SHILLONG, May 19: On its centenary year, St Edmund’s College has been organising a host of programmes from debates, quizzing, extempore speeches to singing, drama and film screening. On Friday, the Khasi Department of the college released its centenary magazine Ka Rynsan, which is replete with poems and short stories.
On this occasion, the Khasi department screened the film, Ka Apot (Misfortune) produced and directed by noted filmmaker, artist, dramatist and writer Raphael Warjri.
The film is based on the folklore Tiewlarun (a particular flower that grows in Khasi Hills). The places where this flower blossoms are known to be a favourite haunt of snakes.
‘A presage to Tiewlarun’, the film, still in its last stages of editing, was presented to the audience in a 30-minute clip which gives a highlight of the story.
Raphael Warjri, who has been a connoisseur of the arts since the 1980s and has walked a lonely journey of trying to promote the arts by setting up the Riti Academy of Visual Arts and now through exhibitions of paintings in his Mad Gallery, is credited for making the life-size statues of Meghalaya’s three freedom fighters — U Tirot Sing, U Kiang Nangbah and Pa Togan Sangma — apart from the installation at the entrance to the State Central Library.
Set in Mawlangwir in South West Khasi Hills, the film takes the audience back into those days of yore when life was simple and rustic, and gives a glimpse into the Khasi legendary syiems (chieftains) and how nobly they conducted themselves.
The presence of a horse on which the syiem rides while his myntris follow him make a very picturesque scene, amidst the hills and dales of the Khasi hills.
Warjri says the actors who agreed to be part of the film were actually volunteers.
During their stay at the place where they had set up temporary structures that reflected the life of people then, every person started the day doing chores such as drawing water, cooking, sweeping and generally getting ready for the shoot. It’s a story of cooperation and love for art.
After the film was shown, several questions were raised as to why it has taken so long to complete etc. Warjri says it takes a lot to create a film, especially when resources are scarce. However, he says it will be completed shortly and with subtitles.
The main protagonist in the film, Darihun Marbaniang, appears to be an accomplished actor in the way she emotes and acts out her character. Her brother Synranki Najiar is equally adept and Banjop Kharmalki as the Syiem plays a classic role and carries it with aplomb. Also part of the film is Antoinette Kharmalki, Head of Department, Khasi, NEHU, who plays the role of the Syiem’s mother.
Addressing the audience post the screening of the film, Raphael Warjri said he is concerned with the quality of Khasi films being produced in recent times as they do not pay attention to the dialogue which raises the quality of the film and lends it dignity and grace of the Khasi community. Warjri pays a lot of attention to quality and remains as close to culture as he can even in the dresses worn by the actors, and that comes across from the screening of the film.
The idea for the film came from Rabon Sing Kharsuka’s book of short stories where ‘Tiewlarun’ is one of the stories.
Earlier, the Principal St Edmund’s College, Br Simon Coelho, welcomed the guests at the film screening and lauded the efforts of the Khasi Department for putting up such a grand show on the centenary years of the college.
Head of Department, Khasi, St Edmund’s College, Prof Bobby S Basan, said that the department has plans to introduce facets of media studies to students so that they are better trained in media literacy.
The screening was also attended by the main cast of the film, Synranki Najiar and Darhun Marbaniang, as well as Padma Shri Patricia Mukhim, while the students participated in the interaction after the screening.
