Actor, dancer and TV show host Raghav Juyal was recently trolled online for a video clip that went viral from Dance Deewane 3, where he was seen talking in gibberish Chinese to a contestant from Assam. In the video clip, Raghav is seen introducing a young participant from Guwahati, Gunjan Sinha, in “Chinese” gibberish, using words like ‘momo’ and ‘chowmein’. Many people called Raghav racist for his behaviour.

The dancer-actor took to social media to narrate his side of the story. In a video that he posted online, he said, “I want to tell people what happened before this particular clipping. People should watch the entire show and then judge the clip. It won’t be fair to pull out that particular clip and judge it for my mental health and also for those who know me. The little girl, Gunjan, who is from Guwahati in Assam, was a part of the show. We often ask kids about their hobbies and talents. She said my talent is that I can talk in Chinese, by which she meant gibberish. We would laugh hearing it as kids often speak such things. Everyone clapped and asked her to speak in Chinese. She spoke, and from there, it continued. Staying on that track, I called out to her in that manner during the last episode. It was a creative that was running through the show. If you see the episodes you will understand it and won’t call me racist based on one clip.”

He further added, “I am very connected to the North East. I have family in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and some very close friends in Nagaland with whom I am have grown up. I am someone who presents things in a politically correct manner and take a stand for what is right. In fact, I get hate for that. I am sorry if anyone is hurt by it. Before making a clip viral, I want everyone to see those episodes to know the story behind it.”

Raghav also shared another video where Gunjan was seen telling judge Madhuri Dixit Nene that she likes to speak Chinese and then the host shares some light moments with the participant by conversing with her in the gibberish.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 9, 2020)

Three years ago, filmmaker Bharatbala (known for his National Anthem videos among others) embarked on a mission, Virtual Bharat, to capture the essence of India through 1,000 short films of under 10-minutes each. However, he didn’t know he would end up shooting the country virtually, one day. When the national Coronavirus lockdown was announced on the night of March 24, his team and he decided to film the historic chapter in modern history on camera. The lockdown continued for nine weeks, and so did the filmmaker’s efforts.

Titled Uthenge Hum, the film had a pan-India team of over a 100 people, and it captures the emptiness and the silence of the lockdown across villages and cities in 14 states.

Bharatbala roped in the filmmaking crew that he had assembled in the last few years while making about 85 films for his ‘Virtual Bharat’ project across the country. He was stationed in Mumbai with his team while supervising shoots across India through virtual video calls.

Bharatbala says, “This film, which took off when the lockdown began, is for posterity. I went ahead with an idea, not knowing how it will shape up. Srinagar, Guwahati, Chennai, Kochi, Mumbai — we went all over the place. We sought permission to move around. On a single day, I have shot portions in Lucknow, Varanasi and Guwahati. It’s sad to say, but this was a unique chance to capture the silence and emptiness in a nation of 1.3 billion people.”

The filmmaker adds, “This film brings out the stark social divide without me saying a word. We need to rethink and rebuild our systems. The lockdown had everyone on their knees and it proved that everything can wait.”

Sanskrita Bharadwaj (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 18, 2020)

Singer-composer Zubeen Garg, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mumbai before the Coronavirus lockdown, has finally reached his hometown, Guwahati. How? By travelling on a bus from Maharashtra to Assam. Garg had fallen unconscious during an event in Assam.

He was accompanied by his wife Garima Saikia Garg, and two other friends.

Though he was discharged after recovery from the Mumbai hospital he was admitted to, he got stuck in the city because of the lockdown. “I have a flat in Mumbai, but there were two cases in the building, and it was sealed. So, we had to rent a room and a kitchen in a hotel. There were four of us. We were cooking our own food. But I wanted to go back to Assam,” Garg says, adding, “We contacted the Assam Bhawan in Mumbai. The government was arranging commute for 132 other people, including 62 cancer patients and their family members, who were stranded in Mumbai to reach Assam. They also reached the state in sleeper buses. All of them were in six different buses. And four of us were in another sleeper bus. We left on May 8 and reached on May 12. Assam Police coordinated with authorities in all the other five states that we had to cross through.”

Narrating his experience, Garg said, “There were lots of people on the road, trying to get back home. It was heartbreaking to see so many people trying to reach their destinations. We had to slow down because of the movement of these people.”

