GUWAHATI, Nov 30 - For some people life brings unexpected changes which bestow positivity not only on them but even the entire vicinity where they dwell is encompassed with this spirit of optimism.
When life threw its door of opportunities open for Bandoi Chetia, a woman approaching 60 now, to break the mundane routine, she never hesitated for a moment. And this spirit of adventure saw her playing the role of the protagonist in the critically acclaimed Haanduk, a film by young Assamese filmmaker Jaicheng Jai Dohutia, which was screened in the Mami Mumbai Film Festival and was honoured with the jury grand prize.
What makes Bandoi Chetia stand out from the rest is that she hails from a remote village of Kakopathar and had never acted in her life or had been involved in any kind of performing arts before. But she played her role with elan and became the motivating factor for the entire cast.
�My life so far has been a journey of struggle. I and the other members of my family have to work very hard to meet our basic needs. It still feels like a dream as I never ever imagined that such an opportunity would come my way,� said Bandoi. Observing that life is the biggest teacher, this woman with little school education, said that determination and a zest to go on despite all the obstacles can usher in the brighter moments.
It needs to be mentioned that the film, based on a true story of insurgency, was selected from more than 170 films from across the country. But the biggest achievement for Bandoi apart from the accolades from critics, is the perceptible change that she has witnessed in the folks in her village. �Playing a role in a film that depicted the pain of a mother whose son is an extremist was really a unique experience for me. The thematic development of the film made me realise the gravity of the problem of insurgency and I sincerely want to see this issue resolved at the earliest.� Bandoi had lost her parents at a very tender age and she was a child labourer before she got married.
On the other hand, Jaicheng Jai Dohutia, who is making plans to take the film to the international audience, said that more people should know about the issues of the North East.
�We laid stress on treating the thematic development in a totally different way. It took us several years to select the theme, the cast and finally make the film,� said Dohutia recollecting that when he was searching for a lady to play the role of the mother of an extremist, he was laying emphasis on whether or not she had any pain in life.
�The role would not have been played to perfection by an individual without sorrow in life. So that was my criterion for selection and Bandoi was my choice and she met our expectations,� said Dohutia, adding that individuals like Bandoi not only leave an imprint on reel but also on society with their dauntless attitude.
