The Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society

July 20: It will be an example of Gandhigiri at the only film studio in the state. The employees of the Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society will don new roles on Thursday — that of casual labourers and actors.

Frustrated over the apparent indifference of the government towards the plight of the studio, the employees have decided to launch a unique protest to draw the attention of both Dispur and the public on July 24.

According to the plan, the employees would come to the office and after signing the attendance register would take up a cleaning drive of the entire campus of the Jyoti Chitraban studio to make it suitable for shooting.

“We will also send invitations to several Assamese film artistes to join our initiative to clear the film studio. The casual workers engaged to keep the main campus of Jyoti Chitraban clean have quit their jobs because of non-payment of their wages,” an employee said.

The employees’ union has also planned to film the existing condition of the studio which, they will themselves direct and also act in it.

“Hundreds of films and documentaries were made at the Jyoti Chitraban. Now, we will make film on how the film studio society is inching towards death,” another employee said.

The All Assam Students’ Union has also decided to join hands with the employees in their unusual protest.

Tapan Gogoi, the general secretary of the union, said the sentiment of Assamese people is associated with Jyoti Chitraban and the students’ organisation would take all measures to save the film studio.

The decision was taken during a recent meeting of the Jyoti Chitraban Employees’ Union. At the meeting, the employees expressed concern and resentment over the present condition of the film studio society. The members are also apprehensive about the survival of Jyoti Chitraban.

“We have been resorting to democratic ways of protest to press our demands. But the authorities have turned deaf and done nothing, not even cleared our seven months’ salaries. Artistes, film directors and producers have stopped visiting the Jyoti Chitraban because of its present condition. The entire campus of the film studio society is in deplorable state. It has become dirty and is full of grass. Recently, a few directors returned after noticing that the present condition of the film studio is not suitable for shooting,” an employee said.

Former chief minister late Bimala Prasad Chaliha had sanctioned to set up the Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio on 73 bighas of land at Kahilipara in 1961. Chaliha formally inaugurated the studio on January 17, 1968. It was converted into a registered society in 1973 and renamed Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society in 2004.