A documentary that chronicles artisans' ordeal during the pandemic

A short film that documents the economic and artistic crisis that the artisans of Kumartuli had to face during the pandemic, Ma to Ashbei, is a hit in the festival circuit. The documentary was shot in 2020 which witnessed a muted Durga Puja celebration as artisans also struggled to make ends meet.

The documentary has won several awards at film festivals held in Kolkata, Anatolia, Sweden, Pune and has made it to the official selection list of many. Written and directed by Runa Mukherjee Parikh, the documentary has recently been picked for the 6th Yalta International Film Festival and will have its Crimean premiere this month.

"When I visited Nimtala and Kumartuli in 2020, I could sense what the pandemic had done to the artisans and the idol-making industry. That is which is why I decided to document it," said Runa.

The title of the documentary, Ma to ashbei, which loosely translates to Mother will Arrive, Come What May, is symbolic of how our mothers can beat all odds, are the beckoning force during dark times and the powerhouse of optimism when the going gets tough. Besides being picked up for the Yalta International Film Feature, the documentary was also nominated for the 13th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and also for the German Star of India award at the 19th Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart.

“While putting this film together, I realised how life works and how terrible time can turn into something like hope,” says the director, who has been featured in the list of top five women filmmakers at the recently held Kalakari Film Fest in India.
-Sundas Jawed