As the Afghan Taliban tries to negotiate a political settlement with the government, many musicians in the country are worried about the impact a deal will have on their ability to work, as VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem reports from Kabul.
Tolo News: Theater artists on Sunday said their shows have been confined to holiday celebrations, while instead they want to have regular performances for the people to introduce the art and reflect relevant social issues. Click here to read more (external link).
BBC News: Two Americans attempted something unconventional. Lyricist Charlie Sohne and composer Tim Rosser created a musical about a subject even Afghans would consider too sensitive and unsettling – “bacha bazi” or “boy play”. The show has also faced criticism for promoting bacha bazi as a tradition that is accepted in Afghanistan. “Bacha bazi is
Khaama: The Hollywood film industry is going to feature the life story of Rohullah Nikpa, the first winner of Olympics medal for Afghanistan in a movie. Eddie Arya, a Sydney-based renowned filmmaker has expressed his desire to produce a film on Nikpa which would be his fourth movie. Click here to read more (external link).
Ariana: The Afghan cricketer Rashid Khan Arman, 21, said that he will get engaged and married once Afghanistan wins the cricket world cup. The vice-captain of the Afghan national cricket team recently in an interview with Azadi Radio revealed his marriage plans. Click here to read more (external link).
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty February 10, 2020 A film about girls skateboarding in conservative Afghanistan has won an Oscar for best documentary short at the Academy Awards. Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) shows international charity Skateistan’s work in teaching young girls in Kabul how to skate on ramps and quarter
RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan January 1, 2020 Asif Jalali, a well-known Afghan TV actor who gained renown for his political satire and stand-up comedy, has died in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Sabir Mohmand, a spokesman for the Ministry of Information and Culture, told RFE/RL that Jalali died on January 1 of a heart attack, but
Ariana: Officials in the Afghan Film, a state-owned institution, said Wednesday that it is too early to have a judgement about Panipat. Panipat is an upcoming 2019 Indian historical film that portrays the “Third Battle of Panipat” fought between Indian army and forces of King Ahmad Shah Abdali, who is regarded as founder of modern state
The Guardian (UK): The presenter, pop star and women’s rights activist Mozhdah Jamalzadah talks about fleeing her country, before returning and revolutionising Afghan TV – Jamalzadah was five when her family escaped Afghanistan, eventually settling in Canada. In 2009, in her mid-20s, she returned to Kabul after being invited by a new TV station to host
AFP: Sporting a black quiff and sideburns, Ahmad Zahir sang of love and heartbreak in liberal 1970s Kabul – a city now plagued by war and suffering, but where the popularity of Afghanistan’s “Elvis” remains undimmed 40 years after his death. Click here to read more (external link).