Weekend Roundup: Koel and family test COVID negative, Subhashree’s baby shower, Ankush-Oindrila starting ‘Magic’ shoot; here’s what made headlines in Bengali cinema

If you have missed the exciting news, gossips or latest developments that have rocked Bengali cinema this week, here is a weekly roundup for you. Take a look:

Koel Mallick took to social media and shared the good news that her family, including father Ranjit mallick, mother Deepa Mallick and husband Nispal Singh, have tested COVID-19 negative. She wrote: Can’t express our gratitude in words for all the love, concern, care & prayers that came our way throughout this time! We all have completely recovered & tested negative for COVID 19. (sic)

On July 10, the actress and her family tested COVID positive and were in self-quarantine. In between, when we got in touch with Koel, she said, “We are completely fine but waiting for the results. I am even nursing my baby on paediatrician’s advice.”

We already know Raja Chanda’s next film ‘Magic’ stars real-life couple Ankush and Oindrila Sen as the main leads along with Paayel Sarkar. Shooting for film started from Thursday (August 06) and now, the second look poster of ‘Magic’ is out. The poster looks quite intriguing and this will surely excite Ankush fans. Also, it will be for the first time we will get to see the real-life couple together on screen. Ankush has even attented Sohag Sen’s workshop to prep up for his character. Magic revolves around a guy, who goes through a magical change in his life when he falls in love with a girl from his office. After falling in love, the guy realises that he had some connection with this girl in his previous life and the film takes a turn from there.

Amid the current outrage against actress Rhea Chakraborty over her alleged involvement in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, a portion of social media users have targeted Bengali women. Kolkata Police’s cyber cell and the state women commission have already received so many complaints of online abuse and defamation of Bengali women. Now, Bengali actress Anuradha Mukherjee became the latest victim of online abuse. It all started when the young actress posted on social media that Just because we worship Ma Kali, that doesn't mean every Bengali girl does black magic. Anuradha’s comment made her the soft target as she was brutally trolled by a Facebook user Abhishek K Singh. The young actress is still in shock.

Sharing his views on the OTT vs theatrical release of films Jisshu Sengupta says: “I always believed that OTT platforms are the future. But films will definitely start releasing in cinema halls sooner or later because that big-screen experience can’t be mimicked on cell phones, tabs or television. But at the same time, it’s also a reality check that people have now got used to OTTs over the past few months. So they won’t mind watching films within the safe confines of their homes.”

Motherhood is the beginning of a new journey. While pregnancy blues are quite common, but it’s that time when women look the most beautiful. And the proof is here. Just check out these radiant photographs of actress Subhashree Ganguly, who recently had a baby shower at her home in Kolkata. The would-be-mother looks all glowing, in a yellow sari with gold jewellery. Many celebrities including Prosenjit Chatterjee, Srabanti Chatterjee, Ankush to Priyanka Sarkar, Rafiath Rashid Mithila and Sayantika Banerjee from the Bengali film fraternity sent the ‘Parineeta’ actress their blessings and love for the special moment.

Kaushik Ganguly insists he will never make a film to promote his family, although it’s quite common for filmmakers and actors launching their children. But, he refuses to be one of them. “I can never make a film keeping in mind the family members. Yes, there are directors and producers who are making bad films only to cast their family. I believe the casting has to come naturally. You don’t just go ahead, design a film like that. The moment I am maneuvering the plot to cast family members, I will be spoiling the film,” explained the director.