Assamese Cinema: Yesterday And Today by Phani Talukdar

In an interview, Jahnu Barna asserted that he would continue  making films in Assamese only, though there is wider market and liberal financing in Hindi film-world, because he feels, "I cannot localise my social and cultural outlook by being tied up in Hindi film formula; I have already refused several such offers since my aim in making films is not to amass wealth only and hence I will live only with Assamese films". Such an attitude was taken earlier also by great filmmakers like P. C. Barua, Ritwick Ghatak and Satyajit Ray.

The renowned film critic Chidananda Dasgupta remarked that "the Regional film has its roots its sense of identity; it tends to underlay the common factors arising in the country and stresses elements of regional tradition with some pride and nostalgia'. Jahnu Barua also expects to bring out the socio-cultural background of his state through his mother tongue as there is greater sense of reality and integrity in the regional films. To quote Chidananda Dasgupta again, "It (regional film) is Indian, even when it is not cinema; its main concerns are with social problems as in literature". With such ideas perhaps, the pioneers started making Assamese films, based on regional history and cultural heritage.

The Beginning
In 1934-35, Jyoty Prasad Agarwala made the first Assamese film Joymoti, based on a historical play of renowned litterateur L.N. Bezbarua. The film was shot mostly outside studio with natural background and the rest in an improvised studio-complex temporarily built in a tea-garden 'Bholaguri' naming it 'Chitraban'. (Incidentally the state government named its Studio also Jyoti-Chitraban to commemorate the pioneer in this field). Joymoti was released at Calcutta in a press-show on 10th March 1935 and regular show in Assam started from 20th March 1935 at Guwabati—that too in a theatre-hall—Bhaskar Natyamandir. With a few show-houses in the State at that time, the producer incurred heavy loss. He however made a low-budget social film Indramalati four years later and made marginal profit.

In 1941, tea-planter Rohini Barua of Dibrugarh produced the third Assamese film Monomati, based on a popular historical novel of Rajani Kanta Bardoloi on the Burmese invasion of Assam. Rupahi, the fourth Assamese film with a rural backdrop, was made by tea garden owner and poet Parbati Prasad Barua, based on a short story of Kamaleswar Chaliha. The fifth Assamese film Badan Barphukan directed by Kamal Narayan Choudhury—a reputed actor-cum-musician—was also on a historical character of Assam. During the pre-Independence period, only these five Assamese films were produced; while it may be noted that within four years of production of talkie on Indian soil, viz Alam Ara in Hindi (1931, 14th March), Assamese talkie Joymoti was released (1935, 10 March), through Joymoti made by a trained director like Jyoti Prasad who studied music at Trinity College and learnt filmcraft in Germany for sometime was a laudable attempt with certain artistic achievements, still it could not reach the expected high standard for financial and other constraints faced by the pioneer. Moreover, due to technical failure of the sound system, Jyoti Prasad had to dub almost all dialogues alone at Lahore. On the other hand when Hindi films started with overacting and romantic melodrama, Jyoti Prasad dared to introduce aesthetic style and ideals of patriotism with cultural background of the Assamese society in his very first venture. He said: "I tried to make the film in the tradition of English and Russian films. It is a pity that even some of the leading directors of Bengali and Hindi films failed to observe the difference between stage-acting film-acting".
    

It is interesting to note that another son of Assam, P. C. Barua, who shifted his venue of filmmaking to Calcutta and made several outstanding Bengali and Hindi films including Devdas, also brought natural type of acting in almost all his films. Both Jyoti Prasad and Pramathesh Barua were born in Assam in the same year 1903 and died in 1951. Barua's Devdas released in 1935 ushered a new era in Indian Cinema giving depth of emotion and brought films closer to life and literature. He introduced flashback technique in his first film of New Theatres, viz. Ruplekha as well as successfully experimented use of artificial lighting with effective advantages, Jyoti Prasad also in his film Joymoti experimented on shooting mostly outside studio and successfully presented historical and cultural background and Assamese Society, Assam is proud of these daring filmmakers.

After Independence
In the post-Independence days, Assam had its first own University, the High Court and Radio centre in 1948. In the film arena also, several popular productions were made. Siraj, a film on Hindu-Muslim unity based on a powerful story by Lakshindhar Sarma was directed by Bishma Rava and Phani Sarma. Rava, a freedom-fighter and singer, while Sarma, a renowned stage-actor made this film outstanding. Other two successful pictures were Parghat with a social theme and rural background by Prabin Phukan and Biplabi, social film with patriotic flavour acted by reputed artist Chandra Phukan and directed by Asit Sen, who became a famous director Hindi and Bengali film later.

In 1955 Nimila Anka based on poverty and hardship among the Assamese lower middle-class was made by Lakshyadhar Chowdhury by collecting small loans and donations with music director Purushottam Das. Piloli Phukan on the other hand was a successful film on freedom struggle and won all-India recognition. Nip Barua who was State films Officer for a long time made seven Assamese Films mostly on middle-class life of Assam and he followed the form and content of the then Bengalii social films. He secured state level awards twice as well as the first All India Certificate of Merit and President's Silver medal for Ronga Police.

In 1959, Puberun directed by veteran Bengali director Prabhat Mukherji brought Assamese films to international level; as that was an Indian entry in Berlin Film Festival and the heroine Jnanda Kakati's acting in the film propagating 'Universal Motherhood' was appreciated much in India and abroad.

Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, a lyricist and famous singer, entered the film scene, leaving university lecturership and made his rust and most successful musical film Era Datar sur in 1956. He engaged Bombay actor Balraj Sahni also in a role and introduced Lata Mangeshkar's voice in Assamese films. He made several films including Sakuntala and Pratidhwani winning President's Silver Medal. He was adjudged Best Indian Music Director of 1995 for music in Assamese film Chameli Memsaheb of Abdul Mazid based on Nirode Chowdhury's story. He was also a recipient of the most coveted Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1993, which naturally brought glory to Assamese cinema.

