This is a tribute to the one of the most beloved director and the most commercially successful filmmaker of Assamese film industry Munin Barua. He was responsible for the revival of Assamese films. He was the man behind a number of blockbusters. Hiya Diya Niya was his first huge box office which found popularity outside Assam. He helped expand the boundary of Assamese cinema in whole of India and even abroad for the Assamese Diaspora. He won the National Film Award for Best Feature film in Assamese for Dinobandho. The movie portrayed the struggles a father had to undergo in caring for his daughters. It was an adaptation from a short story "Zowtok" by novelist Bhabendra Nath Saikia.
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| Jatin Bora with Barsha Rani Bishaya in Bidhata ( Facebook ) |
We will now enter into this film called Bidhata released in 2003. One of the best of the best cinema he made. It is so high in values of family that I felt,"Yes, this is the pinnacle of his grand creations." This is a movie of the very brave words, "Selfless act"; which in today's world is hard to be found.
The movie portrays the Barua Family, a renowned and aristocratic family. Their forefathers were prominent citizens of society. Mohadeo is the head of the family. He is always engaged in dealing of family property and lands. This act is despised by his first son Jayanta, a faculty in a college. He believes that there are many things better than selling family lands. There is almost a daily squabble between father and son.
In this squabble gets trapped Mrinal. Should she defend her son, Jayanta or be with the side of Mohadeo. She ties to maintain a balance but things just falls apart. In all this confusion is embroiled Mohadeo's second son, Diganta. Young and yet to establish, he is not sure where to put his feet. Upon his father's telling, he joins in the land selling business with Mohadeo. Jayanta is unable to move Diganta. Diganta argues that what is so bad in selling family property. Jayanta argues that he should focus on building a career in the right direction. Jaihind is the caretaker of the family home who adds to the comicness in the film.
Then come the second family of Hemanta Barua. He is an established advocate by profession and lives with his wife and daughter in a rented house. He married his lady love, Madhuri who is considered of a low caste by society. She is busy raising their small daughter, Jayanti. They are content with their life of a nuclear family.
Pratima is a teacher living with her older brother Nayan. They are open minded and do not believe in casteism. Major Kakoti is a Army veteran. He belongs to high society but is very modern in nature. He believes all are equal irrespective of the age-old statu levels in society. His son Gautam is a Captain in the Indian Army.
Sunita is a young beautiful woman who lives with her adoring brother and sister-in-law. She was in love from college with her now long lost boyfriend. But time have played with her and she cannot trace him after so many years. Dibakar is a Manager of a Tea Estate who lives with his family, a good wife and their son Rahul and Nandini.
Mohadeo does not like Jayanta being involved in meetings and functions of the upliftment of youth and cultural clubs. According to him they belong to upper echelon in society and should not mix up with lower echelons. One evening, Jayanta tries to explain Diganta his wrong doings and ask him to look forward and not back to the past glorious history of the family as their father is so proud of. Mohadeo hears this and they argue and in all these chaos, Jayanta leaves the house for the night without having dinner.
Mohadeo fixes Jayanta's marraige with the daughter of Major Kakoti, without his consent. While Jayanta is in love with Pratima but is unable to tell his father. He would outright oppose as her caste is not at par with them. There is a tension on how to prevent this arranged marraige. But no one dares to confront Mohadeo.
Diganta get involved in some illegal business with underworld. He keeps it a secret but his body language gives hint of his deeds. Gradually he gets so deep into it that now he is unable to come out of it. He is trapped by the goons in doing their dirty work.
Hemanta had to leave his parental house due to his marraige to Madhuri. In spite of having a home they are forced to live in a rented home. His older brother, Mohadeo kicks him out the day he arrives with Madhuri. Despite loving his brother so deeply, Mohadeo in order to keep the age old customs of the household takes this drastic step. There is regret in him but he cannot express it. After every sell of land, Mohadeo sends half of the money to Hemanta through Diganta. Hemanta feels now the their relationship has become limited to this sale of lands only. There is no affection left. Pride overcomes family ties.
