Assamese documentary film Veerangana wins Cochin International Short Film Awards, 2021

GUWAHATI: The Assamese documentary film on the country's first female commando unit 'Veerangana', was adjudged the Best Documentary at the Cochin International Short Film Awards, 2021. The awards results were announced on Tuesday. Produced and directed by Kishore Kalita, an advocate of Gauhati High Court, the documentary portrays the all-encompassing role of Veerangana in effectively and efficiently dealing with crime against women in Guwahati.

The critically acclaimed Veerangana has participated and bagged a number of awards at various prestigious film festivals in India and abroad, most notably the Cine Making International Film Award 2020, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Special Festival Mention at the Indian Cine Film Festival, declared as finalist by Lift-Off Global Network, London Film Festival, official selection to Jaipur International Film Festival, Tamil Nadu Independent Film Festival, etc.

The 21-minute documentary portrays various activities of the female commando unit of Assam Police and their role in effectively dealing with crime against women in Guwahati.

For years, the police force has virtually been in a perpetual war against the rising crimes committed against women that urgently necessitated drastic measures. It was high time that criminal offences against women are very severely and seriously dealt with. With that view in mind, the present Director General of Police, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who was the then ADGP (Training and Armed Police) in the year 2012, discussed with the then DGP of Assam, Jayanto Narayan Choudhury, on the strategies of dealing with cases of crimes against women and for making the female police force strong in Assam. With that view, some women police personnel were send to Tamil Nadu to receive training in the silent arms drill, known only to US marines, and accordingly, the Assam Police launched Veerangana, the country's first crack female commando unit in the year 2012. The young commandos were trained in martial arts, silent drill, weapon use, motorcycle riding, horse riding, etc., at the Batallion Training Camp in Dergaon, Assam.

A city-based cultural activist, Kishore Kalita made this documentary film in the fond memory of his father S.C Kalita and has dedicated it to the Assam Police. Veerangana was written by Utpal Datta, camerawork was executed by Nagen Baishya, editing was by Diganta Borah, music and sound designing was by Abhijit Barman, while Ambarish Barkataky was its colourist and subtitles were written by Prantik Deka. The title song in the documentary was rendered by popular singer Zublee Baruah, stated a press release.

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