Biju Toppo with his Silver Conch in Ranchi. Picture by Hardeep Singh

What started as a journey to understand the plight of tribal labourers in the tea gardens of Assam and north Bengal turned out to be a documentary, which has now got an award in an international film festival.

Kora Rajee (Land of the Diggers), directed by a native of Jharkhand, Biju Toppo (35), has been accorded the Silver Conch in the 9th Mumbai International Film Festival held from February 2. The film got the second place in the best national documentary category.

The 52-minute film is on the plight of the descendants of tribals who, in the 1930s, had migrated to Assam and parts of north Bengal as labourers. At present, a large number of plantations have closed down, leaving these people jobless and in a miserable condition.

?Tragedy is that though these people are not happy, they are not sure if they should go back to their native places. The tribals are insecure and don?t know if they will be accepted, as they have stayed away for such a long time leaving their relatives back in Jharkhand,? Toppo said.

The film was not planned and did not have any script initially, said the director, and added that there were neither any funds allotted for the film nor did they have a large number of crew at their disposal.

But, nevertheless, the director is happy, as their efforts have been recognised. The award is an ?acceptance of the subject? and ?an honour? that the new generation filmmakers in the state are being recognised in the national and international arena, added Toppo, who has made about eight such films.

The film was screened before thousands of spectators, like the inhabitants of Koel Karo, Netarhat field firing range and Kashipur, who could relate to the subject.

The producer of the movie, Meghnath, said: ?This is the first film in a tribal language in the state that has received an award at an international film festival. The film is in Kudukh ? a local dialect. The best part, besides the subject, is that we have tried to provide a new structure and form to the film. The spine of the movie are eight songs in Kudukh.?

Kora Rajee had to compete with 40 other films in the national category and 150 films in the initial rounds. The movie was appreciated at the Toronto and South Asia film festivals.

Meghnath said the film is a call to the people to wake up and take note of the issues.

?With changes in the political field, films, too, have developed. For example, the neo-realistic films in Italy that came out after the Second World War, like The Bicycle Thief. Similarly, after India?s Independence films such as Boot Polish, Jagte Raho and movies of Guru Dutt and V. Shantaram were the result of a sudden political change. In Jharkhand, too, a similar awakening is awaited and Kora Rajee is just the beginning.?

The film is dedicated to Ritwik Ghatak, who made Oraon on the tribes of Jharkhand and later Ajantrik, again based on the tribes of Jharkhand, the producer added.