Debutante director Anindyo Chatterjee's 'Jhumura' documents the once-thriving Jhumur folk music in West Bengal, which is on the verge of extinction.
The movie also talk about the plight of the few singers who are left to keep alive the tradition, but are leading miserable lives for want of patronage.
"My film talks about the 'Chhat Jhumur' cult and took inspiration from the life of Jhumur legend Gambhira Singh whose home near Jhalda I had frequented for years," Chatterjee told PTI.
The director pointed out that unlike 'Chhou' dance which had been well documented, the Jhumur music form had never been explored.
The filmmaker wanted to highlight the struggle of Jhumur artistes. Some of them even lead a poverty-stricken life in a cluster of hamlets in the remote parts of the district distinguished by their red soil, Chattrjee said.
"I had met them years back and the idea to bring their struggling lives on the celluloid struck me. I went back there several times to delve deeper into their lives to present an authentic tale," he said.
The typical Jhumur singer, called 'Nachni', who is the muse of the male Jhumur group leader, known as 'Rosik', is played by Sohini Sarkar who acted in 'Phoring', a film which is an IFFI award winner.
The relationship between a 'Nachni' and a 'Rosik' is the stuff of folk tales narrated by the old-timers living in the decrepit villages, much like the 'akharas' of baul singers," Sohini pointed out.
The exponents of this genre of music are not bound by established social norms, she says.
The director said that being closer to nature, they have a unique way to communicate with animals and birds through the lyrics and tunes.
The cast also includes actress Supriya Devi who appears in an important role.
