Aimee Baruah

Diro belongs to the Samsa community in Semkhor. When Diro dies, his wife, who worked as an assistant mid-wife, takes care of their three children. She gets her only daughter Muri, aged just eleven, married to Dinar. Unfortunately, Muri dies after giving birth to a girl child. As per the custom of Semkhor, if a woman dies during child birth, the infant is buried alive along with the mother. But Diro’s wife protects Muri’s infant, indicating a new dawn in Semkhor.

Rongatapu 1982, directed by Adityam Saikia, has been declared the Best Assamese Film at the 71st National Film Awards announced on Friday, August 1. The film was recognised for its bold narrative and portrayal of societal unrest through a deeply personal and character-driven story set in rural Assam.