In all these multiple chaos enters Bijoy "Biju" Chowdhury. He is the only nephew of Mohadeo, whose sister married Dibakar Chowdhury. Fresh as a film-making graduate form Chennai, he dreams to make it big in Bollywood. He is a very lively person who is loved by all. He teases playfully that he has got two uncles (Mamas) living in separate homes. Mohadeo is unable to oppose it and feels awkward in mentioning anything about Hemata in front of the family. Instead he critises by saying that Hemanta and his families' thinking is narrow minded. Biju consoles Mrinal that this visit is filled with missions he has to accomplish. He has some agendas he has to fulfill during his stay. And he will go by any means to give it fruition.
He frequently visits Hemanta's house. One night they have dinner in his home . Biju brings such joys to Hemanta's family that Jayanta and Diganta joins them. Jayanta asks Hemanta to make some compromise with Mohadeo. Hemanta explains that his brother is not an enemy that he has to make compromises with. One day Mohadeo will himself take Hemanta and his family back to live together. But Biju confesses that he is unhappy with Mohadeo and Mrinal not visiting them.
Back at Mohadeo's home, Biju raises the matter of Jayanta's marraige with Pratima. Mrinal is very eager to make her a Buwari (daughter-in-Law) but cannot cross Mohadeo's will. Biju assures her that now he has taken all these matters in his hand. He will solve every piece one by one.
Biju goes to meet Major Kakoti. He befriends him and informs that Jayanta is mentally ill. Kakoti gets furious and instantly phones Mohadeo to cancel the marraige. Later Biju reveals that it was a lie. Kakoti is angered. Biju consoles him telling that will it be wise of marrying Jayanta to his daughter and remain unhappy the whole life. Jayanta loves Pratima. Major Kakoti feels grateful by Biju's goodness. Upon knowing Mohadeo's denial of letting Pratima as a Buwari because of her low caste, Major Kakoti is appalled. He argues how come even in these age can Mohadeo follow such beliefs.
Mrinal is coaxed by Biju in making her accept to go and meet Madhuri. Madhuri revers Mrinal. She confesses to Biju that her wish is to somehow meet Mrinal. And voila, Mrinal is in front of Madhuri. She cries seeing her after so many years. They bond and Biju accomplishes parts of his agenda. Now only Mohadeo is left to make a dent in his iron heart.
A flashback shows that Sunita's boyfriend was none other than Biju. They met in college. She was smitten by his jolly nature and good person. They were in love. But Biju disappeared from her life out of blue and went to Chennai. One day on her way back, Sunita sees Biju coming out of her home. She is urged to shout his name but Biju is long gone in an auto-rickshaw. She is happy and engages in a energetic mood with her family telling that Biju is back for her. Love blooms again.
Mohadeo denies a proposal put forward by Pratima to confer an award to a great person since that person's father worked under his family. Pratima is enraged and confronts him telling that he is doing wrong and this is his pride talking. She and her colleagues leave the house after the heated argument. Mohadeo becomes more hostile towards Pratima. This makes matters worse as Jayanta will now never be able to make his father agree in his marraige to Pratima.
Once again Biju takes matter into his hands. He manipulates Mohadeo into making him believe that they can teach a lesson by allowing Pratima to become his Buwari. The whole family will teach her the age old values of family pride. They will get her into submission to praise this age old customs and hence Mohadeo will ultimately win. He agrees to allow the marraige. But soon Mohadeo shows his true colours towards Pratima. Now Biju conspires to his next manipulation to make the final peace between them.
Diganta is badly trapped and confesses to Biju one night when he enters home in a drunken state. He is unable to come out of the underworld. He is unable to tell the truth to his girlfriend Kabita. Biju devises a plan with his acquaintance Sarba. Biju consoles Kabita to make things right. Sarba ploys a game and starts threatening the goon of his life. The goon frequently asks for money against evidence of Diganta's crimes. One day Diganta beats the hell out of the goon and retrieves the evidence. Sarba chases him away from Guwahati for good.
