Barpeta Artisans' Cane Craft Shines in Nitesh Tiwari's 'Ramayana'

Traditional cane craftsmanship from a remote village in Assam's Barpeta district has made its way to the silver screen through Nitesh Tiwari's newly released mythological epic 'Ramayana', starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.

Master artisan Jaynal Abdin of Jania Banglipara village led a 15-member team to handcraft 30 to 35 specialised cane-and-rubber armour pieces for the film over three-and-a-half years.

Speaking to ANI, Abdin said the project reached him through Abdul Malek of the local organisation Gram Unnayan. Initially, the team received design drawings and measurements, following which representatives of the production team visited the village to oversee the work.

However, crafting wearable armour from stiff cane posed several challenges. The initial prototype was found too rigid and uncomfortable for the lead actor. Following discussions with costume designer Ajay, the artisans developed a hybrid design using equal proportions of cane and rubber, which was subsequently approved.

The team worked intermittently over three to three-and-a-half years, often receiving urgent orders for eight to 10 pieces ahead of shooting schedules. The finished armour jackets were transported from Barpeta to Guwahati Airport for delivery to Mumbai.

Abdin said the artisans were initially unaware that their work was for 'Ramayana', as the project was kept confidential. They were only told that the costumes were being made for a film.

Following the film's release on November 5, Abdin expressed immense pride in his team's contribution, saying the recognition belonged to Jania Banglipara village and the entire Barpeta district. He added that he was yet to watch the film but was eager to see his craftsmanship featured on the big screen. (ANI)

Also Read: Pawan Kalyan and wife Anna Konidala announce separation, seek privacy