Upon reaching, Garg and co, were quarantined at a hotel in Guwahati for about three days. They will be in home quarantine now until May 28. When asked how he felt when he found out his test was negative, he says, “I wasn’t scared. In Mumbai, I was in the ICU where nobody was allowed. Then, even when we were in the hotel, we hardly ventured out. We took all the necessary precautions. People don’t know where the virus is, we can’t see our enemy. We have to stay indoors for sometime now and we will have to keep our surroundings clean. We will have to avoid gatherings. And, all of this will hamper our economy.”

Sanskrita Bharadwaj (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 13, 2019)

With an enthusiastic crowd patiently waiting outside the Cinépolis Fun Republic theatre, Andheri, it was heartening to see how Aamis (Ravening) — filmmaker Bhaskar Hazarika’s much-talked-about Assamese film pulled in people from a diverse spectrum, and not just the Assamese diaspora. What the crowd perhaps wasn’t expecting was a macabre end to what seemed like a sweet love story.

Two films down and Hazarika has somewhat made a reputation as somebody, who is drawn to experimenting with dark themes and complex characters. His debut film, Kothanodi (2015), won a National Award for Best Film in the Assamese language. Based on characters and events described in Burhi Aai’r Xadhu (Grandma’s Tales), a beloved anthology of folk stories compiled by the Assamese literary giant Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Kothanodi proofed to be its sinister retelling. And, if it managed to spook people out, Aamis is a notch above that, a film that will make you question topics such as morality, and forbidden relationships. “I like watching films from the masters of horror and sci-fi,” says the director, and indeed, this love for the dreadful reflects in his work.

Earlier this year in April, Aamis had premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) in New York, USA, where it was nominated in five categories, including Best Film. The film also received two awards at the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival, Best Director for Hazarika and Best Actress for Lima Das. After watching the film, director Anurag Kashyap took note of it and wrote on his Instagram account, “have not seen anything like this coming out of India” before. Kashyap, who has been known to present independent films from across India in theatres, declared that he will be presenting Aamis. But, this was the first time he presented a film from North-East India.

Aamis is a story set in urban Guwahati, Assam and written by Hazarika himself. It revolves around the lives of a doctor, and a PhD student, bonding over food — a variety of exotic meat. The story then takes a bewildering turn, which may even leave many in disbelief.

Starring debutants — Lima Das and Arghadeep Barua, Aamis, Hazarika says is based on the Romeo and Juliet template. He, who’d earlier cast popular actors such as Adil Hussain and Seema Biswas for Kothanodi, says that it is important to not have familiar faces while working on that template. “It is easier for the audience to relate to new faces when it’s a love story,” he says.

When asked if he looks at himself as somebody who might be at the risk of being typecast as a teller of grim tales, he says, it’s only coincidental that both his films touch upon the deviant. “I am currently working on a comedy film, and I have also written a thriller,” he adds.

Writing for an A-list Bollywood movie, is what most aspiring filmmakers look out for, but Hazarika chooses to focus on independent content. In 2012, he got writing credit for the Abbas-Mustan thriller, Players, a remake of the American film, The Italian Job (2003). Hazarika says being a part of that film was an eye-opener of sorts for him. “It helped me realise what I didn’t want to do,” he adds.

For a long period of time, regional cinema meant only southern films. But with films such as Sairat (Marathi, 2015) making a mark, it doesn’t seem impossible for the mainstream to open up to films from North-East India, as well. Assamese cinema, especially, seems to have undergone a qualitative change with filmmakers taking on unconventional topics. For instance, in 2017, Village Rockstars, directed by Rima Das, was selected as India’s official entry to the 91st Academy Awards. But do these filmmakers make films keeping a universal audience in mind? “We have to create universal content, which will work outside,” Hazarika says. This belief is why he started Metanormal Pictures, a small studio based in New Delhi, with a vision to create original cinema from India, especially, with a focus on regional content.

Is the audience, then, ready to take on such films?, we ask. Hazarika, who looks at filmmaking as his “job” and not particularly a “passion”, says it’s not a filmmaker’s responsibility to educate people to come and watch films from a certain region. “That’s too much pressure on the maker,” he concludes.

