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Mridul Gupta -- Mridul Gupta (Mreedool Gooptə, b. 1959) is one of the finest filmmakers in Assam and Northeast India. Self-taught, he has been driven by a seemingly unquenchable passion for capturing various shades of life on tape/film. The zeal is reflected in whatever he has created – from ads, quickies, newsmagazines to award-winning documentaries and feature films in Assam. A cinematographer, director and producer rolled into one, he is a complete package.

A filmmaker is born -- One year that Assam would have liked to erase from history is 1983. In February that year, the State – at the peak of the anti-foreigners Assam Agitation – witnessed one of India’s worst communal carnages at Nellie.

A tall, wiry young man, armed with a vintage 16 mm movie camera, spent days in the killing fields to capture the hellish aftermath. The outcome was a grim, hard-hitting debut documentary with an optimistic twist in the tale and a call for integration. It was invited for screening at the Leipzig International Film Festival in 1984. And a quality filmmaker was born.

No looking back - …And Ripples not the Waves, Gupta’s 1983 film on Nellie wasn’t a flash in the pan. If it gave a glimpse of his understanding of the medium, the films that followed underscored his maturity as a filmmaker capable of handling complex themes and subjects. Sutrapat (The Beginning), his debut feature film in Assamese in 1987-88, showcased his mastery in blending fact – Assam Agitation – with fiction.

Gupta went a notch higher in 1989-90 with Abhimaan, a romantic feature film that received the best State music, male and female singer awards in 1991. His English documentary Verdant Rows, Crimson Heart that year was also well received, as were Agnigarva ’42 (1992), an Assamese documentary on the 1942 Quit India Movement, Lachit Borphukan (1999) on the great Ahom General.

Filmmaking firsts in Assam - The 1990s dawned with several filmmaking firsts for Gupta in Assam. In 1990 he made the first sponsored serial in Assamese. Titled Jibanar Batat (On the Road of Life), it was telecast by Doordarshan Kendra. The following year saw another pioneering effort – the first commissioned programme on Current Affairs by Doordarshan, Guwahati. The programme titled Kaziranga: Hope and Despair took wildlife photography in the Northeast to a hew height.

Following is the of Gupta’s firsts for Guwahati Doordarshan and PPC, Northeast

•	Jibanar Batat (On the Road of Life): First sponsored serial in Assamese (1990) •	Kaziranga: Hope and Despair: First commissioned programme on Current Affairs by Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati (1991) •	Gitar Godhuli: Guwahati Doordarshan’s first sponsored musical programme (1994) •	Ardha Akash: Guwahati Doordarshan’s first sponsored women’s video magazine (1995) •	Adhi Haqueekat, Adha Fasana: PPC, NE’s first in-house series on Hindi short stories (1995) •	Raijor Adalat: First sponsored Assamese talk show on DDK, Guwahati every Saturday at 6.30 pm (2004-05)

Total package -- Gupta has a film production house named Pulse Productions. There’s hardly anything related to video and celluloid filmmaking that this production house doesn’t handle. It provides a total package – from providing raw stock to shooting, editing and post-production.

Awards/recognition -- Following is a list of Gupta’s documentaries that won awards and/or critical acclaim

•	…And Ripples not Waves: A 16mm documentary on National Integration, it was invited to the 27th Leipzig International Film Festival •	Agnigarva ’42: A 16mm documentary on the Quit India Movement in Assam, it had a special screening in Indian Panorama section, Calcutta •	Lachit Barphukan: Docu-feature in commissioned category, it received the Governor’s Special Award; National Defence Academy has preserved this film •	Romance on Wheels, A Toy Train: An in-house production of DDK, Guwahati, it received Doordarshan’s National Award for best monthly documentary •	Din Protidin: An Assamese newsmagazine for DDK Guwahati, it received the Best Current Affairs Program award for 2002-03 from Jyotirupa •	Arunimar Swadesh: A commissioned fiction for DDK Guwahati, it earned the best director award for 2004-05 from Moonlight Media •	The Tai Phakeys: A documentary, it earned the best director award for 2007 from the Assam Government besides being invited to various film festivals and got the Rajat Kamal (National Award 2007)

Documentary films -- Gupta’s debut film was …And Ripples not Waves (1983). The others that followed are as under:

