Her face had a rare freshness and her smile an almost heavenly quality. However, her main assets were her positive attitude and amiable nature. This was Ila Kakoti, the actress who created a distinctive niche in Assamese cinema by dint of her untiring efforts over three decades.

A born actress, Kakoti was probably among the very few artistes who enjoyed immense popularity throughout the state but never ran after glamour. She was never keen on any fashion-oriented show business nor was she ever interested in any intellectual show-off, a common practice among the artistes of Assam nowadays.

Bhupen Hazarika’s Chikmik Bijulee (1969) marked her entry into the 10th muse and she made her debut as the lead actress in D’bon Baruah’s Jog-Biyog (1971), which was a runaway hit. The saying that nothing succeeds like success was exactly what Ila Kakoti tasted after her dream debut. Bhaiti (1971), Abhiyan (1973), Bonoriya Phool (1973), Anutaap (1975), Bristi (1975), Dharmakaai (1977) Sonar Harin (1979) and then Raja Harishchandra, Raja, Ajoli Nabou and Maa with Ila Kakoti in the lead were not only box office hits but also carried the actress to great heights. Of these, mention must be made of Deuti Barua’s Bristi and Nip Baruah’s Ajoli Nabou, which will remain landmarks in Assamese cinema.

Interestingly, her roles in Bristi and Ajoli Nabou were contrasting in nature. There is little wonder that the model image of an Assamese bowari in Ajoli Nabou was perfectly portrayed by Kakoti. She was equally powerful and commanding in her role as an aged spinster of a lower middle class Assamese family in Bristi. In the movie she played the role of a woman ditched by the man she loved. Dejected and forlorn, she had to suffer all kinds of trauma and agony as well as financial hardship. The only person she could relate to was her younger brother, a Leftist. The excellent performances of Ila Kakoti and her co-stars Biju Phukan and Bishnu Khargoria in the film along with Deuti Baruah’s brilliant direction made the film a landmark in Assamese cinema.

Kakoti married actor-director Prasanta Hazarika, the owner of the glamourous Hengool Theatre. However, her marital happiness did not last long with Prasanta Hazarika passing away five years ago, leaving the entire responsibility of running the huge theatre group on her. Though not a woman’s job, Ila proved her mettle here, too. With experts like Robin Neog and Tapan Das, she ran the show and even produced the stage version of Bandit Queen with Seema Biswas and Godmother with Runu Devi in the lead roles.

For Kakoti, Prashanta was more than a husband and his death, followed by a long period of ailment, were indeed big jolts for her.

As she was about to bring some order back into her life after taking control of the affairs of Hengool Theatre and marrying off their only son Sankalpajeet a few days ago, tragedy struck again. This time the actress herself lost the battle against cancer. May her soul rest in peace.

Rong Sarmah