Assamese cinema has made a mark at the national level with a number of serious and committed filmmakers winning national awards almost regularly since the mid-Seventies.

However, film literature in Assam is yet to take concrete shape. Whatever recognition and credibility some of film writers and critics have earned so far are entirely because of their individual efforts.

A healthy trend in film literature, which could inspire the younger generation of serious film lovers to learn more about cinema in general and Assamese cinema in particular, is sadly lacking.

However, amid such a dismal state of affairs, a couple of books with a serious approach have made a mark. Prafulla Kumar Dutta’s Devdas Pramathesh and Arun Lochan Das’ Chalachitra Nirmanar Haatputhi published recently are two such books.

Devdas Pramathesh, a life sketch of legendary film personality Pramathesh Chandra Barua, has a unique approach. In his preface to the book, eminent writer Rebati Mohon Dutta Choudhury said Dutta has portrayed the life of Pramathesh the man well, analysing both the positive and negative aspects of his personality.

In four chapters Dutta sketches the life of Pramathesh — his childhood in Gauripur, youth in Calcutta, entry into the filmworld, the making of immortal films like Devdas and marriage and extra-material relations.

Dutta also analyses the actor’s lavish lifestyle, which results in poverty, his encounter with Rabindranath Tagore and his last days. The Letters of Pramathesh Barua — probably the most interesting chapter of the book — is a significant contribution to Assamese culture.

Dutta’s efforts to co-relate Pramathesh Barua’s creative pursuits and the existing socio-cultural scenario of Assam are praiseworthy.

The book is worth reading and can be termed as one of the most befitting tributes to Pramathesh Barua on the occasion of his birth centenary being celebrated throughout the country this year.

Filmmaker’s guide

Chalachitra Nirmanar Hatputhi, a handbook of filmmaking, is a concise publication dealing with the ingredients necessary for making a film.

Senior filmwriter Arun Lochan Das has shown a rare sense of precision by incorporating each and every aspect of filmmaking in his 36-page book.

Before narrating the elements required for filmmaking, the writer gives a brief account of the birth of cinema in the world and its entry into India.

Explaining the various elements of filmmaking, Das stresses the role of the producer, distributor, exhibitor and publicity materials.

Technical brilliance in the world of cinema has today reached an unbelievable height and there is no denying that this small book fails to cover all aspects in this arena.

However, keeping in mind the methods adopted in filmmaking in Assam, the information available in the book should be of great help to the film lovers and filmworkers.

The chapter containing the definitions of the technological terms of filmmaking is an added attraction.

Rong Sarmah