Skip to main content

Aājoor : First Bajjika language feature film | A Truly Community Film.




Synopsis  


"Aājoor" follows Saloni, a resilient 10-year-old in North Bihar, as she defies societal norms to pursue her education. Despite her mother's early demise Saloni manages household chores and assists her father but faces societal scorn. Her father, a vocalist in the Launda Dance team supports her against all odds. The film interweaves her story with that of a group of boys being fascinated by social networking sites, offering a glimpse into the modern world's influence on rural life.



Aājoor Trailer : 




Official Selections


  • Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF): Official Selection under National Competition on Indian Languages. And Won the Best Director Award.
  • International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK): Official Selection under Indian Cinema Now.

Film Details


  • Film Name: Aājoor
  • Language: Bajjika
  • Duration: 122 min
  • Completion Year: Jan 2024
  • Written & Directed by: Aaryan Chandra Prakash
  • Editor: Ankur Das
  • Director of Photography (DOP): Aftab Akram
  • Sound Design: Abhishek Patil
  • Colourist: Bobby Brahma
  • Produced by: Shrirampur Samvad Foundation
  • Co-produced by: Prithipal Singh Matharu, Nutan Kumari, Arpit Chhikara
  • Executive Producer: Aaryan Chandra Prakash
  • Assistant Team: Avinash Chandra Prakash, Harishankar Kumar, Chandrakant Kumar, Prince Kumar

Director’s Biography


Aaryan, born and raised in rural Bihar, discovered his passion for storytelling at a young age. Inspired by Indian regional films, he travelled across the country to connect with diverse communities before returning to Bihar in 2018 to empower his community through cinema. Aājoor is a result of his two years of script development and the training of non-professional actors from his village. The film exemplifies his dedication to community filmmaking and cultural preservation.


Director’s Note


"Aājoor" is more than a feature film; it is a celebration of rural creativity, a challenge to societal conservatism, and an ode to the connection between children and nature. It is the first-ever feature film in the Bajjika language, showcasing the authentic essence of my village, its stories, and its people.

Creating Aājoor was a collaborative effort that united the community across caste lines, with over 500 people supporting the project through crowdfunding. The film took five years to complete, relying solely on community involvement, with no backing from traditional production houses or sales agents.

This film reflects the resilience of a young girl fighting against the constraints of societal norms while capturing the curiosity and challenges of rural life. My hope is that Aājoor resonates with audiences globally, sparking meaningful conversations and fostering a deeper appreciation of diverse human experiences.



Aājoor featured in Times of India - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/historic-bajjika-film-ajoor-with-launda-dance-troupe-actor-competes-at-kiff/articleshow/115943826.cms


Aājoor featured in The Telegraph - https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/kolkata/maker-wins-trophy-with-villagers-as-cast-crew-debut-project-first-film-made-in-north-bihar-dialect/cid/2070035?fbclid=IwY2xjawHKD8dleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXdNtfROVDmBdxZRY0m-b1U0WXPuMgELH8rOwNMmvIauX_jUx9oVfW5zPw_aem_nNwJAEg15-EzuEn4IGrFgQ













Interesting Facts about Aājoor 


  • Completely Featuring Rural Community: Aājoor is a unique portrayal of life in rural India, capturing the essence and authenticity of Childhood.

  • Non-Professional Actors: The film stars non-professional actors, all of whom faced the camera for the first time, bringing a raw and genuine performance to the screen.

  • Kids-Driven Production: Assisted and production managed by children below the age of 18, showcasing the incredible talents and capabilities of young minds.

  • Five Years in the Making: The journey of Aājoor spans over five years, reflecting the dedication and perseverance of everyone involved in the project.

  • First Bajjika Language Feature Film: Aājoor is the pioneering feature film in the Bajjika language, spoken by nearly 25 million people in India and Nepal. This makes it a significant milestone.

  • Shot in Rural Bihar: The film was entirely shot in rural Bihar, near the Indo-Nepal border.

  • Film Duration: The movie runs for 2 hours, 4 minutes, and 15 seconds.

  • Low Budget, High Impact: Despite being made on a very low budget, Aājoor received support from over 1,000 people across the world, making it a truly collaborative and global effort.

  • Skill Development for Kids: All the children associated with the film were trained in acting and other aspects of production management. More than 50 kids directly benefited from this skill development program, experiencing the magic of cinema firsthand.

  • Community Support and Involvement: The film received immense support from the local community, highlighting the collective spirit and passion for storytelling.

