UNHEARD INDIA: The Rare Language Indian Cinemas journey of five years
Photo by : Incredible India Info
- SANTANU GANGULY
UNHEARD
INDIA: The Rare Language Indian Cinemas journey of five years
-
SANTANU
GANGULY
In our childhood days, around late 80s, we came to
know there are some languages call Regional Languages. Every Sunday afternoon
there was screening of films made on those regional languages, like – Assamese,
Bengali, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi on Dooddarshan, the
only available TV channel of the time. Once in a while films on Gujarati,
Punjabi, Konkani, Bodo languages also use to appear on TV.
Days after when I choose Film Festival Curation or
Programming as profession, then discover many filmmakers are making films on
various languages, some of them are known and some of them are completely
unknown languages. There are some languages which is spoken only among some
small community or a very small region, like – Mising, Sherdukpan among several
tribal languages from Arunachal Pradesh. From north eastern part of India many
languages like, Rabha, Mizo, Khasi, Garo, Nagamese, has been making films on feature
and short length on regular basis. In the southern part of India, Karnakata
states presenting a bouquet of Bayri, Konkani, Tulu, Kodava, Banjara languages
beside the Kannada. From the heart of northern India, filmmakers are making
films on various dialect like Haryanvi, Rajasthani, Kumauni, Garhwali, Dogri,
Kashmiri, Ladakhi etc. Even there are small film industries in place like
Malegaon, or Meerut or even various part of the North East, where the local
filmmakers makes films on their very own regional dialect to cater a very local
audience only. Where most of the films are badly copy of the popular Hindi
films.
But there are also some very important coming out
from these invisible part of India, where some of the films getting their due
recommendation through the National Awards, seldom getting selected on the
Indian Panorama or some important foreign film festivals. Unfortunately still
today our system is not allowing those Incredible creation to reach to the film
loving masses of India. Some of the filmmakers are not even aware about the
technical procedure to participate in film festivals or the race of awards.
Though by knowing or unknowingly they are also creating history. If Raja
Harischandra by Phalke considered as a piece of history then why not “Tanyabi Firti” as the first Chakma
language film in the history of Indian Cinema?
The journey of the section Unheard India started in 2015 at the Kolkata International Film
Festival, when I have presented my proposal to the then Festival Chairman, Veteran
filmmaker Goutam Ghose. It was an eye opener decision for not only for the
unsung filmmakers from the remotest parts of India but also for the various
film festivals across the country, particularly the government supported film
festivals. None of them have shown the courage to pay some respect or even
support the indigenous or aborigine languages of our country.
That year we have shown films made on Khasi, Naga, form
the North Eastern part of India, while the another four films on Lambani,
Kodava, Tulu, Banjara languages from the state of Karnataka, and the first time
ever made a Kurmi language feature film, a tribal language spoken among the
Kurmi tribes of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhatisgarh, almost covering
the entire geographical location of the hugely diverse sub-continent.
This is the first time feature films made on Naga,
Kurmi and Lambani languages was screend at the Kolkata International Film
Festival.
Language always fascinates me and the diversity we
see in the Indian languages are amazing. It is sad that many languages are
going to be extinct due to lack of practice and the influence of other
language. Beside the regular literature practice of writing novel and poetry,
it is also important to describe the local folklore and fables to be
documented. And no doubt cinema is the one of the very strong medium to protect
one’s art-culture-language. So it is my effort to convey the due respect to all
the Indian languages through cinema with the bouquet of Rare Language Indian
Cinema for the Kolkata International Film Festival.
The main attraction of this year 2018 was, among the
eight films, six films on Kurmi, Lambani, Banjara, Kodava, Khasi and Tulu
languages screened as the World Premiere at the Kolkata International Film
Festival, while the Naga language film was the Asia Premiere. Another important
point is among the eight films, six films - Kurmi, Lambani, Banjara, Kodava,
Khasi and Jasari films were the debut film by the director.
The first time ever made films on Jasari and Kurmi
languages were part of the package. Jasari is the language spoken in
Lakshadweep, and Sinjar is the first
film from the region by director Pampally, who won the Golden Lotus or Swarna
Kamal the Best Indian Film for the year of 2017.
The
North Eastern part of India has been showcased by the debutant director
Khrawkupar Kharlukhi’s Nabon (A
Journey of Faith) in Khasi language from
Meghalaya and Tiakumzuk Aier’s Naga language film Tiakumzuk Aier from Nagaland.
Kodava is the language from the Coorg district of
Karnataka. Coorg is not only famous for the world class coffee producing place
in India, but the land also gave us many decorated soldiers, started from
General Kariyappa to till date, almost each and every house has someone in the
Indian Army. Director H. Om Prathap’s debut film Kittah Preeti (Unfulfilled Dreams) in Kodava language, is talking
about the issues from the region.
Rajaditya Bandopadhyay made his debut feature film Death Certificate in Kurmi language
which is based on a short story by his father noted writer Debasish
Bandopadhyay, shows the exploitation of the innocent tribal people by the greed
of the city dwellers.
