Director: Santwana Bardoloi
Language: Assamese
Life is a tapestry woven by our experiences. Santana Bardoloi’s Maj Rati Keteki underlines this fact.
The story of a writer, the movie tells how the past affects the present. Whether by choice, chance or circumstances, every little encounter has a direct bearing on our life, well at least according to our protagonist Priyendu Hazarika.
After a gap of 10 years, Hazarika returns to his hometown, which brings back to him a lot of fond memories. He realises that the city is not the same anymore as he remembers his long-lost friends and family. His writing too is influenced by those memories.
Meanwhile, Sumona, an aspiring writer, is waiting to get her first book published. Her unscrupulous publisher makes her work for him by promising that he will read her manuscript. Incidentally, Sumona meets Hazarika and gets valuable suggestions from him to improve her work.
The film takes you to Hazarika’s childhood days and shows his relationship with his playmate Bhola. Bhola works as a servant and is treated badly. Though he wants to run away from his workplace, he chooses to stay back as he doesn’t have enough money to travel to another place. In the meantime, a friendly relationship blooms between Bhola and Hazarika. But little did Hazarika know that one day he will have to say goodbye to Bhola.
The film points out that one needs to be courageous to face some of the biggest, yet uncomfortable truths of life. Oppressed classes, caste, religion and other social issues are also discussed in the film.
Adil Hussain has done justice to the character of the writer. The way in which he reads out some lines from his book to his audience and the way he encourages wannabe writers are very realistic.
Certain memories in life will stay afresh in our minds no matter how hard we try to forget; some even inspire you to do better in life. The decision is always yours.