| Shankar Borua shines in America Shankar Borua, the  young filmmaker from Assam presently residing in Texas, USA, has made a mark for his documentary film Center Mass, based on the activities of the American police. The theme is about an adverserial relationship between two sets of people in America – pro-police and anti-police or liberal versus conservative. The film deals with the touchy issue of police use of deadly force and the predicament of a free society in fairly investigating its own frontline representatives of the Government – the police. The film attempts to highlight the contradictions in the American social scene of extreme contrasts and history of police brutality. The Center Mass has become a hot topic among American police, intelligence, criminologists and conscious citizens. Notably, the film has been included in the police syllabus. Shankar Borua has done research for the project and has utilised his materials impartially – as a conscious filmmaker from outside America. The 1 hour 47 minute film covers New York, Texas, Minneapolis, Canada and other places, along with interactions with police officers, federal agents, professors, writers, etc. Every year, citizens as well as police officers are killed in America. To quote a police officer in the film – ‘As a passenger on the plane, that pilot could be the greatest pilot that ever was ... he cannot make a mistake, ... A surgeon may be a greatest magician to a patient on the day of his surgery. He cannot make his first mistake with me. The same thing is also with the police force. You could be the greatest cop in the world. You are not allowed to shoot someone who shouldn’t have been shot. You are going to make a mistake...’Incidentally, Shankar Borua had earlier made two remarkable documentaries and an Assamese feature film Hepaah – about a band from an Assamese village. Shankar is the son of power engineer Muktidhor Borua and advocate Anu Borua of Guwahati. |
| Audio CD of Bhajans released An audio CD of bhajans titled Teri Sharaname Prabhu, sung by Dr Amiya Choudhury, retired professor of Cotton College, was released on February 25 at a function held at Gauri Sadan by Dr Lakshyahira Das, eminent lyricist, singer and litterateur and Paban Bordoloi, renowned tabla player. All the bhajans – based on Ragas, are tuned by the singer and are performed suitably, and are appealing to the ears. The release-function was followed by a musical soiree, where Dr Amiya Chowdhury and Pankaj Sarma, a Santoor maestro, performed and enthralled the audience. |
| Ahir Bhairav screened in London Ahir Bhairav, the Assamese feature film produced by Dr Ranen Sarma and directed by Late Shiva Prasad Thakur, was screened in London on February 21 before a distinguished gathering of British citizens and media persons. While applauding the film, the audience praised the endeavour of the producer, Dr Sarma for bringing the much talked about mental disease, schizophrenia, into focus. Addressing the gathering, Dr Sarma briefed about his plan to exhibit the film in towns and villages of Assam, to create awareness among people about the disease. Incidentally, Dr Sarma, with the help of psychiatrists and local doctors, has in the meantime treated a good number of poor patients, and plans for more activities during the current year. In this connection, Dr Sarma is scheduled to come to Guwahati on March 29 next. |
| Musical tribute to Dr Saikia Musical tributes were paid  to the legendary Late Bhabendranath Saikia on the occasion of his birth anniversary recently at Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati under the auspices of Arohan – the children’s trust founded by Dr Saikia. The students presented a variety of songs and dances – enthralling the audience. The highlight of the evening was a group violin orchestra by child violinists – trained by internationally acclaimed Manoj Barua and Purabi (Kumari Pranita) Sarma. The outstanding performance by Wave, led by Barua and Sarma, kept the audience spellbound. A part of a series of films titled Shanto Shisto Mahadusto, written by Dr Saikia, was also screened at the function. |
Apurba Kumar Das