(Top) The Brahmaputra in the evening and (below) residents navigate their way through slush in front of the Fancy Bazar market complex

Even now, although occasionally, national award- winning filmmaker Siba Prasad Thakur loves to enjoy an evening stroll on the bank of the Brahmaputra in the city.

The soothing, serene, vast expanse of the enchanting river had a mystical effect on the veteran filmmaker when he decided to make the city his home way back in 1956.

“The river gave me a sense of assurance when I was struggling to find a toehold in the Assamese film fraternity. Although it was then unimaginable for me to leave my birthplace Golaghat and settle down in a different place.

But the river in a way induced me to make Guwahati my second home,” says the national award-winning filmmaker.

“Since then I am in the city. It’s been more than five decades since I am staying here. And like a silent spectator, I am minutely observing and experiencing all the changes the city is going through. At times it is all these experiences of happiness, triumph, pain and sadness of the city, which I try to translate on celluloid,” he smiles.

But these days Thakur is unhappy about the present state of the city.

“The city looks confused. Lots of development activities are on in the city. But nothing has yielded a positive result. Rain still creates havoc in the city. From waterlogging to landslides, people have to take everything in their stride. All these factors disappoint me a lot,” he laments.

Thakur is also unhappy about the current business prospects of cinema in the city. The filmmaker believes that the city, which is the hub of the Northeast, is the barometer reflecting the present crisis-like situation of the Assamese film industry.

“My last venture, Ahir Bhairav, received a lukewarm response from the audience. People are staying away from halls. Filmmakers are wary of launching new films because of poor box-office returns. Assamese cinema is suffering a lot,” he says.

Thakur was a student of theatre, which ultimately encouraged him to take up filmmaking. His natural graduation from stage to film came when he worked as the first assistant director for Nalin Duara’s film Momota. The film won the Rajat Kamal at the national film award function in 1973.

His directorial debut was Faguni, a story of the inherent nature of the common man to light the torch of revolt against injustice and oppression. The film heralded the entry of a dedicated filmmaker and won him critical acclaim. It proved that he could feel the pulse of the audience.

Thakur’s next venture was Bowari, a film which till date enjoys the status of remaining unbeaten at the box-office. It ran for 16 weeks at Apsara cinema hall.

The blockbuster film Son Moina got the director another national award in 1995.

Till date he has made 12 feature films along with a series of highly acclaimed documentaries, tele-series and tele-films.

“The city has a talented crop of young filmmakers. But the new breed of talent needs to be supported to revive the film industry. I hope new and positive changes will soon take place in the city in all spheres,” he signs off.

A staff reporter