In New Delhi on 27 November, filmmaker Sanjoy Hazarika spoke at a two‑day seminar on North‑East Indian cinema hosted by Jamia Millia Islamia. He urged media, filmmakers, and audiences to confront stereotypes and danger of misrepresentation. At the Centre for North‑East Studies and Policy Research (CNESPR), Hazarika delivered the opening keynote for the event titled “Locating Marginalities within Margins: Films from North East India.” He highlighted how films, drama and books together act as living archives of memories, struggles and imagination.
Hazarika remarked that the geography of films—both in theatres and on OTT platforms—signifies a shift from narratives of conflict to stories grounded in rural and urban life, businesses, and local film communities. The seminar was organized by the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research under the Ministry of Education.
The first session opened with greetings from the conference hall’s audience, which represented students and scholars from all over the country. Prof. Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi, the university registrar, welcomed the gathering and was joined by Prof. Mohd Muslim Khan, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, who served as a distinguished guest.
Prof. M Amarjeet Singh, director of CNESPR, delivered the opening remarks. Assistant Professor Dr Debajit Bora, co‑organizer of the seminar, provided a brief overview of the theme and set the stage for later discussions.
Prof. Khan recalled early Indian cinema’s limited portrayal of the North East, mentioning notable figures such as Danny Denzongpa. He noted the progress made, citing acclaimed films like Crossing Bridges, Headhunter and Axone that explore displacement, cultural change and everyday realities of northeastern communities.
In his presidential address, Prof. Rizvi urged mainstream Indian filmmakers to actively incorporate local languages, stories and voices from the region. He suggested that including linguistic diversity in films produced in the North East would promote cultural inclusivity and equity.
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