Social issues and political instability in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) form the backdrop of Bekar Romeo, a 90-minute Bodo film which will release across Assam on January 28.

The “eye-catching” poster of the film is the talk of the town in the four BTAD districts where not many are encouraged to produce a Bodo film owing to the lack of an audience base.

Thirty-one-year-old M. Okhrang Boro, who acted in as well as directed the film, told The Telegraph: “I wanted to portray the social issues, prejudices and politically instability in the BTAD in a non-melodramatic way. All of my actors are first-time performers and I firmly believe the social message in the film will be loved by the people as it attempts to address important issues like unemployment, witch-hunting, effect of bandhs on people’s lives and nasty hyper-local politics. Both literature and films reflect the happenings in the society and as films cater to a wider audience, I believe it is a more effective medium to mould public opinion. The people of Assam, particularly those in BTAD, will be able to easily relate to it.”

The director of Bekar Romeo, M. Okhrang Boro UB Photos

Boro said he aimed to send the film to festivals in India and abroad in order to garner goodwill and support.

He said the film would be screened on the occasion of Bathou Puja in rural areas with the cast and crew travelling to different places to watch the film with the villagers.

Bathou Puja, which will also be celebrated on January 28, is an important religious festival of Bodo-Kacharis of Assam where devotees worship a god known by different names like Gila Damra, Khuria Bwrai, Sri Brai (Shib Bwrai) and Bathow Bwrai, among others.The different forms of this festival are Garja, Kherai and Marai, of which Kherai is the most significant.

Boro hoped the people of BTAD and cine lovers would appreciate his efforts. He also has a theatrical group, Okhrang — The Sky, which has enacted several plays.