Bhaimon Da: A Poetic Tribute to Munin Barua and the Legacy of Assamese Cinema

 Date : June 16, 2025 | GK News India | Guwahati Desk 

When the story of a visionary is told through the lens of an audience’s collective memory, the result can be profound. Bhaimon Da (2025) does exactly that, presenting a carefully crafted cinematic homage to Assamese film legend Munin Barua, affectionately known as “Bhaimon Da”. Under director Sasanka Samir, the film traces Barua’s journey from schoolyard dreams to creating some of Assam’s most impactful movies, while capturing the evolution of Assamese cinema itself.

Picture Courtesy : Zeal Creations

Released theatrically on May 23, 2025, the biographical drama spans 2 hours 39 minutes, and marks a historic moment—the first major Assamese commercial biopic. It opens with youthful Munin, played by Bondip Sarma, tinkering with a handheld camera, eyes alight with ambition. Scenes shift between schoolyard camaraderie and the early phase of his career, illustrating his unwavering belief in cinema as a means to reflect and uplift Assamese identity.

Alongside Munin, the graceful Yashshree Bhuyan enters as Manjula Barua, his lifelong partner and emotional counterpart. Portrayed as equal in both ambition and spirit, her presence provides the film with emotional ballast. They navigate challenges—from family expectations to production setbacks—together. Early sequences highlight Manjula editing reels late into the night, positioning her not as a mere supporting spouse but as an equal force behind Munin’s success.

The cast brims with regional talent: Arghadeep Baruah, Nirupam Saikia, Nilim  Dutta, Kaushik  Bharadwaj, Pakiza  Begum, Gitartha Sharma, and Boibhabi Goswami evoke the creative community clustered around Barua. Veteran character actors like Partha Pratim Hazarika and Ashishh Vidyarthiappear in cameo roles, adding depth to the artistic milieu that nurtured Munin’s growth.

For Sasanka Samir, this biopic represents a personal tribute rather than standard interpretation. In interviews he describes his goal as capturing the women and men in Munin’s life—not just the artist himself—and the contexts that formed him. Every overhead shot of Golaghat’s riverbanks, every grainy flashback of 2000s-era film studios pulsates with intent: to place Munin at the intersection of aspiration and Assamese identity.

The visual storytelling is guided by Vanchinathan  Murugesan, whose compositions strike a poignant balance: wide frames of Assam’s rivers and tea gardens, matched by tight interiors of panic-stricken studios and urgent production teams. His cinematography traces Munin’s creative arc—from humble village shoots to triumphant premiers, and captures both the shimmer of limelight and the grind behind it.

Across a sprawling canvas, Protim Khaound’s editing gives the narrative space and breath. He resists conventional montage for an approach that lingers on moments: the silent cut from Munin receiving an award to his gaze at a fading film reel, or from schoolboy excitement to resolved adulthood. His cuts emphasize what the audience feels rather than what they see.

The audio dimension is entrusted to Zubeen  Garg and Poran  Borkatoky, two names central to modern Assamese music culture. Their score weaves in folk textures and orchestral lifts—a melody that echoes both celebration and introspection. Skillfully, the soundtrack parallels Munin’s highs and burdened lows, while never overshadowing the human narrative.

The film’s production team, led by Shyamantak  Gautam and Anupam  Sarmah of Zeal Creations, embraced period authenticity. From retro filming crews in the 80s to the costumes and set pieces drawn from actual Munin Barua files, every detail anchors viewers in the era while honoring the legacy  .

Upon release, Bhaimon Da struck a chord—earning 9.4/10 ratings across cities like Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Noida, with reviews praising its directing, acting, music, and heartfelt retelling. Audiences lauded the pacing and emotional resonance; on BookMyShow, users described it as “inspiring,” “awesome,” and “well-made”  .

WordPress reviewer Ambar Chatterjee described it as “a gaze both loving and restrained,” pointing out that Samir’s direction never slips into hagiography. Meanwhile, The Assam Tribune celebrated how the film “tracks the arc of Assamese film history,” crediting Munin’s personal story for illuminating decades of regional cultural evolution  .

At its core, Bhaimon Da explores more than one man’s career—it celebrates a collective. It chronicles how Munin Barua, by making Assam’s stories feel universal, helped fortify regional cinema’s place in national memory. Each achievement, from the early hit Hiya Diya Niya—Assam’s first blockbuster—to a 2005 National Film Award for Dinabandhu, appears as triumphs of creative integrity meeting public acclaim  .

The film also holds up a mirror: from communal theaters to city multiplexes, from 16mm reels to OTT platforms, it traces the transformation of Assamese film culture. Munin’s struggles become emblematic of every filmmaker who seeks to preserve vernacular identity in a globalised era.

In a time when Indian regional cinema is gaining pan-Indian attention, Bhaimon Da stands as both tribute and mission statement. A film with relevance beyond nostalgia, it speaks to upcoming creators—and reminds the world that Assam’s cinematic heritage matters.

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