16-17

CL: When and why did you decide that you wanted to be a filmmaker?

Bobby Sarma Baruah: Well, I can't exactly say when I took the decision to be a filmmaker. I have been working in this field since 2006. Before stepping into this field I always wanted to be a teacher and I was really crazy to get a job, but situations and surrounding made me believe that I was made for something else and since then I decided that I wanted to work independently after which I started my production house with the help of my husband. And from that time onwards till now I have been working in this field and I am very happy with my work.

CL: Who were your initial influences in filmmaking?

B.S.Baruah: My passion, my dedication and family support.

CL: Were there any films, genres or directors that inspired you then and are there now?

B.S.Baruah: Yes of course I get inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky's films, Sergei Eisenstein, Federico Fellini, Bela Tarr, Akira Kurosawa, Terrence Malick, Abbas Kiarostami, Reha Erdem, Lars von Trier, Ritwik Ghatak, Mani Kaul and many other Indian filmmaker's films as well like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Girish Kasaravalli, Jahnu Baruah, Kumar Shahani, Mira Nair and many others. I personally like and try to read on every film that I see. I have an ardent passion for film due to which I am even pursuing my PhD on films. I just respect both the film and the filmmaker in every aspect.

CL: Tell us about your early short films, documentaries and TV work. How many have you made and what did you learn about the production process from them?

B.S.Baruah: I have been working in my production company since 2006 and I have started my career with a radio jingle. I have made almost 30 documentary films; short films, TV serials and feature film and throughout the process I have learnt a lot from my work, mostly learned from my mistakes. And I will keep learning till my last breadth.

CL: How do you compare Assamese, Indian and Asian Cinema to the West? Do you think there is a different formal approach to filmmaking from your part of the world?

B.S.Baruah: No I don't think comparing would be a good term to use because films altogether have a very different approach. And as a filmmaker I always believe that in film making there are no boundaries or barriers. It's a creative work so it has the freedom to portray any sort of creativity. But only in case of geographical boundary we notice the differences between the Assamese, Indian and Asian to the western countries. And for me I always do believe that film is an art, and through this art we can see the reflection of human life and society of the world.

CL: Are you sure there are no boundaries or barriers in filmmaking? For instance, I don't think in Hollywood you are allowed to make the film you want. After Citizen Kane (critically considered the best film ever made), even Orson Welles was never given full control over his films again and that made for a difficult and unfulfilled career of what many considered to be a genius. If an established director doesn't make money on a film in the West (e.g., Europe), the next film will very likely not get funding. Any thoughts on that and would you say that attitude is different in the East or just different outside of commercial filmmaking?

B.S.Baruah: It's a very practical as well as politically directed question but as a creative person I don't think that boundaries are a base for films. Maybe it is for me a kind of a dream to make a movie with such a huge budget as that of any Hollywood film, but I always think that the whole world is my home and I can do any good work for the world. {niftybox background=#afdeb2, width=360px}Apart from my dream, yes, practically Hollywood or Bollywood both they are always focused on earning the money, that's basically their main motto, but that's not the case for all filmmakers, there are exceptions too. If they support the qualitative work then definitely we will have a big creative ocean. It's mainly the quality that matters because people always remember the good work. {/niftybox} And I think it depends on the audience taste as well. Some of audience may like the movie but some of them might not like them at all. But this shouldn't be the only criteria for proper judgment for commercial or non-commercial films. This is my personal view.

CL: Your first film, Adomya, deals with the all too real social reality of AIDS on a pregnant woman. What motivated you into making a film about this subject matter?

B.S.Baruah: Well, as a human being first of all, it is my duty to think about other human beings, and most importantly about the society. Living with HIV, fighting with the disease altogether is extremely difficult which I have clearly observed in our society and through this observation I got the motivation to make a film on this topic.

CL: How was Adomya received, first in your country and also in the festivals where it played?

B.S.Baruah: Adomya was received with a lot of love in our country and especially the film garnered a lot of appreciation from the national and the international audience. It's a heart touching simple story based on real life incidents so everybody liked the movie and somehow the film touched a lot of people and made them feel more sympathetic and as well as empathetic towards the people suffering from this ailment.

CL: Bringing us to your current second film Sonar Baran Pakhi (The Golden Wing), it is about the legendary West Assamese folk singer Pratima Barua Pandey (1935-2002). Tell us how you got involved in this project and its development.

B.S.Baruah: Yes! Pratima Baruah Pandey, she was a folk singer from Assam. She had dedicated her life for folk song. She was born and brought up in a royal family but she used to collect those laymen songs and use to sing only those folk songs. She is the sole person in establishing the Gualporiya folk song in front of the public eye. I personally during my research work met many people who were involved with her as musicians. So it took time for my research work because making a biopic on someone who is no more with us is extremely difficult. It's kind of a challenge. Within the limitation I had to make the film which again taught me a lot.

CL: Now it has just been completed, what festivals is it playing and I understand you also want to take it further afield, to Europe for example?

B.S.Baruah: Well, definitely. I wish my film to travel all around the world be it Europe or any other part of the world and along with my film and as a creative person I want to introduce my culture, my folk song and my nationality through my film to the outside world. And I believe that it can be a regional and a national identity. As a filmmaker I think film festivals are a major platform for our creation. So all creative people should be a part of film festivals as you get to meet an ocean full of creative people over there.

CL: After making the first two feature films, looking back, tell us as much as you can about how the experience has differed for you from making the shorts and documentaries, in all aspects of pre to post-production, exhibition and distribution.

B.S.Baruah: Experience, discipline, passion and dedication is the only way to attain success in a professional field like this. In the film making industry from pre to post production, exhibition to distribution it's a long process, in fact the whole team is involved with the work. I really enjoy a lot with my work and most importantly I learn a lot from every experience.

CL: You are also the screenwriter and producer. How important has that been in gaining control over the final edit of your films?

B.S.Baruah: As a filmmaker to have a control over your film is the most importantly aspect and I personally look after each and every step of the film, like starting from pre-production to post-production all by myself.

CL: How does Assamese Cinema differ from the rest of Indian Cinema and the filmmaking scene there, Bollywood and the independent scene?

B.S.Baruah: There is not much of a difference apart from the fact that it has its own regional language, and even the society seems to differ from that of the other states and most importantly because of the geographical scenario it seems different but otherwise, in general, film is a creative work and it captures the time and space which is the same for all, around the world. But in comparison to Bollywood, as we are independent filmmakers we are doing our work within a very low budget, actually we are struggling our life with our passion. Regional films cannot be compared to that of the Bollywood industry because of the budget factor mainly.

CL: In your subsequent career do you intend to carry on the path so far of socio cultural issues?

B.S.Baruah: Yes, of course, I do and as a human being, as a filmmaker, I always believe that I have a duty towards the betterment of our society, towards our nation and most importantly towards our world. So I will do my level best to contribute towards the social cultural issue be it in any form.

Steven Yates