Vineet Jain, MD, Times Group and Sarbananda Sonowal, CM, Assam

In a first, the 65th annual awards will be hosted in Guwahati on Feb 15, 2020, in partnership with the Assam Tourism Development Corporation and in presence of Bollywood biggies
Prabin Kalita (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 26, 2019)

The 65th annual Filmfare Awards will be held in Guwahati on February 15, 2020. On Monday, the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) and Worldwide Media of the Times of India Group, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect in the presence of the state’s Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Describing it as a “historic milestone”, Vineet Jain, Managing Director, Times Group, said that he was looking forward to bringing the Black Lady to the picturesque city. Also present were Chandan Brahma, Minister of Tourism, Assam, and Jayanta Malla Baruah, Chairman, ATDC.

Pointing out that cinema is not new to the North-Eastern state, Jain made a reference to its cultural doyen, Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, who had made Joymati, Assam’s first film back in 1935. “The association between Bollywood and Assam is decades old, with the state providing a mesmerising backdrop for Hindi films. Ek Pal, which had featured Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Farooq Shaikh, was shot in Jorhat in 1986. The National Award winning Daman, starring Raveena Tandon, was filmed here in 2001 and more recently, in 2016, the Shahid Kapoor-starrer Rangoon in Dhemaji,” he informed.

This is the first time Filmfare’s annual gala will be moving outside Mumbai and Jain asserted that it would strengthen the state’s bond with Asia’s biggest entertainment industry, Bollywood. “Assam is the gateway to the North-East and we could not have asked for a better partner to spread the cheer of cinema in this region. I am aware of the Honourable Chief Minister’s vision of making Guwahati the hub of South-East Asia and the Times Group can be a media partner in this journey,” he stated, adding that cinema is soft power influence which when used wisely, can help boost economic development. “People across the world often shape their perception of a country, state or city through entertainment. For long, the film industry has served as an ambassador of culture and tourism.”

The 65th Filmfare Awards to be held in Awesome Assam in partnership with ATDC, would reach a two billion worldwide reach, which the ATDC hopes will translate into phenomenal footfalls in the near future.

Touching on the figures, the CM reiterated that the event could become a platform to showcase Assam’s tourism potential to the world.

“Assam is the hotbed of biodiversity and our cinema is old and all-encompassing. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his recent Mann Ki Baat radio programme urged people to visit North-East India. We recently held the Brahmaputra Pushkaram festival and visitors were overwhelmed by our love and hospitality. The Times Group’s choice of Assam as a venue proves that we are capable of hosting this mega event,” Sonowal said.

Jain stated that Assam is renowned for its art, culture, landscape and people, and Filmfare Awards 2020 will capture the essence of the state. Viewed by millions across the country and abroad, it will project it as a favourite tourist destination. “We are committed to delivering an unforgettable experience to the people of Assam,” he maintained.

CEO of Worldwide Media, Deepak Lamba, who signed the MoU for Times Group, in his address said that the Filmfare Awards has spanned generations and evolved into one of India’s most spectacular events. “We are taking legacy forward by bringing the best stars of the industry, who will entertain and perform, to Guwahati on a night of celebration. It is a landmark moment for each one us as the eyes of the filmmaking industry, both Indian as well as global, will now be on Assam, as we showcase its diverse culture, traditions, music, dance etc. Filmfare will open up picturesque Guwahati to the world and portray its beauty through a unique lens,” he promised.

Bharat Dabholkar pays a tribute to advertising guru and theatre doyen Alyque Padamsee, who passed away in Mumbai yesterday
Bharat Dabholkar (BOMBAY TIMES; November 18, 2018)

God — that’s what Alyque Padamsee was known as when he was heading Lintas. And I believe that he did deserve that title.

I never worked with him, but he was an icon for all of us youngsters then, who joined advertising. Though television hadn’t arrived in a big way, he was one of the few prominent faces in advertising who was seen in newspapers talking with conviction on topics concerning advertising and life in general. Later, on TV channels, one would frequently see him… this larger-than-life personality, talking in his famous nasal drawl.

