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Regional film-makers still in search of recognition

Jahnu Barua is a perplexed man these days. Nearly two decades and ten feature films later, the well-known Assamese film-maker had to once again face a bitter truth: that most regional film-makers are still unknown in this cinema-crazy country.

His nomination in the best debut director category of a popular film award may have shocked many, but the director himself later decided to brush it aside as a mistake on the part of the organisers. This is clearly not the first time such a thing has happened to Mr. Barua; he recently recalled his being referred to as a Korean film-maker on a prominent TV news channel.

"A friend of mine had called me from Delhi to tell me that a news channel had referred to me as a Korean film-maker. And this after interviewing me for `Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara'. I think it is important that the people responsible for giving news are well informed. It may not have affected me much, but people in Assam are very emotional about such things and get hurt when such mistakes are made," the director said during his recent visit to Delhi.

His last film, "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara", starring Anupam Kher and Urmila Matondkar may have been declared a flop but Mr. Barua insists that it did better than he had expected.

"It may not have been a blockbuster but it definitely did much better than I had expected. When I made the film I was not hoping for it to be a big hit. I was surprised and happy that the movie completed two weeks in Mumbai, which is a big thing for a film like that," said the director.

And for those who think the seasoned film-maker is giving up making Assamese films, Mr. Barua has good news. Asked about a recent comment of his on giving up making Assamese films, the director said he probably made the statement in a fit of anger.

"I must have been upset about my last film not doing well and said it. Obviously I will never stop making Assamese films as it is the language I work in. Though I will make Hindi films too now," said Mr. Barua. -- Lakshmi B. Ghosh

-- Lakshmi B. Ghosh

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