  • Authenticity: By being the first feature film in Bajjika, Aājoor plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting the language and authenticity of the region.

  • Educational Impact: The project served as an educational platform, imparting valuable skills in filmmaking and teamwork to the young participants.
























Stills from the film, Aājoor








Aājoor BTS Video




 Thank you 





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

हताश होता मेरे अंदर का फ़िल्ममेकर।

Saturday | 02 Oct 2021 03:50pm  बहुत देर कुर्सी पर बैठे-बैठे खिड़की से बाहर मैं बारिश को देखता रहा। फिर उठकर बाहर निकल आया। कैम्पस के बरामदे में बारिश का पानी टपकने लगा था। बहुत तेज बारिश होने पर ऐसा होता था। शुरू के एक साल कैम्पस कितना खूबसूरत लगता था। अब टपकते पानी को देख लगता है, कैम्पस में छड़ाई की ज़रूरत है। कौवों ने ख़पड़ा उलटा-पलटा दिया होगा।  सामने देखने पर मैंने पाया बहुत तेज़ी से कैम्पस की फ़ील्ड से मिट्टी बारिश की पानी में बहने लगा था। थोड़ी देर मैं बारिश को वहीं खड़े देखता रहा। फिर मन हुआ तो फ़ोन से कुछ देर तक रिकोर्ड भी कर लिया। ठंडी हवा चल रही थी। अच्छा लग रहा था। पानी आपके ऊपर गिरे, आपके अंदर गिरे या आपके सामने आपको शीतलता से भर देता है। बिते समय में बहुत परेशान रहा हूँ। इनदिनों लगने लगा है, किसी समुद्र में अकेला फँस गया हूँ। दूर दूर तक पानी है और मेरे पास न तैरने का कौशल और न ही पानी से बच निकलने का कोई रास्ता बचा है।  2018 में मैं बहुत उत्साहित आदमी था। इतना उत्साहित कि एक फ़िचर फ़िल्म बनाने के फ़ैसला लेते हुए मैंने तनिक समय भी नहीं लगाया था। उन दिनों मैं...
Post a Comment
आगे पढ़ें »

... it is more important to bring boys into the kitchen...

The concept of a picnic is prevalent in rural areas. What happens is that the kids and young people gather and go to the forest to have a community gathering over food whether it be the Mango season or Amla ripening season. Elder members of the family are also present there but the responsibility of cooking is unto the younger folks. During this picnic time, ladies become a mentor. Mango and amla chutney is made whe n the season of these fruits is in full force. Recently when the team of @thegirl_film was talking to kids, they got excited about the upcoming New Year's Eve. Together we decided that lunch will happen in the jungle and while cooking, we'll make sure to use maximum resources from nature itself. Groups were divided and in each group, there were 5-7 kids. Girls and boys separately cooked at different locations. It was left on them to figure out what to cook and how to manage the process. On 1 January, everyone began their work. Our team went to the ...
Post a Comment
आगे पढ़ें »

"Living in the jungle, man learns how to be civil"

In the local dialect of our village, a word called “थुथुर” is commonly used to refer to a person who repeats mistakes even after being told not to do so. This word has originated from the name of a plant. In the forest, there is a plant which grows own it own without any care. It is about four feet high, thin-looking and found in a cluster. Because it is of no specific importance, it is oftentimes cut but wherever it is thrown, there it starts regrowing. It is called “थुथुर” plant and “थुथुर” are those people who refuse to change their behaviours and ignore the advice around them. In the forest, there are several plants and trees whose name is used to household references. This shows how much the rural people are attached to their natural resources. And because of this faith-based attachment, these people have their own beliefs when it comes to taking care of the environment. Take the case of bathing in the river. It is considered that when you bath in the river, your misd...
Post a Comment
आगे पढ़ें »

"Nature is the mother of all Education"

Dear Friend Long before modern education and schooling came, there used to be Gurukul. Kings, as well as common men, used to go to the jungle to learn. There was a balance in learning which came from nature plus a teacher. Time passed and big books were written. Our "Environment" became a topic of study and got into the curriculum. But the problems which civilization brought along with it, they remained. We were not stepping into nature. What was happening was conceptual understanding at the level of the brain within the walls of classrooms, libraries, and educational institutions. New generations didn't really step into nature to know about it. But this will take a different direction from now onwards. When the team of "The Girl" started teaching kids, we wanted to make a little progress by our little efforts. Eventually, we came to know that kids have to rebuild their foundation. Despite having lived amidst trees and birds and a river, the...
Post a Comment
आगे पढ़ें »