And then one realised that he was the best known name in theatre, too. In fact, he dominated English theatre in India and some of the biggest productions were directed by him. Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Butterflies Are Free and Tarantula Tanzi are just some of them. I, of course, took a lot of liberties with him. On a TV debate, I once said that his theatre was only a xerox machine that reproduced foreign plays in India. He took that well, but gave me a short on-screen lecture. When he did Evita, I did a take-off on that in Bottoms Up and called it Savita. When he did Tarantula Tanzi in a boxing ring, I did Ayatollah Panzi in a wrestling ring. He came to watch all of this. I remember him sitting in the audience and making meticulous notes on a writing pad. He would give them to me at the end of my shows. His double life in advertising and theatre was truly fascinating and it inspired me to attempt a similar life. I never worked with him in advertising or in theatre (I didn’t have the right accent, not to mention the acting ability that he demanded). Recently I took him to Guwahati for a marketing seminar and that’s the first time I saw him addressing a large gathering of marketing professionals and youngsters and I was mesmerised. His energy and communication skills were truly fascinating. At the dinner after the seminar, he told me that he was writing another book, which was more personal. And in conversation, I mentioned that I was a lawyer and I had studied Mohammedan law, which had a provision for Mutah marriage (a legal marriage for a pre-stipulated period). He laughed and said, ‘Damn it, you idiot, why didn’t you tell me this years ago?’ He was like that. Full of life and full of innovative ideas. He will be missed. 

Rima Das, whose film Village Rockstars is India’s nominee for the 2019 Academy Awards, on why she doesn’t mind being an independent filmmaker
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 4, 2018)

“There were no natural disasters, we had fun,” says Rima Das, about the floods she experienced as a child in Kalardiya, 50 km southwest of Guwahati. “As a child, you looked forward to heavy rain and water all around. We would make rafts out of banana leaves to go to school, go fishing and sometimes, school would be shut too.”

It’s this childlike perspective that Das, 36, has tried to capture in her multiple National Award-winning Village Rockstars, which is India’s entry for the 2019 Academy Awards. Set in rural Assam, the film follows the story of a young girl who dreams of owning a guitar and forming her own band. Das says it’s a story that reflects her own dreams and aspirations. “Miracles happen. If you dream, they can be achieved,” says the one-woman-crew who wore multiple hats during the production — that of a director, producer, editor and cinematographer.

Das, who aspired to be an actress, considers herself to be an accidental filmmaker. When she arrived in Mumbai in 2003, after completing her masters in Sociology from Pune University and after clearing the National Eligibility Test (to pursue teaching like her father), it seemed her tinsel town ambitions would never take off. “I did a few plays at Prithvi, but I wasn’t getting the roles I wanted,” she says. “So I thought I would make a film and create a role for myself.” This is when Das came across the Canon 5D, “a small camera which offered cinematic results”. Her first “experiment” resulted in the short film Pratha (2009), which was well received on the festival circuit and gave her the “confidence to go ahead”.

A few years later, Das released her first feature Antardrishti (Man With The Binoculars), inspired by a friend who had purchased a pair of binoculars for his father in Kalardiya. The film, which was shot in Kalardiya, was completed in 2016. While Das was determined to make it to the front of the camera, she found being both an actor and director too much to handle. “I couldn’t focus on either and eventually direction took over.” Antardrishti was screened at Cannes in 2016, the Mumbai Film Festival and the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia the same year. “When I started out, people told me there are 10,000 films submitted for Toronto Film Festival and 12,000 films submitted for Cannes, who is going to watch your film? But we are here, right? People told me a women empowerment film won’t win a National Award. But here we are.”

The idea for Village Rockstars struck Das when she was filming Antardrishti and came across a group of children dancing with make-believe musical instruments to a tune playing from a loudspeaker. As the movie enters its fifth week in theatres, Das feels “it’s truly a regional film that has gone mainstream.”

But this isn’t the response she expected. “When I made Village Rockstars, it was, for me, a festival film. There is no background score, there are many layers and it is not a structured film. But the response was heartening.”

Das credits the festival circuit as an enabler, as it “helps [the film] reach out to a wider audience”. “I didn’t even think of various interpretations [of the film] that others pointed out during the one-on-one audience interactions.” To create a buzz around her Oscar contender, Das has acquired an agent in LA and plans to host screenings to build awareness and generate interest.

