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Strokes of quills have fallen weak in front of the advancing generations over the years and visual confirmation of any data appeal more than the best printed matter these days. Eventually, film making has grown a very popular activity among a group of intellectuals in the state during the last decade though the market has been entirely dampened. Nobody thinks about the sacrifices and turmoil that a director, producer and every member of the production unit have to go through to bring out a movie, however short it may be! Whatever remains in the minds of the masses is ‘Lights…camera and action’. And when the films are released, the typical mindset of native inferiority compared to alien superiority inhibits the people from encouraging the film makers for better films in future. Perhaps this is called irony of fate!
Film making in Tripura is not an industry, neither is the profitable practice. As it can be seen easily, the entire system is still at experimental level. India was exposed to a rare delight from the interior villages of a strife-torn Tripura when Mathia, a Kokborok feature film by Father Joseph Pulinthanath, was premiered at Lighthouse and DBPC Hall at West Bengal on 31st August and 1st September, 2004 respectively. The movie was first screened at Nandan auditorium in Kolkata by Roop-Kala Kendra, an Indo-Italian project. It was even screened in Warsaw.
The storyline of Mathia revolves round the theme of the native belief of witchcraft and killing witches. The actual theme, however, portrays the love-story between a tribal boy and a girl, who is suspected to be the witch. The movie ends with the death of the girl pleading to her beloved to believe her as a normal being. The paradox is that Mathia didn’t succeed to awake the state government in the realization that financial assistance to meritorious film makers is the necessity of the time.
‘Rupantar’ the first Bengali feature film and ‘Nongar’ were completely shot and made in Tripura. They were even shown at the Rupasi Cinema Hall at Agartala, which was active at that time.
The negligible count of films from Tripura, mostly research based docu films and historical trinkets, suffer from bankruptcy and delay in release due to cash starved financial backing and lack of exhibition facility or cinema halls. Moreover, the state has almost washed their hands from taking any responsibility from rejuvenating the cinema hall industry by now.
A series of short feature films and documentary films have been made during the current decade by a band of bright and intellectual film makers, most of whom are amateurs, namely Father Pulinthanath, Dr. Ashesh Gupta, Ms. Raikishori Ganguly, Mr. Asoke Deb, Mr. Pinaki Das, Mr. Biplab Goswami, Mr. Debashish Saha, Mr. Tapas Dhar, Mr. Dipak Bhattacharjee and so on and so forth.
Research based documentary films namely ‘Vanaj: In Search of Green’ (16.30 minutes), ‘Strings of Melancholy’, ‘Fading Memories’ (42 minutes), ‘Tripura, The Wild At Its Best” (3 episodes, 24 minutes each), ‘The Crowned Queen of Tripura’ and several such efforts have come up with tremendous applause over the years.
Dr. Ashesh Gupta, Reader of English Department at Tripura Central University, and Mr. Pinaki Das, noted scribe of the state, have jointly brought out several of these stupendous stuffs. Presently, they are working on a project on the influence of tiger on the culture and lifestyle of Sunderban in West Bengal. As it can be seen, film making has already started to move from its cradle.
‘Bhalo Rakhoni Bhoy’, a nationally acclaimed mute feature film directed by Ms. Raikishori Ganguly with Mr. Asoke Deb, noted litterateur and thinker of the state behind the screenplay, also struck a major shot! The 12-minute feature film on the fear of militancy and existence exposes the universal desire to exist; the lust for living despite the killings and deaths in front of us and the fear gnawing at the door of life. Serial blasts in Agartala, serial blasts in Guwahati, murder of innocent tribal people at Bhandarima are just the continuation of the fear which had started to eat the peaceful mindset of the people. Unfortunately, there isn’t a second Raikishori to speak for them.
Mr. Deb has also undertaken a few more documentary films namely ‘Udaipur-The City of Lakes’. However, Mr. Deb seemed too disheartened at the face of film making in the state. A teacher by profession, he has been a powerful stroller in the alleys of literature of the state for long. But the dominant writer was somewhat disillusioned at the situation of film making. “It’s nothing of an industry yet. Amateur film makers like me mostly come in to make these things. How can film making flourish in a state which doesn’t even has a cinema hall to show them?” asked he.
A weary Deb also said that the state needs a well furnished studio first of all to trigger off any sort of film making. Truly, lack of technical support and high cost of the service out of the state disheartens most of the interested film makers. A fully furnished high tech studio with editing centre and film exhibition site should be built up immediately by government initiatives. Government jobs are no longer easy lollipops to be gulped and waited for ages at a stretch. The younger generation has got a trend of self-dependence and that’s the call of the time.
Since resources of the state counting transportation facilities are not that suitable enough to invite private film making sectors, government initiative is an inevitable necessity. Professional film making training centers should be opened as well to bring out good film makers; people who will show new paths of development. Movie has a universal appeal and it should be utilized for the betterment of the people. If film promotion agendas could be put to work beside the book and readability popularization drives like book fair, celluloid could really have been much better!
By
Debraj Deb |