Regional Language Cinemas From Assam: A Literary Overview

Abstract

The cinematic landscape of Assam reflects the diverse linguistic and cultural heritage of the state, with films in Assamese, Bodo, and Mishing being the most prominent. Assamese-language cinema emerged in the state during the 1930s, followed by Bodo-language cinema in the 1980s and Mishing-language cinema in the 1990s. The delay in the adoption of cinema culture by the latter communities can be attributed to geographical isolation, belief systems, and limited access to media. Produced in different languages, these films portray their respective societies, traditions, and evolving values. While Assamese-language cinema has received substantial scholarly attention, academic work on Bodo-language and Mishing-language cinema remains relatively limited. This paper offers a literary overview of studies conducted on Assamese, Bodo, and Mishing cinema, highlighting their unique contributions and emphasising the need for further research in this field.

Keywords – Assamese, Bodo, Mishing, Cinema, Literary Overview