• Terms of Use
  • Article Submission
  • Premium Content
  • Editorial Board
Thursday, March 30, 2023
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
Cart / ₹0

No products in the cart.

Subscribe
Mahabahu.com
  • Home
  • News & Opinions
  • Literature
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Gallery
  • Mahabahu Books
    • Read Online
    • Free Downloads
  • E-Store
  • Home
  • News & Opinions
  • Literature
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Gallery
  • Mahabahu Books
    • Read Online
    • Free Downloads
  • E-Store
No Result
View All Result
Mahabahu.com
Home Entertainment

Telling a tale with intensity: Where is our Assam !

Emon NC

by Admin
March 16, 2023
in Entertainment, Media, Movie, Tech, Theater, Videos
Reading Time: 7 mins read
0
Telling a tale with intensity: Where is our Assam !
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedIn

Telling a tale : Where is our Assam ?

Emon NC

Telling a tale with intensity: Where is our Assam !

The word ‘Binge’ in recent times has acquired a different connotation.

It has entered into the popular vocabulary along with the word ‘watch’, to mean a conscious indulgence in watching multiple episodes of a televised series, because one cannot wait to find out what happens next.

RelatedPosts

UKRAINE: 5th report on the Media during the War

The Views of the News: The Role of Media in a Changing Landscape

March 29, 2023
Piano Kids to Conduct Workshop on Traditional  Bihu Songs

Piano Kids to Conduct Workshop on Traditional Bihu Songs

March 29, 2023
ব’লক, অলপ উভতি যাওঁ

ব’লক, অলপ উভতি যাওঁ

March 27, 2023

The boom or rather an explosion of OTT (over the top) platforms in India has changed the way people gobble up entertaining content.

Multi-device, multi-platform experience with the option of seamless switching between varied devices ( iOS, Android, iPad, Apple Tv, Firestick etc) had further contributed to the popularity of the streaming platforms. 

If the last decade saw the boom of multiplexes, 2020 turned out to be a boon for OTT based entertainment. The pandemic induced lockdown, that forced a new isolationist reality, had worked wonders for OTT. With the people staying indoors, their search for an adaptive means to keep busy and entertain themselves ended with the OTT. 

This period saw a gradual broadening of the base of OTT users, which went beyond the millennials and the metros to include housewives, senior citizens, and non metro areas. India has in fact become the world’s farthest growing market for streaming platforms. With an annual growth rate of 28.6 percent (as per report of PwC) it is poised to become the sixth-largest market by 2024, ahead of South Korea, Germany and Australia.   

Telling a tale with intensity: Where is our Assam !

With its audience base expanding, and newer businesses entering the field, online streaming has become a hugely competitive endeavor. In this new expanding ecosystem customer loyalty and retention has become the buzzword.  India has more than forty OTT platforms and this number is expected to go up further, as the internet and smartphones proliferate deeper into probable markets.

To survive such intense competition, the companies had adopted varied strategies. From right positioning to membership benefits to creating a unique selling point with niched products curated to target specific segments of the populace.

Discovery plus is aimed at audiences that prefer unscripted content, Disney+Hotstar for family and sports viewing, Netflix for premium affluent audiences, Brit box for British television shows, Hayu for reality television, etc. The list is long and with the regional platforms coming up with localized content, one can well imagine the pace with which this sector is growing

Telling a tale with intensity: Where is our Assam !

An analysis of the digital viewing phenomenon reveals that it is a content-driven medium.   In the OTT content is the King. With a multitude of options available, it necessitates creating strong immersive content to retain customer loyalty.  International brands like Netflix and Amazon had shown the way with their strong relatable content, made with a new cinematic grammar that ushered in the era of Binge watching.  

All being said about the popularity of the medium. If we make a survey of the content available across the platforms, it throws up some startling results. Although in terms of variety there is no dearth of choices, when it comes to the geographical rooting of the stories, a dismal picture emerges for Assam and northeast India, there is hardly any content playing from this part of the world. 

