An afternoon with the Superstars of tomorrow

It's not every day that our newsroom routine gets a pleasant shake-up. So when we heard that the LUX team — more specifically, the top five contestants of LUX Superstar 2025 — would be visiting TBS for a special shoot that would later become the 13th episode of the season, the energy in the room instantly changed. 

The excitement wasn't just about soon to be celebrity visitors; it was the thrill of something different breaking into our usual grind.

The plan for the day was simple but meaningful. The visit was designed to give the contestants a glimpse into how entertainment journalism actually works — how stories are shaped, how the print world connects with digital media, and what really goes on behind the scenes in the industry they hope to join. 

For five young women dreaming of long-term careers in showbiz, it was an opportunity for a real look into the world they aim to be part of.

After taking them around the buzzing newsroom, we moved on to a more intimate segment — a casual, back-and-forth conversation between two of our entertainment journalists and the contestants. 

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

We asked them about who they are, what drives them, and why they chose to join this competition. In return, they asked us about the craft of entertainment reporting, the challenges of the job, and the stories that stay with us.

It was through these exchanges, through their curiosity and the spark behind their questions, that we caught glimpses of what they might become. Perhaps these young talents will one day grow into the stars who carry forward the torch of Bangladesh's showbiz industry. And maybe, years from now, we'll remember this lively afternoon when we first saw that spark.

Interviewing five people at once isn't something we usually do — and definitely not while three cameras point at us and with nearly twenty crew members hovering around. Still, we decided to break the ice with the easiest question we could think of — were they getting any sleep at all with the intense shooting schedule they'd been keeping?

The transformation was instant. The girls dropped their camera-ready expressions and burst into giggles, admitting that they barely sleep these days. But they were quick to add that the exhaustion never shows in their performances.

"We push through it. A good dose of caffeine helps," Amina Islam said with a laugh, and the others nodded vigorously. Despite the sleepless nights, they confessed that they secretly enjoy being this busy. In fact, they hope their future lives look just the same — packed with work, full of movement, and driven by the dream they're all chasing.

Between the camera cuts and our questions, something else quietly revealed itself — the easy camaraderie among the contestants. There was no trace of rivalry on their faces. Instead, they moved like a small, well-trained team, helping one another whenever needed. At one point, one of the girls began searching for a safety pin to fix a bit of her outfit; before she could even ask, the others were already digging through their bags, offering whatever they had.

Yet, beneath this warmth lies the undeniable truth: they are here to compete. To win, each of them has to outshine the very people they call friends. So we asked them how they balance that delicate line between competition and friendship — whether they felt the pressure to be competitive, and how they managed it.

"We're all friends in the camp," said Nusrat Afrin Yumna.

"For me, if I stay focused on my own tasks and give my hundred percent, then I don't have to think about bringing someone else down or trying to beat them just to survive the competition."

Bidushi Bornita opened up about a moment from earlier in the competition — one that still sits quietly with her. She recalled how, during an elimination round, she was told she had made it to the next stage. It should have been a moment of triumph. But almost immediately afterward, she learned that a close friend had been eliminated. The joy she was supposed to feel never arrived.

"It was meant to be a happy moment, moving on to the next round," she said softly. "But I couldn't really feel it."

Nazah Naoar added her memory of that day. "Even though we were kind of instructed to keep our game faces on for the cameras — to celebrate our progress — we just couldn't," she said. "Saying goodbye to a fellow contestant felt too heavy. Some of us even ended up crying."

Beyond their talents and the emotional roller coaster of the competition, there was one thing all the girls openly shared: their dream of being celebrities — famous, fashionable, influential, and admired. So we asked them whether this desire had always been part of who they are, or if it simply came bundled with being contestants on a show like LUX Superstar.

Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

Bornita responded before anyone else, laughing as she did. "Well, I always wanted to be one," she admitted. "I don't even know exactly why, but growing up I was fascinated by movies and film stars. I loved the way they carried themselves, the way everyone idolised them. And I used to secretly wish that maybe, someday, people idolise me the same way."

Her honesty felt disarming and sweet — because beneath all the glitter and pressure, the dream started the same way it does for many: with a little girl staring at a screen, imagining herself in the spotlight.