'Art must serve humanity, not tech': Artistes at The Assam Tribune Dialogue 2025

Guwahati, Nov 9: From the evolution of human storytelling to the influence of digital tools on creative expression, filmmakers Jahnu Barua and Rima Das and theatre director Sunil Shanbag shared their reflections on the transformation of performing arts at The Assam Tribune Dialogue 25 held at Vivanta in Guwahati on Saturday. The theme of the session was on 'Oral Traditions to Digital Narratives How Performing Arts Shape Cultural Expression'.

Veteran filmmaker Jahnu Barua, whose ac claimed works include Halodhia Choraye Baodhan Khai, Baandhon, Ajeyo and Papori, underlined that while technology is reshaping creative processes, it should never dominate the human spirit behind art

"We are all human beings, and our traditional narratives are deeply connected to human evolution. Culture is the backbone of that journey" Barua, a multiple national award-winner, said.

He emphasised that all forms of creativity must serve humanity, "Whatever I create, it has to benefit human society. My goal is not to enhance technology but to enhance my creativity. If technology supports that, I welcome it but I must always control it, not the other way round," he explained.

Barua added that artistes must preserve the human intellect behind technology. "Behind any technology, there is a human brain. We should preserve that brain, not become slaves to the technology," he said.

Filmmaker Rima Das, known for her rooted and realistic storytelling, said technology has democratised filmmaking, allowing underrepresented voices to emerge. "Because of technology you now see women, LGBTQ+ and people from remote communities caking films. Even with a mobile phone, one can tell a story today," she said.

Das, who hails from Chhaygaon in Assam and is best known for her globally acclaimed films Village Rockstars, Bulbul Can Sing and Tora's Husband, shared how digital accessibility helped her to stay connected with her roots.

"I grew up listening to my grandmother's stories. The way people express themselves through art keeps evolving with time and tools, but the essence remains the same," she said.

Her filmmaking process, she said, is organic and slow. "I take two to three years to make a film.

It's not just my voice, but my community's voice their dreams and realities," she explained.

Das also reflected on how storytelling continues to create shared emotional experiences. Recalling the recent screening of Roi Roi Binale of Zubeen Garg, she said, "Usually people clap at the end of a film, out that evening there was pin-drop silence. Everyone was in tears-that's the power of shared emotion in art."

Theatre director Sunil Shanbag said that despite the rise of digital media, theatre remains an irreplaceable space for human connection. "Theatre, if you include ritual as performance, is one of the oldest forms of human connection," he said.

Shanbag recalled how television's arrival in the 1980s was once seen as a threat to theatre. "I remember being told as a young actor that theatre was finished that no one would come when they could watch shows at home. But in fact, television helped a new generation of actors earn through TV and still continue with theatre," he said.

He emphasised that no technological innovation can replicate the immediacy and emotional exchange of live performance. "Theatre will always remain a space where people come together to cry, laugh, and feel as a community," he added.

The discussion, rich in reflections on creativity, community, and cultural evolution, highlighted how oral traditions continue to find expression in the digital age not as replacements, but as extensions of human need to connect and tell stories.

The session was conducted by Dr Asha Kuthari Chaudhuri, academic and artistic luminary from Gauhati University.