A world of altered images

Shoma A. Chatterji

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Kayantar means metamorphosis or a change in form. The 29-minute film, with an intriguing and powerful storyline, stands out in terms of expression and content. The short film  recently won the Best Film, Social Challenges Award in the Seventh Woodpecker International Film Festival, New Delhi. The film also premiered at the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival followed by the New York South Asian Film Festival. The film also bagged an award at the 17th Kalpataru International Film Festival recently.

The story is narrated from the perspective of little Aashiya. Her father is a behrupiya and she dreams of becoming one herself. But here come the gender binaries — she is a girl and behrupiya performances are exclusive to men. So when her father, Ali, cannot perform anymore because he is unwell due to a limp in his leg, her elder brother Aslam  reluctantly dresses up as Kali and sets out to perform. The other problem is that neither the Hindu community nor the Muslims like the idea of these Muslims dressing up as Hindu Gods and Goddesses and impersonating the Goddess through behrupiya performances. This change is comparatively recent because of the sensitive feelings and communal disharmony that has grown between the two communities. Aashiya is adamant and spends the entire day applying  black paint on her body and face, ornamenting herself and trying to enact Kali by looking into the mirror. She also sometimes does  her brother’s make up before he steps out.

Directors Rajdeep Paul and Sarmistha Maiti, SRFTI graduates who are National Award winners, say, “Set against the backdrop of the lush tapestry of rural Bengal, the film breaks away from stereotypical representations of communities and explores the undefined zone in which real human beings exist beyond the rigid definitions of communal and ethnic identities. While narrating a story rooted in its milieu, we have tried to reflect themes of universal concern and take an insightful look at the age-old evils of gender binaries, religious fundamentalism and communal disharmony plaguing our society. It is an earnest cinematic appeal to look beyond such myopic glasses of discrimination and celebrate humanity simply as human beings.”

One of the most ancient forms of entertainment prevalent in West Bengal is the solo performance by a behrupiya, a person well versed in the art of costuming, mimicry and imitation. In the past, he stayed at one place for days together to perform in front of wealthy patrons, whose courtyards were open to villagers, who flocked to watch these performance. At present, however, behrupiyas still exist but are fading slowly into the mist of lost folk traditions under the barrage of entertainment from cinema and other electronic media that has reached the remotest corners of the country.

The behrupiyas don’t get any aid or assistance from the government or the society. As a result, the artistes often lack basic amenities, including education and healthcare. Their financial condition, too, has deteriorated over the years. The family in Kayantar portrays this abject poverty, ignorance and neglect. The family specialises in performing the role of Goddess Kali. The role reuires them to do a lot of make-up, including wearing a pair of artificial arms, painting the body and face black, wearing a fake crown and jewellery. Thereafter they set out on performing the role from place to place and earning from each performance. The  film has been produced by Anjan Bose of Aurora Studios.