Himadri Kalita
The women of Assam have accomplished in several fields including politics, sports, journalism, literature and the science world among several others. People believe that accomplishing these fields constitutes women's empowerment.
When some girl tells her parents that she wishes to be like Hima Das, Lovlina Borgohain, Ajanta Neog, Rita Choudhury, or Anuradha Pujari, her parents feel proud and motivates them to become like them. However, if they mention about being an actress like Parineeta Borthakur, Surabhi Das, Meghranjani Medhi, or Celesti Bairagey, most parents ask them to change their role models.
Although many Assamese actresses have debuted in Hindi TV serials yet there is conservative thinking among society to not let the girls dream about making a career in culture due to societal pressure.
It is not true for most parents or individuals as we can witness on television that many Assam women are shining as their parents had believed in them to make a career in the cultural field.
The first Assam woman able to break through the conventional thinking of people and made her way into the film industry was Aideu Nilambar Handique.
She made her debut in the first Assamese film ‘Joymoti’ directed by Jyoti Prasad Agarwala in 1935.
If it wasn’t for her, Assam women would have been behind for at least three decades after attaining Independence in 1947. She made it possible for women to enter the film industry before our nation was freed from colonization.
Adieu made ways for the aspiring women who wanted to build their careers in acting industry, however, there was another actress making the women of Assam believe that they can enter national television also.
The actress making women believe in entering national television was Seema Biswas who made her debut in the Bollywood movie ‘Bandit Queen’ as Phoolan Devi in the year 1994.
After her several actresses from Assam made their debut in Hindi soap operas.
Among those actresses are Parineeta Borthakur, Surabhi Das, Celesti Bairagey, and Devoleena Bhattacharjee.
Parineeta Borthakur made her first debut with an Assamese movie ‘Nayak’. She featured in a few Bollywood movies too such as Force, Chalo Dilli and Kurbaan.
Along with these, she played several roles in Hindi soap operas such as Sharmishta Bose in Colors TV Swaragini, Vasundhra Suryavanshi in Zee TV’s Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani, Anjana Hooda in Colors TV’s Bepannaah.
Devoleena Bhattacharjee is commonly known as Gopi Bahu in Indian households. She played the role of Gopi Bahu in Star Plus’s long-running popular show Saath Nibhaana Sathiya.
Surabhi Das played the lead role in Colors TV’s Nima Denzongpa in 2021. The serial revolved around the discrimination faced by northeastern in mainland India.
Celesti Bairagey became famous for being Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt’s lookalike. She played the lead role in Star Plus’s Rajjo.
If we are to take a look at filmmaking, Rima Das is a name that is learned by heart since her movie ‘Village Rockstars’ was nominated at Oscars in the year 2019. She made a few movies in the Assamese language.
She is one of the celebrated filmmakers who won several awards for her two movies- Village Rockstars and Bulbul Can Sing.
These movies also premiered at Toronto International Film Festival and were also screened at over 120 prestigious film festivals around the world. It does not get limited to this as these movies also bagged over 70 awards.
Her other two movies were Man with the Binoculars: Antardrishti and Tora’s Husband.
Another celebrated filmmaker is Manju Borah. She won multiple international and national awards.
Apart from this, she served as Jury Member at Indian Panorama, IFFI 2007, 10th MAMI International Film Festival 2008 and 3rd Eye 7th Asian Film Festival Mumbai 2008, 55th National Film Awards 2007.
Manju Borah made several movies in regional languages. She started her career in the field with Baibhab in 1999.
Her other movies include Anya Ek Yatra, Aakashitorar Kothare, Laaz, Aai Kot Nai, Sarvagunakar Srimanta Sankardeva.
Manju Borah made movies in other regional languages which were Ko: Yad (Mising), Dau Huduni Methai (Bodo).
What is a movie without music? Assam women have taken part in sound department of several Bollywood movies. One of them is Assamese folk singer Abhishruti Bezbaruah.
The Roi Roi Roti singer worked in the sound department for at least four Bollywood movies- Ra.One (2011), PK (2014), Kick (2014) and Roar (2014).
Priyanka Bharali who became famous after her song Xile Xile, made her melodious voice heard in South Indian movie KGF Chapter 2.
She sang the song Toofan in the famous south Indian movie KGF Chapter 2.
Do you recall the song Gandi Baat from R… Rajkumar movie? It was also sung by none other than one of our Assam women.
Kalpana Patowary from Assam sang the famous song from the movie which was heard at the mouth of every youth and danced at all parties, freshers, farewells and so on.
These accomplished women from Assam have made everyone believe that they can break the conventional line from society and succeed in this field.
One does not have been accomplished in literature, sports, and so on to be known by others or held our head high. Making it to television is now thought of as achieving something big.