•	Matir Manuh (1987, U-matic): Assamese film on unique terra cotta art of making dolls and utensils •	Protirodh [The Resistance] (1998, U-matic): Assamese docu-feature on the fight against malaria •	Bor Dikorai (1990, U-matic): Assamese documentary on agriculture and development •	Bhumika [Rule] (1991, U-matic): Assamese docu-feature on irrigation work in Assam •	Verdant Rows, Crimson Heart (1991): A sponsored half-hour English documentary on the tea industry from planting to packaging •	Bordowa (1992, film): Tribute in Assamese to the 15th Century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva •	Agnigarva ’42 (1992, U-matic): Assamese documentary on freedom struggle in Assam till partition •	…And Miles to Go (1992): English film on the Northeast Frontier Railway, the only railway in the world with three different gauge systems from Mahisashan (Indo-Bangladesh border) to the narrow gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway •	In Quest of Life (1995, U-matic): A five-episode documentary (for Doordarshan) in Assamese covering the diverse tribes of Assam. •	Adhi Haqueekat, Adha Fasana (1995, SP Beta): A series of Hindi short stories for PPC (NE) •	Pragati [Development] (1997, U-matic): Commissioned Assamese programme for Doordarshan on the plains tribes of Assam •	Arunodoi [First Light] (1997, film): Assamese documentary for DPEP on primary education •	Lachit Barphukan (1999, SP Beta): Hindi documentary made for Doordarshan, National Network; the first period documentary on the great Ahom General who stopped Mughals from invading Assam, it earned nationwide acclaim •	Brahmaputra (1999, SP Beta): English documentary for National Network on life and cultures of Assam, specially on either bank of the river Brahmaputra •	Kiyo Ene Hoy (2002, SP Beta): Series of Assamese short films on integration for DDK, Guwahati •	Traditional Ornaments of Garo Hills (2001, SP Beta): Documentary on ornaments for Tura Doordarshan •	Sapunar Samadhit Jibanar Rang (2001-02, SP Beta): Assamese commissioned programme for DDK, Guwahati •	Dha Dhin Na (2001-02, SP Beta): Assamese film song-based weekly sponsored programme for DDK, Guwahati •	Din Protidin (2001-02, SP Beta): Assamese weekly newsmagazine telecast every Wednesday at 6.30 pm by DDK, Guwahati •	Jatra (2002, SP Beta): Assamese commissioned programme on tourism development in Assam for DDK •	Glimpes of Garo Houses (2002, SP Beta): Documentary on life and culture of Garo Hills for Tura Doordarshan •	Ethnic Groups of Garo Hills (2002, SP Beta): Documentary on different tribes of Garo Hills •	Anayant (2003, SP Beta): Hindi commissioned programme for PPC (NE) •	Dastaan (2003, SP Beta): Hindi commissioned programme for DD National, based on Sahitya Academy Award winning story “Prithibir Akhukh” by Late Jogesh Das •	Arunimar Swadesh (2003, SP Beta): Commissioned serial for DDK, Guwahati based on a novel by Arupa Patangiya Kalita •	Romance on Wheel, A Toy Train (2003, SP Beta): In-house documentary on Darjeeling’s Toy Train •	The North East Outlook (2004-05, SP Beta): English news and cultural magazine for DD National Network telecast every alternate Tuesday at 9 am •	Raijor Adalat (2004-05, SP Beta): Sponsored Assamese weekly talk show on DDK, Guwahati •	Junction (2005-06, SP Beta): Commissioned programme for PPC (NE) •	Jall (2006-07, SP Beta): Commissioned programme for DDK, Agartala •	Sonar Kharu Tomer Babe ( 2008-09 SP Beta): Commissioned programme for DDK, Guwahati)

Other DDK projects --- Sponsored serials:

•	Sewalir Surabh (1992, U-matic) •	Suraj Mukhir Swapna (1993, U-matic) •	Living Legend of Assam (1993, U-matic) •	Aina (1993, U-matic) •	Makara Jal (1994, U-matic)

Sponsored music-based programmes:

•	Gitar Godhuli (1994, U-matic) •	Gitar Sandhya (1995, U-matic)

Feature films - Sutrapat (The Beginning) was Gupta’s first feature film. This Assamese film made in 1987-88 showcased the Guwahati of 1982 at the peak of the Assam Agitation on the issue of foreign nationals. His other films are as under:

•	Abhiman (1989-90): In Assamese, it is a love story that received Assam’s best music, male and female singer awards in 1991 •	Krishna Chura (1995-96): Also a love story in Assamese, the film handles jealousy and mistrust. It was a commercial success, contributing towards the changing taste of Assamese film lovers •	TRP aaru… (2013-14) This is a story of love, friendship, desires, dreams and struggle of our responsible young generation whose lives are getting dictated or rather mislead by today’s media conglomerates. •	Meleng: In Assamese, it is under production

Quickies/Ad films

Gupta has made innumerable quickies/ad films for the Assam Government, Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati, private firms and various organizations. Telecast widely, these have earned him appreciation and critical acclaim. The subjects of the quickies have varied from peace, amity, social awareness to environmental degradation while the ad films have been for a range of products from antiseptic cream to asbestos.