Prominent cultural faces that we lost in 2018

2018 was not a very pleasant year for cultural society of Assam as we lost many singers, actors, directors, musicians and other personalities one after another. Lets have look at our losses-

Munin Barua: He fell in love with the tune of mandolin in his early days. He then turned to film and theatre and became the one and only showman of Assamese films. The commercially most successful Assamese filmmaker, Munin Barua, passed away on April 7, at his residence in Guwahati. He was 72. Barua had been suffering from serious health issues for the past year.

Tapabrata Baruah: Film maker Tapabrata Baruah, husband of veteran Assamese actor Mridula Baruah, breathed his last at Moolchand Hospital, Delhi on March 20. Baruah, 60, was undergoing treatment at the hospital. Within a short span of time Baruah earned huge applause in the film industry as he directed Bowari in the 80's where his wife and Biju Phukan played prominent roles.

Guna Mahanta: Assamese actor Guna Mahanta passed away on August 27, at his residence in Nagaon. Mahanta had been suffering from heart ailment for a long time and was undergoing treatment. The actor rendered great contribution to the field of Assamese film industry during his lifetime. He worked in more than 50 Assamese films. Ronangini, Xex Upohar, Prem Aru Prem, Morom Nodir Gabhoru Ghat, Ei Morom Tomar Babe, Maghot Mamonir Biya and Mitha Mitha Logonot are some of the films where Mahanta had acted.

Sukracharya Rabha: Renowned theatre artiste Sukracharya Rabha, who gained nationwide recognition for his open air theatre festival, passed away on June 8. He was 41. Born on April 10, 1977 at Rampur village in Agia, Rabha worked hard to promote the Rabha culture and the language using theatre as a medium and connecting it to its root, along with using the medium to promote environmental awareness. Rabha, who founded the Badungduppa Kala Kendra in 1998, used forests and bamboo groves as its stage. Rabha and the group of 27 artistes launched a project titled Under the Saal Tree and experimented with theatre presentation.

Badal Das: Veteran Assamese Actor Badal Das died at a hospital in Guwahati on August 11. He began his journey as a child artist in Lakshyadhar Choudhury's Alibaba at Kumar Bhaskar Natya Mandir in Uzan Bazar. After which he acted in more than 200 plays and never looked back. Badan Borphukan introduced Das to world of cinema.

Dipali Barthakur: Nightingale of Assam, popular Assamese singer Dipali Barthakur, who lost her voice due to a nerve-degenerating disease, passed away on December 21. She was 77. Born in eastern Assam's Sivasagar district in 1941, Barthakur moved millions with her soulful songs, the first of which was recorded when she was in high school. Her songs such as 'Joubone Amoni Kore' (Youth bothers me) and 'Sunor kharu nelage muk' (I don't want golden bangles) have been all-time Assamese hits.

Besides them, producer, director and actor of Durjan Dr Gunin Basumatary, filmmaker Amarendra Bordoloi, script writer Manik Bora, veteran actor Prasanna Goswami, musician Nazu alias Tahidur Rahman, film distributor CS Narayan, film critic Rejjek Ali Ahmed, dramatist Giasuddin Ahmed and theatre musician Babul Nag also passed away during the year.