Good films transcend language, boundary: Assamese actress

Panaji: Assamese singer-actress Tarulata Kutum, whose film `Ko:Yad` was screened at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI), feels that a good movie is appreciated irrespective of the language it is made in. `Ko:Yad`, a Mising language film, has been directed by Manju Borah. Earlier this year, the film bagged the Rajat Kamal award at the 60th National Film Awards for best cinematography, becoming the first Mising film to win such an honour.

Tarulata, who belongs to the Mising tribe, said it was heartening to see the positive reaction of such a diverse audience towards the film during its screening here. "I feel good films transcend the boundaries of language. If it is a good film then it will even do well in other foreign countries. The film`s content and story is the most important element. "When `Ko: Yad` was being screened here, there were so many foreigners who were watching it and enjoying the film. They could understand the story. A film is a film at the end of the day," Tarulata told PTI in an interview. The actress, who is an established singer back home in Assam and has sung song with Zubin Garg, said `Ko:Yad`, which means whirlpool, was a very difficult film for her and initially she even contemplated quitting the film. "It was a challenging role as I had to play this old woman in the film. I had apprehensions about starring in the film. I was not sure if I would have been able to deliver it well. It was difficult initially. Eventually, I just got so involved with the story that I started liking it," Tarulata said. "I hadn't read the script and I had assumed I would be playing some glamorous role. Manju ma'am has asked me not look at the mirror after the make-up. I was shocked after seeing myself on the first day of shoot as I was completely transformed," she added. Tarulata has also been part of a National-award winning filmmaker Arup Manna's film 'Adhyay, A Chapter', for which she has bagged the Best Actress trophy in Assam. The film has also been selected for the Dhaka International Film Festival.