“Kothanodi (A River of Fables)” is the movie adaptation of very famous Assamese folktales that has been told and retold for generations now. These stories are very famously called “Burhi Aai’r Xadhu” which literally translates into Grandma’s Tales. The movie showcases four of the most famous and commonly heard stories, which were written by the very famous Assamese writer, Lakshminath Bezbaruah. These four tales are, “Tejimola”, “Champawati”, “Ou Kuwori” which means “The Elephant Apple Maiden” and “Tawoir Xadhu”. One can watch this movie as pay per view on the Movie Saints website.
The movie follows the journey of four women and their households. A stepmother who hates her stepdaughter and wants to punish her in any way possible. Another woman, in a different village has given birth to an elephant apple, which rolls around behind her wherever she goes. In a different village, another woman who is so greedy that she wants to marry off her daughter to a snake, with the hope of getting blessed with all kinds of gold and ornaments. While all these are happening a new mother is trying to protect her newly born child from the clasp of her husband’s uncle who has earlier taken away her newly born children. She is scared but when she realizes what has been happening, she understands why their uncle did all these.
All these stories are beautifully intertwined in the movie, some way or the other linked together. The plot of the movie, to many people might seem very confusing at first but most definitely, it is not. It just needs a bit of interest into the story and one is good to go. It holds the mystical and magical vibes that completely reflect off the screen. Just like how it used to be with our Grandma’s tales. The music, the background score including chants, dhool, pepa, khool, taal basically, all traditional music instruments of Assam brings out the magical and mystical vibes into the movie. The best part of the movie is that it will keep you hooked till the end, because only the end can tell you how everything will or ever can be justified.
Everything is so well portrayed in the movie that deserves a watch. It reflects how most of our thoughts, wishes, and greediness play out to be in the end. The tales back then were told to us to teach us important valuable life lessons. Being an Assamese, I and all the others have heard those stories out of sheer love for the fantasy or the bewildering thoughts it gave rise to. We were kids back then, nobody’s minds worked in such an intricate way.
But now, when someone watches this movie it will teach those valuable lessons grandma’s tales were meant for. The elders don’t expect us to learn it immediately back then and there but they keep repeating it, so that it stays in our minds. Sadly, with time when our busy lives start we forget to put those stories forward. Those tales stay locked behind somewhere deep within our hearts. This movie has helped open that locked box and bring out those stories and life lessons to the forefront.
Surprisingly, the tales talked about various issues along with mental health, not appreciating oneself etc. But these are of course put in such a poetic way that you won’t even notice it. This movie will give you a glimpse of the mystical and magical land Assam is, which has been portrayed in various poems and stories over the years. To top it all off, the movie stars some of the finest actors of the industry. Starring Adil Hussain, Sima Biswas, Zerifa Wahid, Kopil Bora and introducing brilliant young actors like Kasvi Sharma and Monisha Bhuyan. The movie is directed by the genius Bhaskar Hazarika and has beautiful cinematography by Vijay Kutty.
The movie was first screened at the 20th Busan Film Festival, South Korea. Asian Cinema Fund’s Post Production Fund Award for 2015 was awarded to the movie along with winning the 63rd Indian National Film award for the Best Feature Film in Assamese.
Being an Assamese, this movie is the representation of our childhood and as someone who loves movies and fantasy, it is for sure that people will like it.
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