Northeast filmmakers reel off hits

GUWAHATI: The northeast film industry, which, until now, was taking baby steps towards making its presence felt on the national and global scenario, is now galloping ahead at full speed and becoming a force to reckon with. Despite a limited market and resource constraints, the region is producing films at par with the best in the country that are bagging prestigious awards, including six Rajat Kamals at the recent 60th National Film Awards.
Not only is the northeast producing good cinema, there is also diversification in terms of languages, shooting at foreign locales and roping in of foreign actors and crew members, all the while keeping costs down. Many NE filmmakers are improvising to churn out good cinema on almost shoestring budgets.
Mising filmmaker Biplob Doley, for instance, used what he calls a "guerrilla filmmaking technique" for his pet project, a Mising film titled 'Turdaksok Mimag'. "Guerrilla filmmaking involves usage of minimal cast and crew to keep costs low. I invested only Rs 6 lakh in the film, which revolves around friendship. It was released a few years ago," said Doley.
Filmmakers like Mohen Naorem of Manipur are also roping in actors from other countries and shooting at foreign locales. Naorem will soon start shooting for his World War II memoir 'My Japanese Niece', to be shot in India, Japan and Thailand. He has, with the help of a crew member who was a former US military explosive ordnance disposal technician, got the Royal Thai Army to agree to provide 100 Thai soldiers to play the role of Japanese soldiers. Japanese model Yu Asada and London-based actor Junichi Kajioka will essay the protagonists' roles in the film.
The language repertoire of the NE film industry is expanding as well. Until recently, most art and commercial films were made in Assamese and Manipuri. Now, however, films are being made in languages like Mising, Bodo, Khasi and Kokborok.
Needless to say, where good cinema is made, accolades will follow. NE filmmakers have put the region on the world map by bagging many national and international awards in recent times. Directors like Aribam Syam Sharma and Jahnu Baruah, who portray the social and cultural realities of the region beautifully in their films, have received recognition outside the state as well as the country.
At the 60th National Film Awards announced on Monday last, five NE films won seven awards - six Rajat Kamals and a Special Mention Award. Mising film 'Ko:Yad' was adjudged the best feature film in the non-Eighth Schedule language category at the National Film Awards. "With limited resources and financial constraints, we are making films that measure up to international standards. It was quite an experience working in a Mising film even though most of the actors were amateurs," said Manju Borah, director of 'Ko:Yad'.
Manipuri feature film 'Ishanou', directed by Aribam Syam Sharma in 1990, featured on the list of 27 Indian feature films screened at the Centenary Indian Cinema section of the 43rd International Film Festival of India, 2012, in Goa. The film was also shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 1991. Sharma said efforts must be made to make regional cinema available nationally and that avenues need to be expanded for good cinema to be made. He stressed on a focused state policy to give impetus to regional cinema.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has also emphasized the importance of mini cinema halls in the state. In fact, he even mentioned it in this year's state budget.