Both Jyoti Prasad and Pramathesh Barua were born in Assam in the same 1903 and died in in 1951. Barua's Devdas ushered a new era in Indian cinema giving depth of emotion and brought films closer to life and literature. He introduced flash-back technique in his first film Ruplekha.

Mention may be made of a successful historical film Maniran Dewan directed by Sarbeswar Chakravarty in 1963, which won President's Silver Medal. As for artistic offbeat films, a powerful story with human appeal based on regional Satriya culture and boat-race depicting integration of refugees after country's partition—tilted Aparajeya was released in 1970. Phani Talukdar, the story-writer along with three youthful associates Atul Bordoloi, Gouri Barman and Munin Bayanmade the film, wherein Raakhee (then Biswas. now Gulzar) acted the leading female role while songs were rendered by Lata, Manna Dey, Sabita Chowdhury along with regional folk-artists like Dr. Biren Dutta. Khagen Mahanta, Rameswar Pathak, Prahlad Das, Apurba Das and Prabbat Sarma, Salil Chowdhury was the music director. It was the first honest attempt of making a good Assamese art-film, though it was a failure at box-office.

So was the fate of another memorable attempt for offbeat film viz, Padum Barua's Ganga Chilonir Pakhi based on Lakshminandan Bora 's novel of the same name and released in 1976. In this context, mention may also be made of some films appreciated by viewers like Samarendra Narayan Dev's Aranya (1970) on Assam's forest life; first Assamese colour film Bhaiti (1972) directed by Kamal Narayan Chowdhury; serio-comic film Bibhrat (1972) by Phani Talukdar; Monoranjan Sur's Uttaran (1973); Pulak Gogoi's Khoj (1974); Deuty

Barua's Brishti (1974); Atul Bordoloi's Kallol (1978) on revolt against  feudalism and the NFDC-financed jungle story Manoskanya (1985) based on Ganesh Das' story and directed by Phanl Talukdar.

On the other hand, Dr. Dhuben Saikia with his very first film Sandhyarag was successful in box-office as well as he was appreciated by cine-critics for artistic presentation of Assamese society. Actually most .of the earlier productions failed in box-office except a few like Era Batar Sur, Siraj, Ronga Police, Pioll Phukan, Sakuntala and Puberun which made some marginal profits. It was Brajen Barua-though basically a singer and music-director-who could be successful as box-office director with his first humorous film Ito Sito Babuto and specially for Dr. Bezbarua, which introduced Hindi formula type of crime and melodrama in Assamese film scenario in 1970. He and his brother and one-time state government's Films Officer Nip Barua as well as another brother Dibon Barua could make several films with box-office success, viz. Mukuta, Yog-Biyog-Toramal, Ajali Nobou, Kakadeuta Nati Aru Hati, Ajalakokal etc. Films depicting Assam's village life with Bibu dances and folk-songs were generally popular. Amid this trend, Dr. Bbaben Salkia could bring freshness by his Sandhyarag, an artistic film with technical success and his other creations like Anirban.

While several new directors like Dara Ahmed, Dhiru Bhuyan. Goutam Bora, Sanjib Hazarika, Prafulla Saikia,  Charu Kamal Hazarikaare coming up with seriousness. It was left to Jahnu Barua a trained youth of Film Institute to glorify Assamese film industry by making a number of good films like Aparoopa, Haladhiya Charaye Bao Dhan Khay, Phiringati and Sagorolol Bobu Dur—each one bringing him up on the ladder of success.

Commercial Aspect
During these six decade starting from Jyoti to Jahnu, Assamese films definitely made significant advance at the national and even international level.

But as for the commercial aspect we have to depend on inclusion in panel of prize-winners so that Doordarshan could telecast and thereby give some financial relief. Otherwise the producers can hardly think of making feature films with a tight budget for a limited market. Actually, the number of cine-goers is also dwindling even for cheap Hindi films of sex and violence in the North East region for various reasons. Moreover expansion of TV channels no doubt keeps the middle-class Assamese viewers tied lo small screen. On the other hand, the protection given by the state government in this regard is not secured and to some extent not practical.

However, considering a memorable past and a glorious present, Assamese films should get sympathetic encouragement both from the government and the cine-goers. For exhibitions of such films, special care has to be taken by the distributors and hall-owners. Producers should be helped by making easy loans available from the NFDC and State Film Finance Corporation. After all cinema in India will remain for long as most important mass medium, as we find TV and Radio are dependent on film songs even now. On the other hand, due to distorted urbanisation, vulgarity and violence are intruding upon Indian cinema, with viewers consisting of illiterate, half-literate and a new-rich class of low taste. Regional films with themes of our cultural heritage and age-long ideals depicted properly with technical perfection will no doubts attract new generations also by its inherent freshness. Imitation of Hindi or South Indian formula-films can hardly be successful in regional language due to very heavy investment they need. Low-budget films by some enthusiastic young directors also fail to attract cine goers. So only a compromise formula with consideration of Assam's Socio-economic situations can save the future filmmakers by way of possible recovery of money invested and with some marginal profit at least. The state government should help by offering the usual subsidy (first year's Amusement Tax) immediately after one year's exhibition so that the producer is encouraged to make another film. Distributors should offer liberal terms and regional films should get preference in screening. Such special measures as well as Doordarshan's liberal policy of screening regional films with sub-titles in national hook-up may help Assamese film industry which has a memorable past, a glorious present, to make its future brighter.

This article was published in 'Yojana' on 1 August 1995 (Independence Day 95 Special)
The author is a noted playwright and filmmaker.