Stills from the film Rishang

May 11: After working in the Assamese film industry for 36 years, director Munin Barua was happy to his son — Manas — follow in his footsteps.

Manas’s debut Assamese film, Rishang, was released today. Touted as a romantic entertainer, the film is based on the story of an abandoned child who is found in a forest by a hunter. The child grows up to be an honest man who makes his living running a chicken farm. He falls in love with a girl — ups and downs follow, but of course he gets the girl.

“It is a-go-watch-enjoy-and-forget-kind of film. You can enjoy yourself from beginning to end,” said B. Bora, a moviegoer.

The film has been produced by Pallavi Barua and shot at locations in Rani reserve forest, Kampur in Kamrup (rural) and Meghalaya. Munin Barua has penned the film’s screenplay and dialogues, music is by Anirudha Barua and Jatin Sarma (Maina) and it has been shot with a Sony DSR 450 digital camera.

Director Manas Barua said he was concentrating on entertaining his audience. “I am trying to give pure entertainment to the audience. Rishang is an Indonesian word meaning Sunshine,” said Manas. The film has been released in 28 theatres across the state.

The film also introduces actor Diganta Hazarika, who plays the role of Rishang. It took him three months of painful exercise to tone his body for the character, he said.

“Everyday the director insisted on improving my physique. It was a challenge for me,” said Diganta.

Veteran actor Biju Phukan seemed satisfied after watching the film and said it had the potential to compete with Hindi films. “I know Manas from his childhood. Now he has become a director. This film will no doubt be able to compete with Hindi films,” he said.

Munin Barua hoped people would like the film. “We need some commercially successful films in Assamese. Assamese films are blamed for not being commercially successful. But people forget that many Hindi films also flop. I hope people will enjoy the film,” he said.

Nishita Goswami plays the role of Renee in the film. The film also stars Bidyut Chakraborty, Padmarag Goswami, Ranjeev Lal Barua, Hira Neog, Pakeeza Begum, Ranjan Dutta, Partha pratim Mahanta, Munmi Phukan, and Rajesh Bhuyan.

Nishita describes Manas as a perfectionist. “He made me do a shot several times, sometimes irritated me. But I knew he was a perfectionist. Today I am happy that the audience liked it,” she said.

Manas said he plans to make a film with singer Zubeen Garg next.