Chinmoy Barma's Endeavour to Promote Assamese Folklore

Swagata Borah

Myths from Assam are rich in beguiling folklore, some based on fact and proof while others based on beliefs passed down from generation to generation.

A lot of people who belong to Assamese households have grown up listening to spine-chilling horror tales. These beliefs are enhanced by mythological stories and folklore that are heard and passed down through recitation over years.

However, with the dawn of modernization, the new generation is hardly aware of these things. As the legacy of such mythological storytelling fades away slowly, Assam’s short film-maker Chinmoy Barma is trying to hold the heritage in his films.

While speaking to Pratidin Time, Barma spoke on how he wanted to promote Assamese folklore on different platforms.

He said, “I have been making films and art based on Assamese Folklore and ghost stories told by my grandmother and village folks. This genre has given me the chance to bridge the gap between the known and the unknown and has offered me an opportunity to explore beyond the physical world and showcase my creativity. I have made films such as "Ghorapak", "Tezor Tukura", "Aham", and "Jokhini" in this genre.”

He further spoke about his AI-generated art series which is going viral on the internet these days.

Barma said, “Recently, the idea of AI-generated art has intrigued me as it can help democratize the creation of art by enabling more people to participate in the creative process.

Obviously, AI will be a part and parcel of our lives in the next ten years. That's why I decided to give AI a try to put all my imagination into prompts and created a series of various Assamese Folklore legends and Ghosts, which I shared on social media. People loved it so much because they could go back to their memory lane and relive those precious childhood moments.”

Speaking about his vision for the future Barma said, “My goal while working with this genre has always been to introduce our culture and folklore to the world. We are so rich in culture and folklore, and the world should know and enjoy every bit of it.

I understand that AI has its limitations, and I couldn't generate those Assamese prompts to the excellence I wanted. I am well aware of the debate surrounding AI and traditional art, being an artist myself. But I still believe that changes are hard, but the happiness we have got in our childhood by knowing about our roots and culture should be enjoyed by the next generation as well. And for that to happen, we need to take the responsibility of creating art that is relevant to them.”

Chinmoy Barma, a Mechanical Engineer from the Nalbari district of Assam was introduced to filmmaking in 2014. He made it big after his short film Xaathor, 7th Sin, which got official selection in the 15-second horror short film festival.

He concluded by saying that “I believe this series has the potential, and I am going to continue to the next part soon. Art should unite people, so let's embrace something new combined with the traditional forms of art because to create something, you always need skills that nobody can take away from you.”

Also Read: PM Modi Inaugurates 'Aadi Mahotsav' to Showcase Vibrant Tribal Culture