An FIR has been lodged towards the movie’s director Aimee Baruah for allegedly ‘misrepresenting’ Dimasa tradition and perpetuating stereotypes towards the group
An FIR has been lodged towards the movie’s director Aimee Baruah for allegedly ‘misrepresenting’ Dimasa tradition and perpetuating stereotypes towards the group
The director of the 2021 Dimasa-language film Semkhor, Aimee Baruah, has landed in authorized bother after an FIR was lodged towards her by All Dimasa Students’ Union ex-president Mohendra Kemprai for allegedly ‘misrepresenting’ Dimasa tradition and perpetuating stereotypes towards the group.
The film has gained a slew of awards together with the Best Actress class at Toronto International Women Film Festival (2021) and the Special Audience award within the 20 th Dhaka International Film Festival Award (2022). Recently, within the 68 th National Film Awards, Semkhor gained underneath two classes: Special Jury point out and Best Feature Film in Dimasa.
Based on the traditions and livelihood of the ‘Semsas’, a Dimasa group dwelling within the distant space of the Semkhor area within the Dima Hasao district in Assam, Semkhor has drawn the ire of the Dimasa group with many criticising the film for a stereotypical illustration of the Dimasas.
The Dimasa Mothers’ Association has vehemently condemned the depiction of feminine infanticide by the Semsas in Semkhor, calling it ‘totally untrue and factually incorrect’. In a press observe launched by the Association, they mentioned that fictional tales towards indigenous tribes mustn’t be propagated as factual practices of the Dimasa group. “Such propaganda is disgraceful and may diminish the honour of the indigenous tribes of Assam,” the press observe acknowledged.
The All Dimasa Women Welfare Society has expressed ‘strong resentment’ towards the film, calling it a ‘totally wrong projection of the Dimasa customs and the people of Semkhor village’. Objecting to the portrayal of girls in Semkhor, the Society mentioned that Ms. Baruah has lied concerning the practices and customs of the folks of Semkhor village, thereby making a unsuitable picture of the Semsas.
The All Dimasa Students’ Union (ADSU), has additionally criticised the film and known as out the alleged derogatory nature of Semkhor. Calling the film a ‘fallacious presentation,’ ADSU condemned the film for hurting the feelings of the Dimasa group. “Such ill portrayal of Dimasa’s rich culture and heritage is an attack on our identity and it is aimed to cause emotional injury to our community,” the ADSU mentioned.
The Dimasa Students’ Union Delhi has demanded an apology from the filmmakers and has requested to additional ban the screening of the film. Semkhor has decreased the wealthy historical past of the Semkhors, and decreased it to magnify, sensationalise, and diverge from the present practices, the Union mentioned. “This is a potentially dangerous exercise of creative liberties involving the overlooking of certain social responsibilites on the part of the artists,” the press observe learn.
Diksha Langthasa, a bureaucrat, and hailing from the Dima Hasao district, watched Semkhor lately. She mentioned that there’s a gross misrepresentation of the village and that the director, Ms. Baruah, has fabricated the entire premise of the film and represented them as details. “It’s really sad that the first feature film in Dimasa language is letting down the very community it seeks to represent,” she mentioned.
Dr. Santosh Hasnu, a historical past professor at University of Delhi, and hailing from the Dimasa group himself, visited the Semkhor area in 2013. He mentioned the portrayal of the folks of Semkhor within the film as an remoted, self-indulgent tribe is unfaithful. “The movie reeks of a civilising mission, undertaken much like the British, where the tribes were presented as backwards and dangerous,” he mentioned. Movies corresponding to Semkhor proceed the processes of ‘othering’ of a tribal group towards the dominant majority and those that wanted to be rescued or given company as they will’t rise up for themselves. And it is extremely clearly evident from lots of the interviews of the movie maker, Dr. Hasnu added.
Talking concerning the difficult historical past of the Semkhor area, he mentioned that the Dima Hasao space was often visited by the British. “Semkhor, being located on the hilltop was strategically important for the British to keep an eye on the raiding tribes,” he added.
Dr. Hasnu additional mentioned that the interactions between the folks of Semkhor and the Britishers have been previous, and never like what Ms. Baruah has claimed. “They were in constant contact with the other tribes, with salt being the dominant commodity which was traded.”
In one in all her interviews at IFFI Goa in 2021, Ms. Baruah had identified that the folks of Semkhor and the neighbouring Dimasas had by no means seen a digital camera earlier than. However, Dr. Hasnu refuted the actual fact and mentioned {that a} British officer, J.P. Hills, had visited Semkhor in 1927 and picked up many photographs.
Source: www.thehindu.com