Synopsis of Yarwng The waters of the legendary Raima and Saima nurtured the tender romance between Karmati and Wakhirai. But just when that romance promised to flower and bear fruit, the waters become unkind and sweep away their dream. Yarwng is about how the gathering waters of a just-completed hydel project submerge the future of a group of villagers in Tripura. Some of those we see at close range, besides the Karmati-Wakhirai pair, are the Chokdri (the village headman), the Ochai (the village priest), and Agurai (the shopkeeper). The Chokdri, not used to taking orders, must now yield to the orders from above and vacate his home amidst the high point of his daughter’s marriage preparations. The Ochai, after a life time of pujas and placating the gods must now walk away from it all with only an ailing wife clinging to his arms. Even Agurai’s shop that used to be the hub of all lively discussions gradually becomes silent and empty. There is also Wakhirai’s Ma, who must learn to accept that her efforts at holding the family together are no match for the brute force of destiny. But there is a design even in the worst of turbulences. Some shapes and forms emerge out of chaos. If one is lucky, with the passage of time, they become a source of solace. But if not, the frightening fragility of those temporary shelters is bound to get the better of us, despite the passage of time. NEWS: A feature film in Tripura’s tribal language, Kokbarak, - ‘Yarwng’ (Roots) has won the National Award for ‘Best Feature Film in languages other than those specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution. The 95-minute film which takes a poignant look at the displacement of thousands of indigenous people in Tripura because of the Gumti Hydel project, was released in September 2008. It has been screened at over 40 international film festivals across the world, including New York, Stuttgart, Moscow, Brisbane, Dhaka and Taiwan. “It is the first time that Tripura has won a national film award,” its Director Joseph Pulinthanath said on Thursday. “It is a proud day for the Kokborok language and its speakers,” he said. The award to ‘YARWNG’ was announced at the 56th National Film Awards by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ambika Soni, on January 23 in New Delhi. Produced by Joseph Kizhakechennadu of Don Bosco Sampari Pictures the cast is made up mostly of indigenous people who were victims of displacement and had no experience whatsoever in acting. Those with prior experience in the film field included well-known artistes of the State, Meena Debbarma and Amulya Ratan Jamatia

• published: 21 Jan 2015
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