There are a few series like the Last Hour that draw oblique reference to Northeast, but nothing concrete. A few Assamese films that received critical appreciation are on the platforms, but their audience are limited. If we draw up a comparison with West Bengal or other States, it would surprise many as to where we stand.

Telling a tale with intensity: Where is our Assam !
Hoi Choi

While Bengal has inundated the OTT with their stories and content, not to speak about Hoi Choi  (a Bengali language-specific OTT that had been churning out some brilliant series, finding acclaim even in the deep South) Assam has none to offer.

It naturally raises pertinent questions- Don’t we have stories to tell? Isn’t the collective struggle of our river valley civilization worth sharing? Don’t we want the world to know about us?  Or is it just that we are not confident about our heritage and culture to share it with others?

But if we look back into the chapters of our past and try to understand the genesis of our civilization, it points toward a strong storytelling tradition. Each of the tribes and communities that populate this wonderful land has its own folklore and anecdote.

Our heritage is replete with ideas and artistic expressions that still hold sway over the collective memory of the people. Our people in the past had expressed themselves in the most fearless and aesthetic way. So then what went wrong!

The answers to these questions are not easy to find. We can only make assumptions. A lot of factors from the historical to political to economic had influenced the way we interact with others. And somewhat in this process of assimilation and exclusion, we have developed an inward-looking self indulgent attitude. This combined with the gross disregard for the past has created a myopic prison, with no exit door in sight. 

During the 15th and the 16th century when Martin Luther, started reforming Christianity, in Assam  Shrimanta Shankaradev, led a socio-religious movement that laid the  foundation of greater Assamese society. Gurujona was not only a religious figure but also a poet, playwright, dancer, actor, musician, and artist. But how many know about him beyond the boundaries of Assam? 

LachitBorphukan
Lachit Barphukan

When the whole of India was under the suzerainty of the Mughals, they couldn’t take an inch of  Assam. It was largely because of the valor and military genius of generals like Lachit Barphukan. Does India rejoice in him?

India produces around 2000 films per year. A few years after the release of the first Indian talkie (Alam Ara in 1931), Joti Prasad Aggarwal made the first Assamese film. He not only produced the film but also wrote it, directed it, and even built a cinema hall to showcase it. But in the annals of Indian cinema history, he is a forgotten name. 

The excuse of mainland apathy no longer applies to the present scenario. It’s we, who are to be blamed.  Commenting on the advent of digital cameras, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg said  that this will democratize cinema. Now everybody can make movies.

assamese video
video film

In Assam, this prophecy took shape in the production of a large number of video films (VCD). The industry is non-existent now. The reason – weak content, no artistic presentation and a lack of understanding of the medium.

We should not and cannot make this mistake again. Just like digital cameras, OTT has revolutionized the broadcasting and distribution channels for content. The multiplexes and big production houses no longer run the game. We need to take advantage of this change and realign our interests or else we are forever doomed to remain trapped in the mundane discourse of mainland versus periphery debate.

[Images from different sources]

Mahabahu.com is an Online Magazine with collection of premium Assamese and English articles and posts with cultural base and modern thinking.  You can send your articles to editor@mahabahu.com / editor@mahabahoo.com ( For Assamese article, Unicode font is necessary)

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...
Admin

Admin

Related Posts

UKRAINE: 5th report on the Media during the War
Journalism

The Views of the News: The Role of Media in a Changing Landscape

by Admin
March 29, 2023
0

175 Years of Media in Assam and Beyond PRAYASEE BARUAH Prayasee Baruah The Views of the News: The Role of...

Read more
Piano Kids to Conduct Workshop on Traditional  Bihu Songs

Piano Kids to Conduct Workshop on Traditional Bihu Songs

March 29, 2023
ব’লক, অলপ উভতি যাওঁ

ব’লক, অলপ উভতি যাওঁ

March 27, 2023
Irrfan Khan: A loss that feels personal

Irrfan Khan: A loss that feels personal

March 27, 2023
নিঃচৰ্ত শব্দসাধক

নিঃচৰ্ত শব্দসাধক

March 26, 2023
Brahmaputra -The never-ending metaphor as Media of the valley

Brahmaputra -The never-ending metaphor as Media of the valley

March 25, 2023
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
আলাবৈ ৰণ: শৰাইঘাটৰ যুদ্ধৰ পটভূমিত

