Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia’s Six (6) Films in Kalakhetra’s Programme

The Srimanta Shankardev Kalakhetra in association in association with Center for Film Culture are showing 6 films of Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia (1932-2003) on 6, 7 , and 8 January. Kalakhetra's idea behind the programme is to popularise the films of Assam and the North East in the home ground. Further they will put up the programmes in the other parts of the country.

In a career of 21 years from 1977 to 1997 Saikia made 8 films, 7 in Assamese and 1 in Hindi. Kalakhetra 6 films include - Sandhyaraag, Anirban, Kolahal, Itihas, Abartan and Agnisnan.

He was born in Nagaon. He completed his school education 1948 with flying colours. He secured his B.Sc. Degree with honors in Physics from Cotton College in 1952, and M.Sc. in Physics from the Presidency College of Calcutta University in 1955 – 1956. He obtained a Ph.D. Degree in Physics in 1961 from the London University . He also obtained a Diploma of Imperial College of Science & Technology (DIC), London in 1961.

Dr. Saikia started his illustrious career as a physics teacher, first at the Sibsagar College and then at the Guwahati University . He did pioneering work in the publication of college level textbooks in the Assamese language during his tenure as Secretary of the Co-ordination Committee for production of textbooks in regional languages. He served as the Chairman of the Railway Service Commission, North East Frontier Railways in the early eighties.

However, it was his literary genius that made Dr. Saikia a household name in Assam . Be it short stories, novels, stage plays or children’s literature Dr. Saikia’s stature in Assamese literature is unparalled. He was the author of twenty nine books as of January, 2001 which also included his autobiography Jivan Britta that he completed in 2000.

In one sentence he was story writer, novelist, dramatist, filmmaker, student of science, researcher, physicist, editor - all rolled into one.

From Sandhyaraag in 1977 to Kalsandhya in 1999, this man has not only churned out eight films, but also established the fact that even without a conducive environment for filmmaking in the State, good films can be made. He has been credited, by friends and foes alike, with the distinction of taking the Assamese film movement to the national and international levels. And, Dr Saikia has done this almost single handedly.

The most exclusive aspect of Dr Saikia’s filmmaking is that each of his films was based on his own stories.

Almost all his films have depicted the true life of the commoners, their hopes and despair, dreams and night-mares, values and morals, struggle for a survival, both physically and intellectually, individual as well as social obligations, and many more.

As an individual, Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia has set examples. So has the filmmaker. His kind of filmmaking has a unique style — simple yet versatile, subtle yet bold, individual yet intellectual. Envied by many, the filmmaker in Dr Saikia has single handedly changed the face of Assamese filmmaking, which is serious and beautiful, artistic and aesthetic, all at the same time.

Date: 6, 7 & 8 January. Venue: 300 seat auditorium of Kalakhetra. Time: Daily 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 4.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.

The unique films of the region need to be seen by people. So, all Guwahatians are requested to catch the master of Assamese cinema.

Information Compiled by: Altaf Mazid, Center for Film Culture, Mobile: 9435193663. Email: altafmazid@gmail.com