Assamese cinema cast a luminous spell at IFFI 2025 as the teams behind two remarkable works—’Bhaimon Da’ (Feature Film) and ‘Patralekha’ (Non-Feature Short Film) opened their hearts and creative journeys to an enthralled audience during a warm, emotionally charged press conference. Steeped in the cultural soul of Assam, both films stood as heartfelt tributes to two towering artistic giants: Munin Barua, the beloved Bhaimon Da of Assamese cinema, and Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the musical maestro whose voice continues to echo across generations. Their legacies pulsed through the stories, visuals, and emotions presented, making the moment not just a festival appearance, but a celebration of Assam’s enduring creative spirit.
Bhaimon Da: A landmark tribute to Munin Barua and 90 years of Assamese cinema Director Sasanka Samir introduced ‘Bhaimon Da’, the first commercial biopic on the iconic Assamese filmmaker Munin Barua, fondly known as Bhaimon Da. A towering figure of Assamese cinema, Barua’s films redefined mainstream storytelling in the region, leaving an indelible mark on generations of audiences. Narrating Barua’s journey from modest beginnings to cinematic mastery, the film revisits his struggles, creative evolution, and behind-the-scenes moments from cherished films that featured luminaries such as Biju Phukan, Mridula Barua, Zubeen Garg, and Jatin Bora. With its nostalgic charm and emotional depth, Bhaimon Da honours both the man and the golden legacy he helped build. At the press conference, Samir spoke passionately about the filmmaking process: “Munin Barua gave his entire life to Assamese cinema. His passion, his dreams, and his sacrifices shaped our film culture. I wanted to capture not just his journey, but the spirit of 90 years of our cinematic history.”
Patralekha: A lyrical meditation inspired by Bhupen Hazarika’s evocative songDirector and author Namrata Datta unveiled her evocative short film ‘Patralekha’, a work that breathes cinematic life into a hauntingly abstract song by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, a melody steeped in yearning, unfinished affection, and the ache of words never spoken. What the song only hinted at—a love suspended between memory and silence—Datta transforms into a delicate, emotionally textured narrative of two souls once intertwined yet now separated by the quiet drift of circumstance.In Patralekha, the visual language becomes a storyteller of its own.The village sequences, captured under the unforgiving glare of noon, radiate a palpable heaviness: the heat, the stillness, the weight of responsibilities that anchor the woman to her home and her ailing mother. In stark contrast, the city scenes, filmed in the soft melancholy of dusk and the contemplative calm of night, mirror the man’s solitude—his evenings steeped in painting, guitar notes, and whispered reminiscence.