Bollywood movies running in multiplexes and theaters in Assam, here comes a Dimasa Movie, which aims to reach out and entertain a larger section of audiences both in the metro and other cities of Assam. Indeed, ‘Waiphri’ is the first-ever Dimasa feature film being released simultaneously on multiple screens at Guwahati, Haflong, Diphu, and Silchar on 4th August 2023. Considering the fact that Dimasa has a smaller population than 3 lakhs, and the language is not known to a larger section of moviegoers, Waphri is certainly a brave and honest attempt to bring a Dimasa film to the commercial spectrum.
The Movies’ producers might have played it safe by making films for festivals, but they chose to make a commercial feature so that future generations of Dimasa filmmakers would have something to fall back on.
Dimasa audiences have the right to be entertained in their own language and to experience the joy of music and dance. With English subtitles, and some characters switching to both Hindi and Assamese occasionally, the film is surely not restricted to Dimasa-knowing audiences.
The film begins as a love story between two Dimasa young hearts, Sainsring (Nitu Barman Rajiyung) and Barbili (Neeha Bodo), and gradually evolves into a political drama when Sainsring returns to his village in Dima Hasao, with the aim of developing his village and community through education. Unable to receive any funds to build a school in the village, Sainsring decided to build the school with donations from common people. This put him in trouble with an Insurgency group, as they thought Sainsring was collecting money from corrupt sources. Sainsring was kidnapped by the Insurgency Group but was released when the matter was explained to them. However, the insurgency was not the main problem in the Autonomous district; it was the large-scale corruption in which the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Council, Monjoy Daulagupu (Sitanath Nunisa) himself was involved. As Sainsring exposes the corruption, CEM, who also happens to be Barblli’s father, tries to get rid of Sainsring with force. Sainsring was attacked by goons of CEM. However, this did not discourage Sainsring and he exposed the corruption of the council with the use of RTI and support from the community.
The film tries to incorporate politics, corruption, insurgency, and the aspirations of the young generation of the community together and is successful in that. Despite being a commercial movie, the film has not compromised on ethics and has not gotten carried away by the unrealistic style of popular Hindi and Assamese commercial films. Actions are realistic, and the plot is core to Dimasa society. The film has successfully captured the natural beauty of Dima Hasoa in its backdrop, which is a treat to the eyes. Both Nitu Barman Rajiyung and Vivek Bodosa (who played the adopted brother of Sainsring) are promising actors. Nitu Barman Rajiyung is a perfect package of good acting, good physique, and dancing skills, a rare combination in the film industry of Assam. Neeha Bodo played her charterer well, though the character lacks scope. The music is good, and the song Dinining Khajala (Sung by Zubeen Garg, Queen Hazarika, and Catherine) is certainly a chartbuster.
The film took more than 9 years to make due to various constraints. Waiphri is produced by Swapna Daulagupu and Kulendra Daulagupu under the banner of KimDaula Media. The film is directed by Dipankar Mech Diphusa and Ananta Borah. Waiphri is a film that is expected to break many barriers, whether it is language or common perceptions of Tribal and indigenous society and culture.