Biju brings in Captain Gautam and tries setting him up with Sunita. He proposes a marraige between them, Sunita feels betrayed and confronts Biju of why is he doing such things when they love each other. Biju out-rightly denies his love and warns her not to enter his life forcefully. He never loved her and considers her just as a friend. One day when Biju is consoling Kabita about Diganta's state, Sunita finds them. She starts thinking that Biju loves Kabita and she is responsible for Biju's dismissal of her love to him. She leaves the place furiously. Sunita curses that Biju gets destroyed piece by piece. He knows Gautam is a good person and would be a better husband for Sunita. Coincidentally, it fulfills Biju's conspiracy of making Sunita hate him forever and making her inclined to Gautam.
To complete his agenda with Mohadeo, Biju suggests Pratima that she ask Jayanta to donate land for a public library. Mohadeo thinks that donating land is a ploy of Pratima. He accuses her of manipluating Jayanta. But she makes a point that land will be dedicated to theirs ancestor's memory. She argues that in coming centuries land and pride will be null and void. Will Mohadeo not want to at-least to leave a lasting impression in this world by naming the library premises to his ancestors. Still if he denies, Pratima will revoke her proposal.
After some thinking, he has a change of heart. He calls Pratima and asks her that she should not at any manner revoke her proposal. He realises that she is right. He finally accepts that people are what matters, not outrageous family customs. Gradually Mohadeo gives away his pride and goes to Hemanta's home. He confronts Madhuri and asks them not to stay in that rented house. They must immediately come back to their actual home. He finally starts to understand that a happy joint family is all that matters. They all realise that it was all Biju's doing into manipulating each of them to reunite them. At last his last agenda remains.
It is revealed that Biju's mother died at an early age. When Mohadeo suggests Dibakar remarry, he is shocked. He in unable to bear the presence of a stepmother. He gradually leaves home and starts staying with his Mamas. His stepmother loves him so much that whenever she goes to buy clothes for her Rahul and Nandini, she also buys a pair for Biju even though he left home. Rahul and Nandini have never seen Biju and yearns for him to be back.
Biju leaves for his actual home. On his way inside the tea estate, his step-siblings cross his way. Rahul realises that it is Biju. They run towards him and exchange introductions. They take him home and at lunch he meets his stepmother. There is a bit uncomfortable situation between them. But things gradually gets better. They finally feel that Biju is back. Dibakar's family too is now complete. On his last day of stay, Biju aks Rahul to make the camera ready for a family photo, all five of them.
Biju bids them farewell and arrives in Mohadeos. There is a strange atmosphere in the their home. No one is talking to him. He is being avoided. Biju realises that his secret has got out. They all know now who he actually is and why he did all these efforts to reunite the families. Major Kakoti is the person who uncovered Biju's secret. He informs the whole of the lot. Then and there the final blow is revealed to the audience although there were weak hints in between.
Biju is dying. He has cancer and has only six months left to live. Major Kakoti's brother Romen is Biju's doctor. That is how all got revealed. Who would have thought such an energetic and healthy Biju would fall into the hands of death. And so before dying, he made it his ambition to somehow break all the family squabbles and reunite them. He also made peace with his stepmother. He made Sunita hate him for he knew Sunita would never leave him in-spite of him having cancer. He wanted to give her a happy life. He fixed Both of Jayanta and Diganta's love marraige. He had the last family photo with his father, stepmother and step-siblings. He felt he was now at peace and can die a fulfilling death.
The family is shocked and tries to talk to Biju but cannot. Biju again acts in spite of knowing his plot is open. He takes Sarba and moves out on the pretext of solving more problems. He signals them by showing his hand closer to his forehead indicating that its how mother nature wanted. If you see this scene, you will feel so driven that tears may come out your eyes. It is so visually and audibly powerful.
We humans by nature are very competitive and jealous of each other. It is ingrained inside us. But there is a stronger force, selflessness. On death's invitation, Biju asked for some duration to make wrongs right. He did everything without giving a hint of his illness. He knew he would not have accomplished all these if he told them. It was his selfless act that made all things happen.
