Nainsukh of Guler in New Yorker’s list of top biopics

Raghav Guleria

Dharamsala, March 23

It’s a matter of pride for the state of Himachal Pradesh that an independent film made on the 18th-century painter Nainsukh, belonging to the small town of Guler, has found a place in ‘the best bio-pics ever made’ list of the prestigious US publication, ‘New Yorker’, which is a century-old magazine known for its reputation for excellence and influence in cultural criticism. The list includes names like Eisenstein, Ophüls, Rossellini, Kiarostami, Hitchcock, and Dreyer, with Nainsukh among them.

Nainsukh is directed by Amit Dutta, who studied filmmaking at the Film Institute (FTII) in Pune, where his student films also earned unusual critical acclaim; his diploma films won four national awards, Rajat Kamal from the President of India, the Golden Conch at the Mumbai International Film Festival, the Gold Medal in Spain, and the International Film Critics Prize (FIPRESCI) in Germany.

Journey of Guler

• The film is based on research and a book written by BN Goswamy. It was published by Dr Eberhard Fischer. An unprecedented collaboration between an art historian-producer and an independent filmmaker resulted in this film
• The film was shot in 2010. It had a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival and won critical acclaim all over the world. First, critics voted it among the best films of the year and later of decade

While Dutta was teaching at the National Institute of Design (NID), Dr Eberhard Fischer, an eminent scholar of Indian miniature paintings, approached him about directing a film on Nainsukh of Guler. Amit was born and raised in Jammu, and it was a coincidence that Nainuskh, belonging to Guler, had also worked in Jasrota, which is not far from Vijaypur (Samba), Dutta’s own hometown.

In an exclusive interview with The Tribune, Amit Dutta said, “The film is based on research and a book written by BN Goswamy. It was published by Dr Eberhard Fischer. An unprecedented collaboration between an art historian-producer and an independent filmmaker resulted in this film, which celebrates an important artistic achievement.”

The film was shot in 2010 at Guler and Jasrota, and when it was made, it had a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, travelled extensively, and won critical acclaim all over the world. First, critics voted it among the best films of the year and later decade.

Amit Dutta has been living in the Kangra Valley for over a decade. He is a keen visitor to Guler. He has researched extensively various aspects of the Kangra Valley and made various films and written books, including the local water systems (his book on the subject was recently released by IGNCA). Recently, a book on the making of the Nainsukh film was also released at the Museum Rietberg in Switzerland. The present critical acclaim in the US is a fitting tribute to the great cultural legacy of Himachal Pradesh, Guler, and the decades of hard work and research by stalwarts like Eberhard Fischer and BN Goswamy.

Dutta also said, “We should take care of this world-acclaimed heritage for the next generation and also think of establishing a library specialising in the history of the arts and crafts of Himachal Pradesh in a place like Guler.”