আলাবৈ ৰণ: শৰাইঘাটৰ যুদ্ধৰ পটভূমিত

November 24, 2022
Emergence Of The KNF In Chittagong Hill Tracts

Emergence Of The KNF In Chittagong Hill Tracts

June 4, 2022
Dholera: Modi’s Dream Project turns lifeless and barren!

Dholera: Modi’s Dream Project turns lifeless and barren!

May 28, 2022
লাচিত বৰফুকন

লাচিত বৰফুকন

November 24, 2022
man in black shirt standing on top of mountain drinking coffee

মোৰ হিমালয় ভ্ৰমণৰ অভিজ্ঞতা

0
crop businessman giving contract to woman to sign

Loan Waivers : LOOKING BACK@ 2015

0
What is the Burqa and is it mandatory for all Muslim women to wear it?

What is the Burqa and is it mandatory for all Muslim women to wear it?

0
open book pages on surface

অসমীয়া দেখো এজনো নাই

0
গামোচা বিতৰ্ক আৰু অসমীয়া বঙালীৰ সমন্বয়

গামোচা বিতৰ্ক আৰু অসমীয়া বঙালীৰ সমন্বয়

March 29, 2023
In The Echoes Of February

In The Echoes Of February

March 29, 2023
UKRAINE: 5th report on the Media during the War

The Views of the News: The Role of Media in a Changing Landscape

March 29, 2023
চিয়াং নৈৰ পাৰৰ নষ্টাল’জিয়া

চিয়াং নৈৰ পাৰৰ নষ্টাল’জিয়া

March 29, 2023

Popular Stories

  • Dholera: Modi’s Dream Project turns lifeless and barren!

    Dholera: Modi’s Dream Project turns lifeless and barren!

    901 shares
    Share 309 Tweet 193
  • জাহ্নৱী স্বৰ্গীয়াৰী: মাৰ্কিন ভূমিত প্ৰশংসিত অসমীয়া মহিলা উদ্যমী

    857 shares
    Share 90 Tweet 56
  • অটোৰিক্সা চালকৰ পৰা দেশজুৰি সমাদৃত ফটোগ্ৰাফাৰলৈ বৰ্ণময় জীৱন

    120 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30
  • Captain Jintu Gogoi Vir Chakra Memorial Football Tournament

    203 shares
    Share 81 Tweet 51
  • Udyam 2023 begins at Duliajan

    182 shares
    Share 73 Tweet 46
  • কাব্য-ঋষি নীলমণি ফুকনৰ সশ্ৰদ্ধ সোঁৱৰণত

    157 shares
    Share 63 Tweet 39
  • RAJA RAVI VARMA: FATHER OF MODERN ART IN INDIA

    18 shares
    Share 7 Tweet 5
  • Nature-Writings: New Rising In The World Of Literature

    56 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14
  • Issues of Northeast and Role of Media

    55 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14
  • Speak You – How Romania helps Ukrainian refugees: the experience of a team from Sighișoara

    54 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14
Mahabahu.com

Mahabahu is a collection of premium articles, opinions and writes from the writers all around the world.

Category

Site Links

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact

We are Social

Facebook Twitter Youtube LinkedIn
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact

© 2021 Mahabhahu.com - All Rights Reserved. Published by Powershift | Maintained by Webx

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Opinions
    • Politics
    • World
    • Business
    • National
    • Science
    • Tech
  • Entertainment
    • Theater
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Dance
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Food
  • Gallery
  • Mahabahu Books
    • Read Online
    • Free Downloads
  • E-Store

© 2021 Mahabhahu.com - All Rights Reserved. Published by Powershift | Maintained by Webx

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Oops!! The Content is Copy Protected.

Please ask permission from the Author.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
%d bloggers like this: