Khanjan Nath doesn’t mind A certificate for his new film 'Ata Nirjon Duporiya'

Guwahati, Feb 14: Khanjan Kishore Nath, a national award-winning filmmaker from Assam, doesn’t want to compromise with his craft. His upcoming film ‘Ata Nirjon Duporiya’ (A Midday without a Name) has stirred both anticipation and controversy ahead of its release. With a narrative that delves into the complexities of societal norms and gender dynamics, the film incorporates intimate scenes and provocative dialogues that have prompted the censor board to assign it an A certificate.

Defending the artistic integrity of his work, Nath emphasises the essential role these elements play in conveying the authenticity of the story. Far from gratuitous, the intimate scenes and disturbing dialogues are integral components of the script, serving a crucial narrative purpose rather than being included for shock value.

The film is scheduled to be released on March 1, 2024.

“Our film has some intimate scenes and disturbing dialogues so the censor authority decided to give us an A certificate. And obviously, those scenes and dialogues are very important for my film. I haven’t put anything forcefully. The script needed those things. In recent times, I have faced criticism regarding this but I am very clear about my film,” Nath told The Assam Tribune in an interview.

“As a filmmaker, my responsibility is to portray reality on the screen. While filming an intimate scene we need to be very careful because there is a very thin line between intimate scene and vulgarity.”

His film deals with a day-to-day incident that revolves around a couple in love who want to spend some private moments. Nayan and Aditi plan to spend time in Nayan's friend's room but are denied at the last moment. They attempt to book a hotel room online but are refused entry. They encounter Laden, who books a room for them, but the police arrive and demand a bribe from Nayan. Nayan leaves to get the money but is caught driving without a license. Meanwhile, Aditi is blackmailed by the police. In her attempt to escape, she faces a tragic outcome.

“It's everybody's story. It may happen to anyone. Young people and middle-aged people can relate to the story immediately,” said the Nagaon-based filmmaker.

“Our society always judges women first. A section has a sadistic mindset to molest women all the time. And believe me, this is not new. If you take the example of Mahabharata, we know how Draupadi was molested,” he added.

“So the mindset of the society has not changed much. We worship a lifeless statue in the name of a goddess. At the same time, we are ready to molest women. This is the contradiction.”

Kaushik Nath, Parvi Baruah, Dhanjay Debnath, Jitumoni Mahanta, and Bijay Sankar Saikia have played key roles in the film. Jaynath Sethu Mathavan has done the cinematography in the film. Sound design and mixing have been done by Debajit Gayan, another national award-winning individual.

Nath’s first feature film, ‘The Bicycle’ (Chor), was selected for various film festivals. He is the recipient of the Asia Pacific Script Lab 2019 for his script, ‘Why the Blue Hill is Crying’. He won a national film award for his film ‘The Boy with a Gun’ in 2020.