Kokborok
Kokborok (or Tripuri) is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Indian state of Tripura and neighbouring areas of Bangladesh. Its name comes from ''kók'' meaning "verbal" or "language" and ''borok'' meaning "people" or "human", It is one of the anci ...
feature film produced by Don Bosco Sampari Pictures Tripura, written and directed by Joseph Pulinthanath. The story of the 95-minute feature film revolves round the large-scale displacement which happened in
Tripura
Tripura () is a States and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a populat ...
state, in northeast
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, when the newly built Dumbur dam (1970s) submerged huge areas of arable land in the fertile Raima valley about 40 years ago. The film won the first national film award for Tripura at the
56th National Film Awards
The 56th National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India to celebrate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 2008.
Three committees were ins ...
in (2008)
Plot Summary
The protagonist, Sukurai, has just learnt that his wife Karmati had once been the fiancée of his ''jhum'' companion Wakhirai. Karmati says she and Wakhirai were to be married but on the night before their wedding a newly built dam submerged her village and separated them forever. Wakhirai moved out along with his family and his ailing father died on the way. Wakhirai tells Sukurai that his meeting Karmati is just a co-incidence. Sukurai, himself a victim of the same catastrophe, suggests a reunion between Karmati and Wakhirai. Karmati goes to Wakhirai’s house but finds him missing. But the poor woman is ready to face her destiny bravely and keeps waiting.
''Yarwng'' depicts the lives of ordinary people striving to preserve their humanity in the face of abrupt social change and economic desperation. ''Yarwng'' is based on true events of displacement and resettlement problem of Indigenous
Tripuri people
The Tripuri people (Kokborok language, Kókborok: ''Tripuri dópha rok''), also known as Tripura, Tipra, Twipra, Tipperah, are a Tibeto-Burman-speaking ethnic group of Northeast India, Indian state of Tripura and Bangladesh. They are the descend ...
caused by the Dumbor Hydel Power Project commissioned in 1976 by the
Indian Government
The Government of India (ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of 36 states and union territor ...
. The film examines the aftermath of the Dam construction over the confluence Raima-Saima River on the local people socio-economic, relationships and loss of home.
Production
The film was produced by Joseph Kizhakechennadu and was directed by Father Joseph Pulinthanath. Both are priests of the Don Bosco mission and ''Yarwng'' was their second film. The film was partially funded by the
Catholic Church in India
The Catholic Church in India is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope. There are over 23 million Catholics in India,
Award
The film won the Best Feature Film in Kokborok award at the
56th National Film Awards
The 56th National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India to celebrate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 2008.
Three committees were ins ...
. The producer and director received their award from Indian president Pratibha Patil.