Himjyoti Talukdar returns with ‘Taarikh’ — a poignant take on loss, grief and silence

Guwahati, July 25: The echoes of the October 30, 2008, serial bomb blasts in Assam may have faded from the headlines, but the scars remain. For filmmaker Himjyoti Talukdar, those memories were never just passing images — they left a mark deep enough to inspire his latest Assamese feature film, ‘Taarikh’.

One of the darkest days in Assam’s recent history, the coordinated blasts killed around 100 people across the State, with Guwahati being the worst affected. While many have moved on, Himjyoti chose to revisit the grief and lingering trauma — not for politics or commentary, but simply to portray the unspoken human sorrow left behind.

“When the blasts happened, I was studying in New Delhi. But every time I returned home — whether during the anniversaries or just while passing by Ganeshguri — the memories would strike me again,” Himjyoti told The Assam Tribune. “I could sense the pain on the faces of the people who had lost someone. Life goes on, but for those families, grief stays. ‘Taarikh’ is a reflection of that silent suffering.”

At the centre of the story is Durlov Dutta, a retired man in his 70s who loses his only son in the blast. Portrayed by veteran actor Arun Nath, Durlov is a rare kind of protagonist — one who doesn't utter a single word throughout the film. But he is not speech-impaired.

“He’s not mute by condition — he’s mute by grief,” said Himjyoti. “That was the most challenging part for me — creating a character whose silence conveys everything. His silence is his voice.” Though rooted in a real-life tragedy, Durlov’s character is fictional, built to reflect the quiet suffering many carry inside.

Tarikh marks Himjyoti’s return to direction after a gap of seven years, following the critical success of his debut film ‘Calendar’ in 2018. With ‘Taarikh’, he moves into more sombre terrain — a film less driven by narrative twists and more by the emotional undercurrents of memory and mourning.

“This story is both personal and universal. It speaks of time, loss, love, and memory — themes we often ignore in the rush of daily life. I waited years to direct again because I wanted to tell something that truly moved me,” he said.

Produced by Arundhati Sarmah Baruah and Muktismaan Hazarika and co-produced by Angshuman Saikia, Jyotirmoyee Shree and Trinayan Bora, the film is slated to release in theatres on August 22. Even before its theatrical release, ‘Tarikh’ has made its presence felt across film festivals — including the 17th Habitat Film Festival (New Delhi), the 23rd Pune International Film Festival and the 22nd Chennai International Film Festival, among others.

The official trailer was launched on Wednesday at an event in Guwahati.

Speaking at the event, Arun Nath praised the director’s sensitive approach. “Working with Himjyoti reminded me of Bhabendra Nath Saikia. He has that quiet brilliance in the way he treats his subjects. It was truly fulfilling to work with him,” he said.

Apart from Nath, the film also features Boloram Das, Swagata Bharali, Kula Kuldip, Jayanta Das, Sanjib Sarma and Subhranil Bora in major roles.

The technical team includes Aniruddha Barua (director of photography), Uddipta Kumar Bhattacharyya (editor), Rani Dutta Baruah (costume design), Debajit Gayan (sound design and mixing), Tarali Sarma (music), and script by Himjyoti Talukdar, Ankur Deka and Adhiraj Kashyap.

‘Tarikh’ also carries a heavy emotional footnote — it is believed to feature the last screen appearance of renowned music composer Ramen Baruah, who went missing in July 2024.

“Ramen da appeared in a cameo role in ‘Tarikh’. We had shot his portion just a few months before he went missing,” Himjyoti said. “We have included a tribute in the film to honour his life and work. Somewhere deep down, we still hope he might return.”

With ‘Taarikh’, Himjyoti reminds us of the stories we often forget. The film is a quiet, heartbreaking meditation on time, memory and the silences we live with.