Debutant filmmaker H.E. Prasantha’s Lambani language
film Navleri (Bride). The bouquet of
eight various languages, plucked from across the country were proved a visual
and intellectual treat to the film lovers of Kolkata.
On the eve of the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) the UNHEARD INDIA: RARE LANGUAGE INDIAN CINEMA section completed five years journey. The section which was praised by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself from the stage of the opening ceremony that year, which was a huge moral boosting for me as the curator of the section. Then again veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt raised the issue of importance to highlighting the lesser known languages of India, through the Unheard India section from the same stage of the opening ceremony in the presence of the galaxy of stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Hasan, Shahrukh Khan.
What makes more importance of the section Unheard
India, as it is celebrating fifth years along with the Silver Jubilee of the
KIFF, the UNESCO declared the year 2019 as the YEAR OF ABORIGINAL
LANGUAGES.
The Unheard
India section gave the opportunity to the small, independent filmmakers, those
who wants to take the risk to make film in their own languages, even after
knowing that their might not be any commercial benefit or may be the film will
never get release commercially, to showcase their work to the audiences of the
cultural capital of India, Kolkata. This initiative encourage filmmakers to
take risk again and again to tell their own stories. Which is otherwise no one
will listen.
This year first time in the history of KIFF there
are four feature films made in four different languages – Santhali, Nagpuri,
Paniya and Rajasthani films will be screen. These languages never shown before
at KIFF.
That is why each and every year we are adding many
new unheard languages in the kitty of KIFF. The Santhali language, which is
also the language of many aboriginal people of our own state West Bengal, along
with Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam, finally is being able to be the part of the
prestigious film festival. Though in the last five years I have tried very hard
to get a good Santhali film for the section but vain. Finally this time Phoolmuni, directed by Dashrath Hansda,
came with a very strong content of atrocities against women in the society.
Though there are many Santhali language films being made but mostly are the bad
copy of the popular Hindi cinema, where as Phoolmuni
is a good attempt to make meaningful cinema in the Santhali language.
Our neighbour the Chhota Nagpur platue area is the
home of several Indian aboriginal languages. Beside the Santhali language first
time in the KIFF, this time we have Nagpuri language film Dhumkkudiya ( A Group of new generation) directed by Nandlal Nayak.
Dhumkkudiya is portraying the burning
issue of human trafficking in the region. Again in Nagpuri languages there are
some films being made as the worst copy of blockbuster Hindi movies but Dhumkkudiya is an honest attempt to
introduce meaningful cinema to the Nagpuri language speaking audiences.
Kerala based tribal right activist Manoj Kana has
made first ever Paniya language film Kenjira.
The Paniya language is a tribal language spoken by the tribal people those who
live in the junction of the bordering area of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh and Kerala. In Kenjira also
the theme is basically the atrocities facing by the tribal people on regular
basis by the influential non-tribal people. Where the police, criminals and
administration works in hand in gloves situation, which denied justice to a
child rape victim. Along with the extreme hardship made the victim to
compromise with the culprit. The visually delightful Kenjira also has been selected for the Indian Panorama of the
International Film Festival of India for this year, which will be held in Goa
after the KIFF.
Director Dinesh Yadav won the prestigious National
Award for his debut film in Rajasthani language, Kachhua (Turtle). The film is based on the acute water crisis in
parts of Rajasthan on top of that the petty village politics, superstations in
the society
Rajni Basumatari’s Bodo language film JWLWI (The Seed) is focusing the dangerous effect of terrorism in human life,
the army – civilian conflicts and at last there is hope still alive for the
future generation. The incidents are based on the Bodo inhabited area in Assam.
Bayil
Kolu
(A Ray of hope) Byari language film from the south Karnataka- north Kerala
region, is also talking about terrorism but the fortunately the radical mind
has to surrender to reform himself sue to the pleasure from an ideal citizen,
who is determined not to compromise with his ideology of national integration,
the peace and harmony among every religion.
Karnataka’s Coorg region is world famous for Coffee
and the contribution to the Indian Military Services. Most of the Coorgi men
are associated with the arm forces. Filmmaker Prakash Kariappa’s Kodava
language film Kodagra Sipayi
(Soldiers from the Coorg) based on an ex-army’s life story. Where a disciplined
man faced various problems in civilian life after his retirement from the
force. How he fought against all the odds and finally resolved the issues, the
film is depict that incidents.
Banjara language film Sapnero Gopuro (The Dream Tower) directed by Victor Dayalan shows
in details, the various rituals and cultural practices among the Banjara
communities.
Kolkani language film Ponyari (The Traveller) is a fiction drama, where it shows that how
the human greed can destroy the peace of minds of not only the same family
members but also the others in the society.
Tulu language film MALLA DAANA (Prime Donation) shows the one of the
burning issue in the modern society, neglect towards old parents. And also
create awareness about organ donation. While the biological children of an old
couple irresponsibly neglecting their parents, which led them towards a
miserable life, but then at the end the humanity is still alive, where as some
non related young boy become their son and at the end of the day even after his
accidental death his organs become the lifeline for the old lady.
The ten films in different languages from across
the country showed the very contemporary issues, handled by different different
way, but without distorting the local customs, culture, rituals and traditions.
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