Anirban Choudhury
(eternalflamenew@gmail.com)
It may be a five-decade-old issue with no apparent solution in sight. Yet, the subject of illegal immigrants is still a hot potato in Assam, continuing to haunt the popular imagination. It still packs enough punch to get the entire State emotionally, socially and politically surcharged. In his debut Assamese film “Sundarpur Chaos”, filmmaker Jhulan Krishna Mahanta does a wonderful job in dealing with this sensitive issue in a very skillful manner without being overtly biased, or adding to the conundrum further.
The film very subtly explores the identity crisis faced by the indigenous people, particularly the predicament faced by the educated youth in the backdrop of the changing demography due to immigration, without any rhetoric or political undertones. Protagonist of the film Kingkor Goswami, who hails from a xatra (Vaishnavite monastery) village, is caught between the teachings of peace and social harmony by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, while having to grapple with the bitter reality of losing land to “outsiders” and of cultural erosion.
And as the plot develops with Kingkor, played by young and talented Partha Pratim Hazarika, relocating to Guwahati from his native village with a view to junk his baggage as a rebel/troublemaker, the director also exposes the social underbelly, especially the rigid social strata prevalent in xatras, through the protagonist’s dalliance with his classmate Sanghamitra — a young tribal girl, whose role is played by Silpi Dutta. While focusing on the bigger picture of the rapidly-changing demography adversely impacting the society, especially its implications from the xatra milieu, the filmmaker also very deftly handles the topic of socio-cultural inequities as the two characters hailing from two different communities discuss their future in the xatra, capturing the uncertainties they both face.
What’s striking about the movie is that it doesn’t offer any straitjacket solution to the pressing issues at hand, but prods the viewers to introspect. It’s an open-ended film that forces the viewers to think. Set in the backdrop of the xatra, the plot of the movie never feels out of place even once. In fact, the plot is quite fast-paced and engrossing, so much so that not a single character, scene or even dialogue in the entire film appears superfluous or redundant.
Produced under the banner of RC Production, the film’s story, script, editing and direction have been done by Jhulan Krishna Mahanta. Popular Bollywood singer Shan has lent his voice to a beautiful song of the movie, while Papon sings the Ghosa and Gayatri Hazarika renders her voice to the solo female number. Acclaimed sound designer and National Award winner Debajit Gayan does justice to the movie with his sound design.
About the director
Born at Sri Sri Haldhiati Xatra, a place hugely influenced by 475-year-old neo Vaishnavite movement started by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, Jhulan studied filmmaking at Dr Bhupen Hazarika Film and Television Institute, Guwahati. He began his career as an editor with “Orong: Strangers in the Mist” by Suraj Duwara, which won the Rajat Kamal at the 62nd National Film Awards in 2014. He transitioned to directing with “Nodi Mathu Boi” (2015), which received significant acclaim, including Best Direction, Best Editing, and Best Film at the Assam State Film Awards, 2017.