Ajeyo

Ajeyo (English: Invincible) is a 2014 Assamese language drama film directed by Jahnu Barua; based on the Sahitya Akademi Award winner 1997 Assamese novel Ashirbador Rong written by Arun Sharma and adapted as screenplay by the director himself.[1] It was produced by Shankar Lall Goenka and stars Rupam Chetia and Jupitora Bhuyan in the lead roles. The film was released on 3 January 2014.[2]

Ajeyo
Theatrical release poster of Ajeyo
Directed by	Jahnu Barua
Produced by	Shankar Lall Goenka
Screenplay by	Jahnu Barua
Based on	Ashirbador Rong by Arun Sarma
Starring	Rupam Chetia Jupitora Bhuyan Kopil Bora
Music by	Dhrubajyoti Phukan
Cinematography	Sumon Dowerah
Edited by	Hue-en Barua
Production company	Shiven Arts
Release date	3 January 2014 (2014-01-03)
Running time	116 minutes
Country	India
Language	Assamese

Ajeyo depicts the struggles of an honest, ideal revolutionary youth Gajen Keot who fought against the social evils in rural Assam during the freedom movement in India. The film won the Best Feature Film in Assamese award in the 61st National Film Awards[3] and also won the Best Film award in the 2014 Prag Cine Awards.[4]

Plot

The story of Ajeyo takes place in a village of Assam in 1946, just some time before India’s independence and partition. Gojen Keot (Rupam Chetia), an honest yet short-tempered young man, lives alone with his grandmother. By doing some odd jobs here and there, he struggles to earn proper livelihood. He supports Gandhi and believes that once India becomes independent, social injustice will end. Though he dropped out of school, he tutors the no-caste Muslim girl Hasina (Jupitora Bhuyan). Once as a rookie participant in the freedom struggle he failed to deliver a note to a team of marching protesters against the British that caused the lives of two freedom fighters. He regularly battles ghosts of his past related to this incident.

Most of the film involves Gojen’s defiant rebellion of the richest man in town, who sees India's partition as an opportunity for land grabbing. Gojen also fights against caste restrictions and child marriage. He helps Joba (Munmi Kalita), a Brahmin girl widowed at age 18, to elope with freedom fighter Madan Sharma (Kopil Bora) against the wishes of her father. Later he marries Hasina and leaves the village.

The story then flashforwards to contemporary Assam, as Gojen’s granddaughter (Rimpi Das), a high-ranking policewoman, is continuing her grandfather's fight against the social evils.

Cast

• Rupam Chetia as young Gojen Keot
• Jupitora Bhuyan as Hasina
• Kopil Bora as Madan Sharma
• Bishnu Kharghoria as old Gojen Keot
• Munmi Kalita as Joba
• Rimpi Das as granddaughter of Gojen
• Pratibha as Gojen's grandmother
• Saurav Hazarika as school teacher
• Lakhi Borthakur as priest, Joba's father

Production

The muhurat of the film was held on 30 November 2012 in Guwahati. The primary shooting of the film took place from 4 January 2013 near Dhola in Sadiya and later in Tinsukia.[5] Rupam Chetia went through training for four months before filming. In the original novel by Arun Sharma, there was a grandson instead of a granddaughter of Gojen. According to director Jahnu Barua, "the male character, Keot, sees the past while the girl is progressive through whom Keot sees a ray of hope, again." Barua also mentioned that it was inspired from his mother who studied only till class two but managed 11 children and the household.[1]

Release

The film was released in Assam on 3 January 2014.[6] Before the release, Ajeyo was screened at two film festivals. The film was first screened at 15th Mumbai Film Festival, which was held from 17 to 24 October 2013.[7][8] Later it was screened at 6th Bengaluru International Film Festival, which was held from 26 December 2013 to 2 January 2014.[9] Ajeyo was also screened at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014 held from 1 to 9 February 2014.[10]

Critical response

Ajeyo has received positive reviews. The performances of Rupam Chetia and Jupitora Bhuyan were highly praised.[11][12]

Accolades

Ajeyo received eleven Prag Cine Awards nominations and won in two categories including Best Film.[13] It was also awarded as Best Feature Film in Assamese in 61st National Film Awards. Preceding Baandhon, it was the second consecutive win for director Jahnu Barua in this category.[14][15] It was also the 12th National Award for Barua.[16]

Ajeyo was also included in the "Special 10 of the Year (2014)" list published annually by Jeevan Initiative, a voluntary association. The film made to the list due to its reflection of social situations around the independence era and people’s survival struggle to face the situation in an artistically–unique style and down to earth film-making.[17]

Award	Date	Category	Recipients and nominees	Result
Prag Cine Award[4]	22 March 2014	Best Film		Won
		Best Costume	Geetarani Goswami	Won
		Best Actor Male	Rupam Chetia	Nominated
		Best Actor Female	Jupitora Bhuyan	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor Female	Pratibha Choudhury	Nominated
		Best Editing	Hue-en Barua	Nominated
		Best Cinematography	Sumon Dowerah	Nominated
		Best Music Direction	Dhrubajyoti Phukan	Nominated
		Best Sound Recordist	Jatin Sharma	Nominated
		Best Art Direction	Fatik Barua	Nominated
		Best Makeup	Asitabh Baruah	Nominated
61st National Film Awards[3]	16 April 2014 (announcement) 3 May 2014 (ceremony)	Best Feature Film in Assamese	Producer: Shiven Arts Director: Jahnu Barua	Won

References

1. Sharma, Kanika (15 October 2013). "Reel meets reality in the Northeast". Mid Day. Mumbai. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
2. Deka, Prantik (30 December 2013). "Jahnu Barua's Ajeyo releases on January 3". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
3. "61st National Film Awards For 2013" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
4. "Prag Cine Awards presented". The Assam Tribune. Guwahati. 24 March 2014. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
5. "Jahnu Barua comes up with another venture". Manipur Update. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
6. Baruah, Kausav (1 January 2014). "Ajeyo to release on Friday". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
7. "Screening Schedule of 15th Mumbai Film Festival" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
8. "Screening: Ajeyo (Invincible)". Official Blog of 15th Mumbai Film Festival. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
9. "Screening Schedule of 6th 6th Bengaluru International Film Festival" (PDF). Bengaluru International Film Festival. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
10. "Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2014: Cinema". Kala Ghoda Association. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
11. Young, Deborah (23 October 2013). "Invincible (Ajeyo): Mumbai Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
12. Seta, Keyur (12 February 2013). "Review: Ajeyo (Assamese)". My Theatre Cafe. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
13. "Nominations for Prag Cine Award, 2013". The Assam Tribune. Guwahati. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
14. "60th National Film Awards Announced" (PDF) (Press release). Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
15. "Award not only barometer: Barua". The Assam Tribune. Guwahati. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
16. "National Awards for five northeast films". The Times of India. Guwahati. TNN. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
17. "lAS officer, inventor, farmer, journalist in Jeevan Initiative's Special 10 of the Year". The Sentinel. Guwahati. 30 December 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2014.