Karbi Film Producers Shocked at Association Decision
Leading filmmakers of Karbi Anglong and members associated with Karbi Film Society, a Diphu based film producers association have expressed shock over the bizarre decision of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council for giving monopoly concession to a Guwahati based farm for production of documentaries. The production aims to showcase various departments success story that are functioning under the administrative control of KAAC through electronic media.
The decision although taken in 28th March of this year, the matter came to public notice when Deputy Director Information and Public Relation (hills), Jotirmoy Chakravarty was appointed as Nodal Officer of the mega project to liaison between the KAAC and around 30 departments who are the stake holders of the project.
According to information received, Principal Secretary of KAAC made his order no KAAC(D) Docu/1/15/152(A) dated March 28, 2015, and allotted the whole project to one M/S Tellywood Communication, Survey, Beltola, Guwahati as the makers of the films.
“The party proposed the KAAC about the project stating that they have the required expertise of making departmental documentary in 6th Scheduled areas of Assam, the Council authority has agreed to arrange the fund from the departments under its control, already shooting of few films have began in various locations,” Jotirmoy Chakravarty Nodal Officer told this correspondent over the phone.
It may be mentioned here that professional film maker Alok Nath and Mrs. Joyasree Saikia are associated Tellywood Communication. According to the proposal, around 30 standard documentaries are in the pipeline to display the accomplishments of KAAC.
Local Karbi Filmmakers Frozen Out
Prolific film producer and national award winner Dhoni Ram Tisso said Karbi film producers largely depend on the help and financial assistance of the KAAC in spite of having creativity, originality and inventiveness and in a position where the KAAC is the producer the project could have been split up to benefit the local producers.
Tisso is a regular contributor to Door Darshan and received a Sarna Kamal award for his legendary film Wosobipo which was also the jury’s choice in the Ken festival and has been incorporated as one of the 100 good films listed to venerate 100 years of Indian film.
While regretting the choice of the KAAC, he said that Karbi Anglong where multi ethnicity exists no one can understand the deep rooted culture of this place other then the local producers. He also mentioned that Bidya Sing Rongpi, President of Karbi Film Society and Executive Member of KAAC should have been consulted before deciding on such an astonishing conclusion.
Bidya Sing Rongpi who also holds the charge of Cultural Affairs department along with other portfolios in recent years has shaped up the film industry of Karbi Anglong with meticulous effort. Beside organizing the individual producers under one umbrella, he also introduced numerous awards to encourage quality production. Producers like Timothy Das Hansey and Dhoni Ram Tisso also joined his endeavor, the unexpected jolt may turn out to be a disheartening factor for the veteran and innovative film producers of Karbi Anglong.