Later, it is shown that Mrinal's grandchild is named after Biju. The family is shown one by one to remember him in flashbacks. The camera moves towards Biju's garlanded photo hung on the wall. Instead of the appearence of "The END", the name Bidhata written in Assamese and the screen fades away.
A song from the movie goes like this:
"Aji morome bandhibo khuje dukhoni hiya
Jodiyo amarei jibonei dudiniya"
It means "Even if our lives are just for two days, Love will weave us for eternity"
The movie portrays the Barua Family, a renowned and aristocratic family. Their forefathers were prominent citizens of society. Mohadeo is the head of the family. He is always engaged in dealing of family property and lands. This act is despised by his first son Jayanta, a faculty in a college. He believes that there are many things better than selling family lands. There is almost a daily squabble between father and son.
In this squabble gets trapped Mrinal. Should she defend her son, Jayanta or be with the side of Mohadeo. She ties to maintain a balance but things just falls apart. In all this confusion is embroiled Mohadeo's second son, Diganta. Young and yet to establish, he is not sure where to put his feet. Upon his father's telling, he joins in the land selling business with Mohadeo. Jayanta is unable to move Diganta. Diganta argues that what is so bad in selling family property. Jayanta argues that he should focus on building a career in the right direction. Jaihind is the caretaker of the family home who adds to the comicness in the film.
Pratima is a teacher living with her older brother Nayan. They are open minded and do not believe in casteism. Major Kakoti is a Army veteran. He belongs to high society but is very modern in nature. He believes all are equal irrespective of the age-old statu levels in society. His son Gautam is a Captain in the Indian Army.
Sunita is a young beautiful woman who lives with her adoring brother and sister-in-law. She was in love from college with her now long lost boyfriend. But time have played with her and she cannot trace him after so many years. Dibakar is a Manager of a Tea Estate who lives with his family, a good wife and their son Rahul and Nandini.
Mohadeo does not like Jayanta being involved in meetings and functions of the upliftment of youth and cultural clubs. According to him they belong to upper echelon in society and should not mix up with lower echelons. One evening, Jayanta tries to explain Diganta his wrong doings and ask him to look forward and not back to the past glorious history of the family as their father is so proud of. Mohadeo hears this and they argue and in all these chaos, Jayanta leaves the house for the night without having dinner.
Mohadeo fixes Jayanta's marraige with the daughter of Major Kakoti, without his consent. While Jayanta is in love with Pratima but is unable to tell his father. He would outright oppose as her caste is not at par with them. There is a tension on how to prevent this arranged marraige. But no one dares to confront Mohadeo.
Diganta get involved in some illegal business with underworld. He keeps it a secret but his body language gives hint of his deeds. Gradually he gets so deep into it that now he is unable to come out of it. He is trapped by the goons in doing their dirty work.
Hemanta had to leave his parental house due to his marraige to Madhuri. In spite of having a home they are forced to live in a rented home. His older brother, Mohadeo kicks him out the day he arrives with Madhuri. Despite loving his brother so deeply, Mohadeo in order to keep the age old customs of the household takes this drastic step. There is regret in him but he cannot express it. After every sell of land, Mohadeo sends half of the money to Hemanta through Diganta. Hemanta feels now the their relationship has become limited to this sale of lands only. There is no affection left. Pride overcomes family ties.
In all these multiple chaos enters Bijoy "Biju" Chowdhury. He is the only nephew of Mohadeo, whose sister married Dibakar Chowdhury. Fresh as a film-making graduate form Chennai, he dreams to make it big in Bollywood. He is a very lively person who is loved by all. He teases playfully that he has got two uncles (Mamas) living in separate homes. Mohadeo is unable to oppose it and feels awkward in mentioning anything about Hemata in front of the family. Instead he critises by saying that Hemanta and his families' thinking is narrow minded. Biju consoles Mrinal that this visit is filled with missions he has to accomplish. He has some agendas he has to fulfill during his stay. And he will go by any means to give it fruition.
