Bandhon
It’s been nine long years since Jahnu Barua last came out with a film. His previous project, Tora, came out in 2003. But now he’s back with Bandhon.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks provide the backdrop of the new film.
Bandhon will hit theatres on October 26, a month before the fourth anniversary of the Mumbai attacks.
The movie is an outcome of the measures taken by the state government to bail out the Assamese film industry, which has been going through a crisis. It has been produced by the Assam State Film (Finance and Development) Corporation Limited.
Bandhon will have a world premiere at the 14 th Mumbai Film Festival from October 18 to 25. The film will feature in India Gold 2012 section of the festival.
The film tells the story of a family whose lives go haywire after one its members go missing in the terror attack. Dandeswar and Hkawni, an elderly couple from a rural village in Upper Assam, shift to Guwahati after their only son builds a house named Hkawni Kutir. In a terrible incident they lose their daughter-in-law and son, after which, Pona, their grandson, becomes their only reason to live.
Pona, however, moves to Mumbai to pursue engineering.
Although they are always at loggerheads, come what may, Dandeswar and Hkawni are inseparable.
The only person the elderly couple is close to is their domestic help, Moni, who is like their grandson.
Barring him, Jatin, an advocate in the High Court who was once a paying guest at Hkawni Kutir, and his wife Ranjana fill the lives of the couple to complete the family in the absence of their son and daughter-in-law.
Despite the loss, their lives move smoothly until yet another incident flings their lives into turmoil.
Owing to the 26/11 terror attack, Pona goes missing. And in order to look for him, the elderly couple immediately rushes to Mumbai.
The star cast comprises Bishnu Khargoria, Jatin Bora, Bina Patangia, Zarifa Wahid, Abatosh Bhuyan Anshuman Bhuyan, Dinesh Das, Reeta Baruah Das, Kundan Bhuyan, Sidharta Sharma and Smita Bora.
Shooting of the 35mm feature film commenced in January and took place in Guwahati and Mumbai.
Dhurbajyoti Phukan has composed the background score, but there are no songs in the film.
Borolar Ghar
Borolar Ghar, an Assamese film, is slated for release on November 2 across the state. Directed and produced Kerala-based filmmaker Mani C. Kappan under the banner of OK Production, the film, made within two months, promises to be a romantic entertainer.
The story revolves around four bachelors and one beautiful girl.
Writer Prabhat Goswami has written the script and dialogue of Borolar Ghar.
he cast includes Utpal Das, Nipon Goswami, Debosmita Banerjee, Purnima Saikia, Srilekha Mukherjee, Bishnu Kharghoriya and Siddhartha Mukherjee. Jiban Dauka has donned the hat of assistant director, while K.R. Srijit from the south has worked as the music director. Tarali Sharma and Debajit Saha have lent their voices to the songs penned by Dilip Kumar Bora.
ADHYAY
There has always been a wide gap between art cinema and commercial cinema, but the makers of Adhyay hope the film will garner both critical and commercial acclaim.
The director invested five years in research and the actor playing the protagonist found the role very challenging.
Adhyay is based on current socio-political issues and various incidents have been hemmed together to depict the life of the protagonist played by Pabitra Rabha.
“Drafting the story for this film was not an easy task. Unlike my previous film, which was commercial, I prefer working with stories that concern a social issue. It took me five years of research to understand the socio-political issues of our country better. The story is about humanity, about how a big fish in a pond eats up all the small fishes,” said Arup Manna, director of Adhyay.
Stage artiste Rabha, who makes his debut in this film, plays the role of a daily wager, who along with his wife, fights back against society after they are abandoned and the wife is accused of practising witchcraft.
Terming the character very challenging, the actor said: “Being an actor, every role, irrespective of the size, is very important for me. However, this role is one of a kind, which I have never played before in my career. It indeed is a very challenging role.”
In Adhyay, unavailability of basic amenities among the below poverty line families is shown and how due to illiteracy they are subjected to injustice.
Not just exploitation done by upper-classes, but also how the MLAs use the situation for their benefit is portrayed, the director added.
The story revolves around Rabha and his wife. They are ostracised by society owing to the misconception that the wife practises witchcraft. In a bid to gain benefits from this situation, the big fish of the pond attacks them.
“However, despite facing all odds, the actor said the hardest part was to play when he did not take any extreme step to harm himself. And neither did he do anything wrong.
The protagonist is an honest man,” he said. Besides Rabha, Tarulata Kutumb, Sokunti Bordoloi, Dolon Bora and Nabamita Borthakur play the lead roles in the film.
The shooting for this film was done in May at different locations in Nagaon district.
The release date of Adhyay has not been decided yet, but Manna is certain that the film will release only after Durga Puja.
“All works relating to the film is almost complete,” he said. Adhyay has been produced by Trinayan Media Foundation.
The 90-minute-film however has no songs.
Romance, comedy, action and a social message, Aparajita, an Assamese film, promises to a complete entertainer. The film, due for release in January 2013, is directed by Moon.
“The USP of Aparajita is the way comedy and romance are featured,” the director said.
“Unlike other films, where the element of romance is showed in a melodramatic way, here it's kept very crisp.”
The story revolves around four young men who arrive in Guwahati from different villages aspiring to make it big. However, as their dreams get shattered, the youths decide to take up a wrong path to earn easy money. Then they come across Aparajita, the protagonist, who brings them back to the right track.
The film will cater to people of all ages, Moon said.
As an added incentive, the movie will also feature an item song, Bijulee Bijulee.
The movie features Rimpi Das, Arup Baishya, Ramen Tamuli, Raj Kumar and Shashanka Samir in the lead roles. The cast also includes Jayanta Das, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Amulya Kakati and Dipa Goswami.
Besides them, Anupama Bhattacharjee and Nishita Goswami have a cameo in the film.
The shooting for Aparajita commenced on September 2 and will go on till October 20.
“We have already completed 70 per cent of the work. Hence, by the time we finish the editing work and get it checked by the censor board, the movie will be ready to be screened at the theatres by first week of January,” said the director.
The film is shot mostly in Guwahati, along with Chaygaon, Hahim and Tawang.
While MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed produces the film, the music is by Manas Robin.
A staff reporter
