and Arijit have written the story, script and dialog and directed the new Indian Bengali action drama movie SHOOTER (2012). In this interview with WBRi, they reveal how they wrote the script of Shooter sitting under the VIP Road Haldiram Bridge in Kolkata and much more about their directorial debut.

Watch the Bengali film Shooter (2012) writer-directors chat with WBRi online.

Kolkata, July 26, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Tollywood actor Partho portrays Raju in Shooter (2012) Bengali action film - a bad guy whose badness is limitless. He organizes his friends into a gang of criminals and becomes a mafia don in Kolkata, then betrays those very friends. The character is all about how Raju creates a crime empire unscruplously and mercilessly. Watch Bengali movie Shooter (2012) Actor Partho Chat with WBRi Online.

Kolkata, July 25, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Dipannita Biswas is a small-town girl from Malda in West Bengal, famous for the some of the best mangoes in the world as the beuatiful young actress reminds us in this interview with WBRi. She debuts in Tollywood (Kolkata Bangla Movie industry) with the second lead female role in the action drama Shooter (2012). She appears alongside Joy Mukherjee and Sayantika Banerjee (whose Awara released recently where Sayantika appears opposite Jeet). Watch Bengali film Shooter (2012) actress Dipanwita Biswas chat with WBRi online.

Calcutta, July 20, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Rupa Ganguly plays a wife and a mother in Buddhuram Dhol Duniya Gol. She naturally becomes very concerned when her daughter runs away from home. However, she is not completely clueless and has enough background information to realize why her daughter took this step.

A search for the missing daughter commences. Not unexpectedly, there is some friction between the mother and the father (Kunal Padhi) that about the reasons of, and failure to understand and pre-empt, the running away of the daughter.

As the story progresses, one problem leads to a couple of others. Also, sometime in the story of the film, another aspect of the lady is revealed and eventually she is reunited with her hitherto suppressed lover (Mithun Chakraborty as Buddhuram Dhol). She also realizes that her failures in her relationships due to external reasons can only inspire her to make sure her child does not make the same mistakes. Watch the video interview with Rupa Ganguly.

Kolkata, July 20, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Mithun Chakraborty describes his title role of Buddhuram Dhol as of a thick-headed police officer who is, however, not completely dumb and is very honest. The police department does rely on him to solve complex cases in spite of his  simplicity. He has an assistant who manages to muddle of their cases all the time, and although Dhol himself also messes up sometimes, they do manage to solve their cases.

Rupa Ganguly's character is of the cop's lover. Unfortunately, due to circumstances perpetuated by third parties, the lady ends up marrying someone else (played by Kunal Padhi). Watch Chakraborty and Ganguly in a special video from the shooting of Tollywood's new Kolkata Bangla movie.

Kolkata, July 19, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) In a remarkable display of the camaraderie that naturally exists between social services volunteers, the launch of Aarohan - a new NGO with the charter of working for the upliftment of underprivileged children of India - was attended by over 600 beneficiaries of 25 other NGOs, some from places far away from Kolkata. The host - actress and philanthropist June Maliah - poignantly reminded all of their social responsibility; a little time spent on social activities goes a big way in improving and securing society. Too many people have come to think about themselves without being aware of what is happening around them, sometimes leading to violent crimes against even seniors. Watch a video interview with June Malia on WBRi.

Calcutta, July 16, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) The new Tollywood handsome actor Sagar Dutta plays Joy - a regular street-smart guy living the life with his buddies - in PREM UNLIMITED that commenced shooting a few days ago. The character Joy falls in love at first sight when he meets Priya (Ritabhari Chakraborty). Although he feels an irrestible attraction for Priya, Joy is not sure his feelings are reciprocated. More interestingly, the affair starts off in a misleading situation. Watch a video interview with the newcomer actor.

Click Play to watch Ritabhari Chakraborty talk about her Bengali movies

Calcutta, July 16, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) The sparkly young multi-telented Bengali actress Ritabhari Chakraborty is barely out of her teens but has already become immensely popular for her acclaimed portrayal of Lolita in the Bangla TV serial "Ogo Bodhu Sundori". She spread her wings further with her spectacular live performances in Gautam Halder's "cine-play" (a combination of film and theater) Noshtoneer (Charulata). A candid video interview with the actress, danseuse, writer and singer about her Bangla movies Tobu Boshonto (2012) and Prem Unlimited.

Santana Bose plays the role of the heroine and her sister in Milan Bhowmik's latest Tollywood Kolkata Bangla movie Keno Mon Takey Chaaye. Biplap Chatterjee plays her husband and the dad of the two girls. Watch a video interview with WBRi.

A very well known face on Bengali Television and rapidly ascending in Tollywood as a feature film actress, Oindrila actually started her career on the big screen at a very young age. She therefore does not feel much of a change in switching between TV and cinema, and is equally comfortable in both, although she thinks the small screen needs a bit more of hard work for her than the silver screen.

Oindrila reveals Keno Mon Taake Chaaye is shot in spectacular locations like Lachung and Gangtok in Sikkim, Siliguri and of course Kolkata in West Bengal. Her experience in working with director Milan Bhowmik and the unit of the Tollywood Kolkata Bangla movie was greatly enjoyable. Watch the beautiful Bengali actress chat with WBRi.

Raaj & Oindrila

"Keno Mon Take Chaye" is the fourth Kolkata Bangla movie for actor Raaj and his second movie with director Milan Bhowmik (after Mon Bole Priya Priya). It is also his second film with actress Oindrila starring opposite him. Raaj chats with WBRi on his latest film in this video interview.

Calcutta, July 11, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Utsab, or Dr. Utsab Das, a singer by passion and a doctor by profession, comes from a family where his both grandparents are doctors, and mother a singer. Utsab has found happiness in both. Read all about Utsab and listen to his songs on WBRi.

Kolkata, June 26, 2012 (Washington Bangla Radio) Few Indian singer-composers can rival the immense respect that Bappi Lahiri enjoys among listeners around the world. In an exclusive video interview with WBRi, Bappi-da talks about his long and successful musical journey, his forays into the disco genre, his views on the current musical trends, and much, much more with Senior American Bengali journalist Devasish Ray.

Also check out our exclusive interview with Kumar Sanu >

Bappi Lahiri, who is on the verge of completing 40 years as a composer, reels off the names of some of his latest blockbusters to set the tone for the discussion. Apart from the cult hit Ooh La La, Bappi-da also mentions Le Halua Le and Bikram Singha as two of his most successful recent albums. The music maestro also plays down the controversies that surrounded the Jhinka Chika-track from Bikram Singha.

Bappi-da is currently a jury member for the Grammy. In this context, he names World Peace Love & Harmony (2010) and Jai Ganesha (2011) as two of his albums that had been sent to the Grammy. More recently, Bappi Lahiri’s latest offering, Walking On The Love Street, has been making waves in the international music circuits and has also been listed as the top album in the jazz section at a countdown in Washington.