While Das has received Rs 1 crore from the Assam government towards her Oscar campaign, she agrees that being backed by a studio would’ve made things smoother. On the other hand, she isn’t entirely sure if it would allow her complete autonomy over her project. “A few [studios] who have approached me lately, say they will give me the freedom to do whatever I want… but I can’t say how it would be because I haven’t experienced it yet. Mine has been a different journey,” she says. “When I take money from other producers, I would have to be more careful and listen to them too.” But she also admits that lack of funds can be detrimental when lobbying for a film that hasn’t had an international release. “There are 87 films being entered in the Best Foreign Language Film category so people should know about our film too. Films like Roma (Spanish) and Shoplifters (a Japanese film which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year) are backed by big studios and can afford to spend over 10 crore to create visibility, we can probably spend one, but it’s OK. Why should films backed by big studios be the only ones to go for Oscars?”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 4, 2017)

Vivek Oberoi has been an active propagator of several social causes, including those that focus on the girl child. In his latest endeavour, the actor is set to join hands with Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi to spread awareness about child abuse with a nation-wide march.

The actor tells mid-day, “It takes a great deal of dedication to bring about change in the society. We should support the causes of child sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, assault and trafficking. I’m grateful to Kailash Satyarthi for inviting me, and giving me the opportunity to be part of this noble cause.”

The duo will kick off the march on September 11 in Guwahati as part of the Bharat Yatra campaign, and will cover 11,000 kms to culminate it in Delhi on October 11. In an earlier interview, Satyarthi had expressed his concern for abused children, stating, “There is a sense of fear around child sexual abuse. How can we make a ‘New India’ if we are still driven by fear of reporting crimes against our children?”

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 1, 2016)

Varun Dhawan, along with Dishoom co-star Jacqueline Fernandez and “Dulhaniya” Alia Bhatt, took a private jet ride to Guwahati on Friday morning. The trio will be performing at the Indian Super League opening ceremony tonight and were welcomed with band, baaja, mint tea and personalised cakes with titles of their films embossed with chocolates, peppermints and fruits. Also present at the ceremony will be football fans Abhishek Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and John Abraham who also own teams in the league.

“Varun and Alia will perform to a medley of their songs and were rehearsing to “Saturday Saturday” earlier this week. The trio will be accompanied by 150 backup dancers and live playback singers for the finale,” adds a source close to the actors.

Jackie who was teased by Varun for wearing pull on slippers on the jet but admitted that she loves being called "Jacky Fernando" by him. The duo also argued over which was more popular, Instagram stories or Snapchat stories.

On Friday afternoon, the actors were at the stadium to cheer on the players, posing with footballs. Varun and Ranbir also played soem footie while the girls confessed they didn’t know much about the game other than some gorgeous English Premiere League players. They will watch the first three matches while in Assam. They are also hoping to pack in some workouts together and a dip in the hotel’s pool.

Meanwhile, amidst torrential rains in the city, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and PV Sindhu also landed on the ground as the players were prepping up for the match.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; February 19, 2014)

If sources are to be believed, YRF distributors in Assam have forcibly replaced an Assamese film — titled 'Raag' — with their latest release, 'Gunday'.

It is being said that Raag — which has been produced by the Assam Film Development Corporation (ASFDC) and Manna films, and has been directed by Rajni Basumatary — has fared quite well in Assam. A source says that the film, that stars Adil Hussain, would have continued its good streak if it was allowed a run in the second week, but the YRF film’s distributors apparently had it removed from local screens to make way for 'Gunday'.

While Raag’s director remained unavailable for comment, the film’s lead actress, Zerifa Wahid vouches for the encouraging response received by the film so far. “A government funded project, this film was doing good, but it has now been removed from local screens to allow room for 'Gunday'. It’s unfortunate that we have fallen prey to this. Such incidents have happened in the past as well,” she says.

She adds that the film was doing brisk business in towns outside Guwahati too. “The YRF exhibitors took up all the five slots leaving us with no shows. A lot of people wanted to watch our film, and I hope they get to see it later. I also hope that audiences get to watch Hiya Diba Kak, another Assamese film that is scheduled to release next week. Bollywood films shouldn’t force us out of the running; there is a strong need for cultural awakening,” she says.

A source on condition of anonymity says, “This production house has wielded its clout against several regional films; they do this to low-budget Hindi films as well. It needs to be stopped.” When contacted, a YRF spokesperson denied the story. “No terms and conditions were laid down for the release of 'Gunday',” was their official statement.