God on the Balcony
AssameseBalconit Bhogawan
Directed byBiswajeet Bora
Written byBiswajeet Bora
Produced byNoorul Sultan
StarringHarish Khanna
Pranami Bora
Porinandhi Jima Sultana
CinematographySitanshu Khamari
Edited byBiswajeet Bora
Music byVishal Khatri
Release date
  • 7 October 2020 (2020-10-07) (Kolkata)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageAssamese
Budget10,000,000

God on the Balcony (Balconit Bhogawan) is an Assamese film written and directed by Biswajeet Bora and produced by Maina Productions.[1][2][3][4]

Plot summary

In a far-off Assamese village, the movie is set. Farmer Khagen, his wife Numali, and their daughter Kuwali are central figures in the story. Unfortunately, Numali perishes after being fatally crushed by wild elephants. In the hospital, where Khagen transports her, she passes away. The narrative details his arduous efforts to ride his bicycle, while an ambulance was unavailable, to transport his wife's body from the hospital back to their home. The two reporters he encounters on his journey into the narrow streets carrying the body and his young daughter become embroiled in an entirely different conflict as a result.[5][6][7][8]

Cast

  • Pranami Bora as Numali
  • Suneet Bora as Pranav
  • Binod Lal Das as MLA's Assistant
  • Harish Khanna as Khagen
  • Rajib Kro as Watchman
  • Arun Hazarika as Minister
  • Eva Mahanta as Jeena
  • Porinandhi Jima Sultana as Kuwali

Production

The movie is set in the Majuli district of Assam, where the infrastructure is appalling.[9] With a genuine, flesh-and-blood approach, Harish Khanna gives Khagen Das more depth as a character. The movie stands out for its lengthy silences and few speeches. This explains why Harish's performance was so flawless. The lighting and cinematography in Khagen's home, where Numali prepares meals using an indigenous bottle topped with a lit cotton wick, contrasts sharply with the brightly lit and garishly colored frames of the Ras Mela, which are accompanied by traditional folk theatre, music, and dances. The transition between different settings, eras, and moods is skillfully done without jerks at any point in the editing. The music in this songless film is nearly entirely minimalist, focusing on a single thematic musical stroke that imbues the entire journey the father and daughter take with a lyrical tone of loss and sadness.[10]

According to Bora, the movie is based on a newspaper article on an identical incident that happened in Odisha. He said, "I kept the news inside my heart for a long time because it disturbed me." Bora compared Odisha to the rural Assam where he had grown up.[11]

Awards

Year Award Category Result Recipient Ref
2020 26th Kolkata International Film Festival Best Director Winner Biswajeet Bora [12][13][14]
2021 12th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Best Director Nominated Biswajeet Bora [15][16][17][18]
2021 13th Bengaluru International Film Festival Best Asian Film 2020 Winner Biswajeet Bora [19][20][21][22]
2021 10th Washington DC South Asian Film Festival Best Actor Male Feature Film Winner Harish Khanna [23][24]

Reception

  • There are some flaws in God on the Balcony. In the initial section of the story, where linearity is unnecessarily compromised, the editing is confused. The production clearly demonstrates the paucity of resources. It was vital to include some breathtaking sequences, particularly the one where Numali gets hurt. The cell phone that is meant to be inoperable is still ringing even though the two journalists fell into the river, lost their cameras, and struggled to exit the water.[6]
  • God on the Balcony, an Assamese movie that depicts government indifference, will be presented at international film festivals.[9]
  • The real-life tale of the impoverished Dana Majhi from Odisha, who was forced to carry the body of his wife on his shoulders for over ten kilometers because the government did not care, served as the basis for Biswajeet Bora's Assamese film God on the Balcony.[25] The critically acclaimed picture was screened at the recently concluded Dhaka International Film Festival in January 2021 and earned Bora the Best Director Award in the Indian Language Films category at the 26th Kolkata International Film Festival. This month, it will be shown as a part of the Indian Cinema Now segment of the International Film Festival of Kerala, and later this year, in May, it will be shown at the Imagine India International Film Festival in Madrid, Spain.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "film detail – NYIFF – New York Indian Film Festival". Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  2. ↑ God On The Balcony Movie: Showtimes, Review, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos | eTimes, retrieved 2022-12-26
  3. ↑ Sarkar, Shilpa (2021-06-24). "Biswajeet Bora's 'God on The Balcony' to be screened at Stuttgart Film Festival". EastMojo. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  4. ↑ "Pune International Film Festival". www.piffindia.com. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  5. ↑ Ramnath, Nandini. "In Assamese film 'God on the Balcony', a snapshot of death caused by governmental apathy". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  6. 1 2 Korkmaz, Joseph (2021-07-10). "God on the Balcony: A review by Lebanon-based critic Joseph Korkmaz". Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  7. ↑ "God on the Balcony". Asian Film Festival Barcelona. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  8. ↑ "God On The Balcony | Annual DC South Asian Film Festival 2021". watch.eventive.org. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  9. 1 2 NEWS, NE NOW (2021-04-25). "Assamese film 'God on the Balcony' portraying government apathy to be screened in international film festivals". NORTHEAST NOW. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  10. 1 2 "God On The Balcony". Upperstall.com. 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  11. ↑ "Prime Video Releases a New Session of 'Maitri: Female First Collective'". scroll.in. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  12. ↑ "Winners of 2020 - Kolkata International Film Festival". kiff.in. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  13. ↑ Service, Statesman News (2021-01-16). "26th KIFF comes to an end". The Statesman. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  14. ↑ Priyanka Dasgupta (Jan 16, 2021). "Curtains down on 26th KIFF with awards | Kolkata News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  15. ↑ Bureau, Pratidin. "Assamese Film 'God on The Balcony' Bags 3 Nominations at IFF of Melbourne". Pratidin Time. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  16. ↑ NEWS, NE NOW (2021-08-06). "Assamese film 'God on the Balcony' bags three nominations at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne". NORTHEAST NOW. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  17. ↑ Webdesk, Time8 (2021-08-06). "'God on the Balcony' gets 3 nominations at 12th Indian Film Festival". TIME8. Retrieved 2022-12-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ↑ systems, optima (2021-08-06). "Assamese film 'God On The Balcony' bags 3 nominations at IFF of Melbourne". Explore Valley Media. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  19. ↑ "Iran's "Absence", "Two Dogs" honored at Bengaluru Intl. Film Festival". Tehran Times. 2022-03-12. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  20. ↑ "Awards :: Bengaluru International Film Festival - BIFFES". biffes.org. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  21. ↑ "Social thriller 'Pinki Elli' extends dream run as BIFFes comes to an end". Deccan Herald. 2022-03-10. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  22. ↑ "Bengaluru International Film Festival - BIFFES". biffes.org. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  23. ↑ Correspondent, Our. "Pilibhit, Rattai Jadai, Awakash win big at DCSAFF 2022". Cinestaan. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  24. ↑ "'God On The Balcony' Bags Best Asian Film 2020 Award At BIFF '22 - The Hills Times". 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  25. ↑ Bureau, Pratidin. "'God On The Balcony' Selected For Shanghai Film Festival". Pratidin Time. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
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