Assamese Film 'Goodbye Guruji' to Premiere at Paris Festival

Guwahati, Sep 5 (PTI): The Assamese film ‘Goodbye Guruji’, directed by Arunjit Borah, has been officially selected for the prestigious Festival Gange Sur Seine in Paris, with its global premiere scheduled for next month, as announced in a recent statement.

The film tells the inspiring story of Prayash Saikia, affectionately known as Guruji, a passionate young teacher who employs unconventional teaching methods to rejuvenate learning at Kinkinia Primary School, thus rekindling the community’s connection to education.

An integral part of the narrative is the mythological ‘Kansa Badh’ tale from Assam’s ancient 'Bhaona' theatre tradition, which parallels Guruji’s personal challenges and victories, highlighting the perpetual theme of good triumphing over evil.

‘Goodbye Guruji’ stars Partha Pratim Hazarika and Aimee Barua in the lead roles.

Gange Sur Seine, a competitive Indian film festival, will take place at various cinema venues in Paris from October 10 to 14.

Director Borah expressed his joy at the film's selection, noting, "This film explores the transformative power of education and innovative teaching. It embodies my belief in perseverance, innovation, and empathy overcoming educational barriers."

Chayan Sarkar, president of Gange Sur Seine, commented on the selection, praising Borah as a "powerful filmmaker who tackles serious subjects within simple settings." He added that Borah’s previous short film ‘Zibah’ was well-received in Paris, and described ‘Goodbye Guruji’ as a "visual feast – both profound and subtle in its storytelling."

The film illustrates the influence and resilience of a dedicated village teacher in revitalizing an entire community, blending the backdrop of rural Assam with the traditional 'Bhaona' to create a mystical, cinematic experience, Sarkar remarked.

The movie also features performances by Rupjyoti Mahanta, Rupkumar Borah, Naba Mahanta, and Anyun Kashyap in key roles.

Produced by the National Film Development Corporation of India Ltd (NFDC) in collaboration with Cinecraft Productions and supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, ‘Goodbye Guruji’ is penned by Sanjeev Tiwari, with a screenplay by Arunjit Borah and Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap, who also serves as associate director.

The film's visual aspects were brought to life by director of photography Asutosh Kashyap and art director Arup Dutta. Tarali Sarma composed the music, with editing by Rantu Chetia. Prithul Kumar acted as producer, and Vivek Agarwal of Cinecraft Productions served as co-producer, the statement noted.

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