Guwahati: Filmmaker Monjul Baruah’s third feature film in Assamese, Anur:
Eyes on the Sunshine, released today after several struggles to find the sufficient screening space amidst the release of the much debated and publicised comeback film of Shahrukh Khan, Pathaan.
Anur, which was previously selected for the 27th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) and the 21st edition of the Dhaka International Film Festival, tells a very compassionate tale of an elderly and retired teacher, named Anupama Baruah, and her struggles with loneliness and insecurities of life.
Based on a short story by Sahitya Akademi-winner Anuradha Sharma Pujaree, the film
features Dr. Jahanara Begum as the leading lady alongside Bollywood actor and director Rajat Kapoor, who plays the role of a retired IAS Officer in the film.
Expressing his thoughts about the film, actor Rajat Kapoor said, “It’s an emotional story, and well told in my opinion. And it was lovely to work with Monjul. He is very patient, very giving, and very generous.”
“At first I was scared a bit, because he is an actor of very tall stature and most importantly, he is a director himself. Moreover, he works in Bollywood. So it was a very challenging task for us to make him relatable to our values”, said director Monjul Baruah sharing his experiences of directing Rajat Kapoor in Anur.
Baruah also added that “since he (Kapoor) understands the challenges and dynamics of producing and making independent films, he accepted us and co-operated with us professionally, which made the job easier”.
Kapoor, who is a three time National Award winner and known for starring in Hindi films and series like Drishyam, Gehraiyaan, Bheja Fry, Kapoor and Sons, and Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, among several others, plays the role of Loshit Modliar, who is a retired IAS officer with multiple years of experience working in the district administration of Assam.
Although the character was an Assamese individual in the original short story, but
considering the universal themes of the movie, the makers decided to go for a non-Assamese personality for the character.
“And Rajat Kapoor liked the script as well as the character,” Baruah told EastMojo.
“Well the language part was difficult, of course! But luckily I was playing a character who had some of the leeway in terms of language. The difficulties of the language were also made easier by the extreme warmth and grace of the people who were making the film,” recalled the actor.
Sharing her experiences of acting alongside Rajat Kapoor, Dr. Jahanara Begum said, “He is a very sincere actor and his work culture and method of realistic acting was a great learning for us. And since Anur was a sync-sound production, he had to learn the dialogues in Assamese for shooting.”
“The production team supported him through it, and he also contributed by uplifting
everyone’s mood with his light, entertaining and encouraging talks. He became a part of the family and it was a very good environment,” she added.
When asked under whose direction he would like to work for a second time in Assam,
Kapoor replied, “Jahnu Barua saheb.. for sure.”
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Released across Assam, Anur: Eyes on the Sunshine also stars Boloram Das, Rajashree
Sharma, Udayan Duarah, Bibhuti Bhushan Hazarika and Bidya Bharati in supporting
roles.
Apart from directing films like Mithya, Ankhon Dekhi, Kadakh and the very recent RK/RKAY, Kapoor has also starred in Bengali films before venturing into Assamese films.
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