He frequently visits Hemanta's house. One night they have dinner in his home . Biju brings such joys to Hemanta's family that Jayanta and Diganta joins them. Jayanta asks Hemanta to make some compromise with Mohadeo. Hemanta explains that his brother is not an enemy that he has to make compromises with. One day Mohadeo will himself take Hemanta and his family back to live together. But Biju confesses that he is unhappy with Mohadeo and Mrinal not visiting them.
Back at Mohadeo's home, Biju raises the matter of Jayanta's marraige with Pratima. Mrinal is very eager to make her a Buwari (daughter-in-Law) but cannot cross Mohadeo's will. Biju assures her that now he has taken all these matters in his hand. He will solve every piece one by one.
Biju goes to meet Major Kakoti. He befriends him and informs that Jayanta is mentally ill. Kakoti gets furious and instantly phones Mohadeo to cancel the marraige. Later Biju reveals that it was a lie. Kakoti is angered. Biju consoles him telling that will it be wise of marrying Jayanta to his daughter and remain unhappy the whole life. Jayanta loves Pratima. Major Kakoti feels grateful by Biju's goodness. Upon knowing Mohadeo's denial of letting Pratima as a Buwari because of her low caste, Major Kakoti is appalled. He argues how come even in these age can Mohadeo follow such beliefs.
Mrinal is coaxed by Biju in making her accept to go and meet Madhuri. Madhuri revers Mrinal. She confesses to Biju that her wish is to somehow meet Mrinal. And voila, Mrinal is in front of Madhuri. She cries seeing her after so many years. They bond and Biju accomplishes parts of his agenda. Now only Mohadeo is left to make a dent in his iron heart.
A flashback shows that Sunita's boyfriend was none other than Biju. They met in college. She was smitten by his jolly nature and good person. They were in love. But Biju disappeared from her life out of blue and went to Chennai. One day on her way back, Sunita sees Biju coming out of her home. She is urged to shout his name but Biju is long gone in an auto-rickshaw. She is happy and engages in a energetic mood with her family telling that Biju is back for her. Love blooms again.
Mohadeo denies a proposal put forward by Pratima to confer an award to a great person since that person's father worked under his family. Pratima is enraged and confronts him telling that he is doing wrong and this is his pride talking. She and her colleagues leave the house after the heated argument. Mohadeo becomes more hostile towards Pratima. This makes matters worse as Jayanta will now never be able to make his father agree in his marraige to Pratima.
Once again Biju takes matter into his hands. He manipulates Mohadeo into making him believe that they can teach a lesson by allowing Pratima to become his Buwari. The whole family will teach her the age old values of family pride. They will get her into submission to praise this age old customs and hence Mohadeo will ultimately win. He agrees to allow the marraige. But soon Mohadeo shows his true colours towards Pratima. Now Biju conspires to his next manipulation to make the final peace between them.
Diganta is badly trapped and confesses to Biju one night when he enters home in a drunken state. He is unable to come out of the underworld. He is unable to tell the truth to his girlfriend Kabita. Biju devises a plan with his acquaintance Sarba. Biju consoles Kabita to make things right. Sarba ploys a game and starts threatening the goon of his life. The goon frequently asks for money against evidence of Diganta's crimes. One day Diganta beats the hell out of the goon and retrieves the evidence. Sarba chases him away from Guwahati for good.
Biju brings in Captain Gautam and tries setting him up with Sunita. He proposes a marraige between them, Sunita feels betrayed and confronts Biju of why is he doing such things when they love each other. Biju out-rightly denies his love and warns her not to enter his life forcefully. He never loved her and considers her just as a friend. One day when Biju is consoling Kabita about Diganta's state, Sunita finds them. She starts thinking that Biju loves Kabita and she is responsible for Biju's dismissal of her love to him. She leaves the place furiously. Sunita curses that Biju gets destroyed piece by piece. He knows Gautam is a good person and would be a better husband for Sunita. Coincidentally, it fulfills Biju's conspiracy of making Sunita hate him forever and making her inclined to Gautam.
