Promising
half-year for Assamese film industry
The first half of the current year has proved to be promising
for the Assamese film industry. During the period, the film
world of this trouble-torn state in the north eastern part of
India has not only bagged national awards but its films have
also done well businesswise. Of the six features released during
this period, Mrityuhin Jiban, directed by Manoranjan Sur and
in which popular star Bijoy Sankar had played the lead, and
Nisiddha Nodi produced by the Assam Film Development Corporation
and directed by Bidyut Chakrabarty (of Raag Biraag fame), did
not do good business but Hiya Diya Niya did well at the box-office.
This film by Munun Barua and based on a love story written by
the director himself was a grand success as it had had a continuous
run of several weeks throughout the State. The film had music
by Jubeen Garg and its cast included such popular artistes as
Nipon Goswami, Pranjal Saikia, Jatin Bora, Mridula Barua with
newcomer Luna Lahkar in a romantic role. The fourth release
of the year, Ahankar, directed by Pradip Hajarika, received
limited response from the audience. Of course, the fifth release
Tumi Mor Maatho Mor, with which Jubeen Garg, the most popular
Assamese singer, made his debut as a film director, attracted
lots of teenagers and did satisfactory business. Produced and
with the music composed by Jubeen himself, the movie witnessed
the young singer in a leading romantic role also.
The last release of the first six months, Pokhi, directed by
the acclaimed Assamese film maker Jahnu Barua, won rave reviews
from the media and also fared well at the box-office. The movie
had also been selected for the national award in the regional
film section of the 47th national film awards. Earlier, it had
been screened in the Panorama Section of 31st IFFI. Another
Assamese film which was in the Indian Panorama this year was
Kaihatir Dhulia by H. Das. Pokhi has been invited for screening
at the 19th Vancouver International Film Festival scheduled
to be held in September. Kaihatir Dhulia had also won an award
in the last national film festival of India in the anthropological
section. This short film, based on the story of the great Assamese
folk performer, was directed by the film society activist turned
director Hemanta Das. Another Assamese movie, Baibhav also received
a special mention from the jury this year. Guwahati-based woman
writer Manju Bora made her directorial debut with Baibhav, which
had already won the best movie award in the recently-held Sixth
Dhaka International Film Festival of Bangladesh.
At present, three Assamese movies are awaiting commercial release.
Of these, Achene Konoba Hiyat, will be released before the Puja
festival in winter. This is the first directorial venture of
NSD graduate Baharul Islam and its cast includes Ashish Vidyarthi.
The other two films in the pipeline, Matsyagandha by Sanjib
Hajorika and Bhumiputra by Jayanta Das, have completed all post-production
work and will be released soon, one after the other.
Other Assamese films in different stages of production at present
include Jon Jwale Kopalat by Munna Ahmed, Jugantaror Tejal Pua
by Jones Mahalia, Hitlist by Dinesh Gogoi, Prem Bandhan by Bhaskar
Kiron, Bisphoran by Kandarpa Saikia, Priya O Priya by Anjan
Kalita, Ei Morom Tomar Babe by Toufik Rahman, Satyam Sivam Sundaram
by Brajen Bora, and I Love You by Ashok Kumar Bisoya.
Nava Thakuria |
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