'Rongeen' – A unique collaboration between movie director Shankar Borua and rap artiste Kussum Koilash: Sight & Sound

Prantik Deka

'Rongeen' – A unique collaboration between movie director shankar borua and rap artiste kussum koilash

At long last, the people of Assam will get to savour the beautiful colours and electrifying music of the widely awaited Assamese film 'RONGEEN'. Scheduled for a March 15 theatrical release, the people of Assam are expected to throng the movie theaters to watch 'RONGEEN' this election season.

In director Shankar Borua's words: "RONGEEN is a political musical with 8 songs, primarily what we would call as Assamese rap music. The content is fairly local and reflective of the political mood on the ground in Assam at this moment, just the right time to take this powerful movie with a strong political message to the people of Assam. A down-and-out guy who manages singers for a living gets an Assamese rapper to defeat his arch enemy in a bye-election to settle an old personal score – that is 'RONGEEN' (Colourful) in one line."

A unique cinematic experiment conducted by Borua, 'RONGEEN' will also showcase rapper Kussum Koilash in his first movie appearance.

Borua further said: "I feel this is precisely the time for 'RONGEEN' to hit the theaters, before the elections coupled with the political situation on the ground here in Assam."

A compelling and uplifting narrative, 'RONGEEN', set in rural Assam, is a simple tale of a wronged man seeking justice through participatory democracy. Domboru Borbora (played by Upamanyu Boruwa) with the help of Assamese rapper Pobitro Sonowal (played by Kussum Koilash) and Middle English (M.E.) school teacher Digombor Rajkhowa (played by Ranjit Baruah) makes the devious Puna Saikia (played by Hiren Sarma) eat humble pie.

"It is essentially a David versus Goliath tale where an ordinary guy from a humble background, in his effort to avenge an old wound inflicted on his family, attempts an extra-ordinary feat by taking on a powerful guy in a bye-election in the interiors of Upper Assam," said Borua.

"I ventured to craft it as a musical to reach out to a wider audience across the length and breadth of Assam," said Borua. "Music is a fantastic vehicle not just to deliver a political message overtly but also to showcase the splendour of this beautiful land – Assam," Borua adds.

Born and raised in Duliajan, independent filmmaker Shankar Borua has continued making cinema with a distinct sensibility and a signature style, working largely guerrilla-style with non-actors and extremely low budgets. As an actor, he goes by the screen name Upamanyu Boruwa and has played the lead in all his recent films – 'Grief on a Sunday Morning' (alongside the legendary Biju Phukan), 'The Curiosity Shop' and now, 'Rongeen' (Colourful).

'Kokaideu Bindaas' to release on march 1

Assamese film 'Kokaideu Bindaas' is all set to release all over the state on March 1. The film, made under the banner of Dream Production, is directed by Dhrubajyoti Bordoloi. The film's executive producer is Anupam Hazarika.

What really ensues when two brothers, who are seemingly poles apart, come face to face after a long time? Will they find enough reasons to stand by each other? Will love manage to triumph all odds?

'Kokaideu Bindaas' depicts the life of two brothers in a most unassuming way. The story deals with issues of commitment, priorities in life, longing, and sense of belonging. "When this story was narrated, I felt, I could take this story forward and create a film, which will give the audience some insights about life and its priorities," Dhrubajyoti said.

The characters of the two brothers are played by Gunjan Bhardwaj and Manoj Borkotoky. Alishmita Goswami and Junu Nath are their romantic interests. Others in the cast include Suren Mahanta, Junu Barua, Nikumani Baruah, Pratibha Choudhury, Zabir Sayed, Gopmani Gogoi, Amitabh Rajkhowa, Rahul Bora, Nilakshi Saikia, Adrita Parasha Mahanta, Mintu Baruah, Dr Jayanta Das, Prankrishna Mahanta, Priti Pari Mahanta, Shehnaz Khan, etc.

The film's shooting has been done in various locations like Guwahati, Tezpur, Sivasagar, Shillong, Cherrapunji, Bengaluru, etc. The music is scored by Manash Robin, cinematography is by Papu Deka and art direction is by Bhaskarjyoti Kalita, while Chinmoy Sarmah is the film's creative director and story-writer.

Xahid Khan's short films selected to emirates short film fest

Xahid Khan's short films – 'Alert-Condition: Red' and 'Mistake' – have been selected to be screened at Emirates Short Film Festival in Dubai.

Both the films will be screened on February 26, 2019 at VOX Grand Cinema in Dubai. "Both the films got selected in the regional filmmakers' category," Xahid says.

The filmmaker also informed that 'Alert-Condition:Red' and 'Mistake' are the only films from Northeast India to be screened at the Emirates Short Film Festival.

An elated Khan said he and the team members of both the films are "very contented for the official selection and screening of the films in such a high-tech theatre like VOX Grand Cinema".

"The thing made me happy that this is the first film festival in gulf for me where my films will be screened," said Assamese director Khan, adding, "I request all the people from Northeast India and other parts of India living in Dubai to go, watch and support our films there."

'Alert-Condition: Red is a film about a young girl who stepped into adulthood. The young girl gets her first menstrual period in public place and she had to struggle with people's bizarre look. She felt embarrassed and naive about her condition as she doesn't know.

She walks on to a scooty and sits there just to be relaxed. When the owner of the scooty comes and gets to know about her situation, he calls a stranger woman to rescue her. Both the man and woman helped her and sent her home.

In the film 'Mistake', Paahi, a young girl, messaged her boyfriend but by mistake the message goes to her father who never had any hint about her boyfriend.

When she realises that the message went to her father, she lost herself into the thought of her father's act in response to her message and how would she face her father.

Bishnu Khargharia presented with the inaugural Biju Phukan Award 2019

National Award winning Assamese actor Bishnu Kharghoria has been presented with the inaugural Biju Phukan Award 2019.

According to information, Biju Phukan Award 2019 has been instituted for the first time jointly by the Assam State (Film and Finance) Development Corporation (ASFFDC) and the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, government of Assam.

Biju Phukan, who was the first superstar of Assamese cinema and an accomplished actor, died on November 22, 2018.

Biju Phukan, who acted in more than 50 films and several plays in diverse roles, was born in Dibrugarh on February 18, 1947.

Veteran actor Bishnu Kharghoria started his acting career as a child artist. Kharghoria, who received the National Film Award for the movie 'Xagoroloi Bohudoor' has performed in a number of mobile theatres apart from movies.

The Biju Phukan Award 2019, carrying Rs 2 lakh, a citation and an angabastra, was presented to Kharghoria on February 18, in a function organized on the occasion of the 72nd birth anniversary of late Biju Phukan at Dibrugarh by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The function was also graced by Assam cultural affairs minister Naba Kr Doley and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha MP Rameshwar Teli.