To complete his agenda with Mohadeo, Biju suggests Pratima that she ask Jayanta to donate land for a public library. Mohadeo thinks that donating land is a ploy of Pratima. He accuses her of manipluating Jayanta. But she makes a point that land will be dedicated to theirs ancestor's memory. She argues that in coming centuries land and pride will be null and void. Will Mohadeo not want to at-least to leave a lasting impression in this world by naming the library premises to his ancestors. Still if he denies, Pratima will revoke her proposal.
After some thinking, he has a change of heart. He calls Pratima and asks her that she should not at any manner revoke her proposal. He realises that she is right. He finally accepts that people are what matters, not outrageous family customs. Gradually Mohadeo gives away his pride and goes to Hemanta's home. He confronts Madhuri and asks them not to stay in that rented house. They must immediately come back to their actual home. He finally starts to understand that a happy joint family is all that matters. They all realise that it was all Biju's doing into manipulating each of them to reunite them. At last his last agenda remains.
It is revealed that Biju's mother died at an early age. When Mohadeo suggests Dibakar remarry, he is shocked. He in unable to bear the presence of a stepmother. He gradually leaves home and starts staying with his Mamas. His stepmother loves him so much that whenever she goes to buy clothes for her Rahul and Nandini, she also buys a pair for Biju even though he left home. Rahul and Nandini have never seen Biju and yearns for him to be back.
Biju leaves for his actual home. On his way inside the tea estate, his step-siblings cross his way. Rahul realises that it is Biju. They run towards him and exchange introductions. They take him home and at lunch he meets his stepmother. There is a bit uncomfortable situation between them. But things gradually gets better. They finally feel that Biju is back. Dibakar's family too is now complete. On his last day of stay, Biju aks Rahul to make the camera ready for a family photo, all five of them.
Biju bids them farewell and arrives in Mohadeos. There is a strange atmosphere in the their home. No one is talking to him. He is being avoided. Biju realises that his secret has got out. They all know now who he actually is and why he did all these efforts to reunite the families. Major Kakoti is the person who uncovered Biju's secret. He informs the whole of the lot. Then and there the final blow is revealed to the audience although there were weak hints in between.
Biju is dying. He has cancer and has only six months left to live. Major Kakoti's brother Romen is Biju's doctor. That is how all got revealed. Who would have thought such an energetic and healthy Biju would fall into the hands of death. And so before dying, he made it his ambition to somehow break all the family squabbles and reunite them. He also made peace with his stepmother. He made Sunita hate him for he knew Sunita would never leave him in-spite of him having cancer. He wanted to give her a happy life. He fixed Both of Jayanta and Diganta's love marraige. He had the last family photo with his father, stepmother and step-siblings. He felt he was now at peace and can die a fulfilling death.
The family is shocked and tries to talk to Biju but cannot. Biju again acts in spite of knowing his plot is open. He takes Sarba and moves out on the pretext of solving more problems. He signals them by showing his hand closer to his forehead indicating that its how mother nature wanted. If you see this scene, you will feel so driven that tears may come out your eyes. It is so visually and audibly powerful.
We humans by nature are very competitive and jealous of each other. It is ingrained inside us. But there is a stronger force, selflessness. On death's invitation, Biju asked for some duration to make wrongs right. He did everything without giving a hint of his illness. He knew he would not have accomplished all these if he told them. It was his selfless act that made all things happen.
Later, it is shown that Mrinal's grandchild is named after Biju. The family is shown one by one to remember him in flashbacks. The camera moves towards Biju's garlanded photo hung on the wall. Instead of the appearence of "The END", the name Bidhata written in Assamese and the screen fades away.
A song from the movie goes like this:
"Aji morome bandhibo khuje dukhoni hiya
Jodiyo amarei jibonei dudiniya"
It means "Even if our lives are just for two days, Love will weave us for eternity"
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ReplyDeleteThank you ABG.
DeleteSimply Superb!!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Ayesha :D
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