Cinematic Resurrection: U-Matic Tapes of 1979 Film ‘Ashroy’ Discovered

Prantik Deka *

A poster-still from Ashroy

It was a sack... untouched for many years! And hidden right inside that sack was a lost chapter of Assamese cinema history.

The original reels of the 1979 Assamese film Ashroy, directed by Dulal Roy and featuring a melodious score by Ramen Barua, were destroyed in Calcutta, as shared by the film's producer and celebrated actor, Mirel Kuddus in interviews. Songs from the movie, rendered by renowned voices like Dwipen Barua and Namita Bhattacharya, remain deeply cherished to this day.

Evergreen melodies such as Sudhisa Tomaloi Kimanno Moram, Kino Moramor Jori, and Sou Meghor Saa Dekhile continue to evoke fond nostalgia, keeping the timeless memory of Ashroy alive in the hearts of listeners today.

The thought of this film being lost to time, a fate that has already claimed several classic Assamese gems, is deeply tragic. Yet, moments arise when history itself uncovers its hidden treasures.

Rajesh Kumar More, a dedicated cultural figure, entrepreneur, and distributor long associated with Assamese cinema, had meticulously preserved an array of film memorabilia over many years. However, despite his personal endeavours, the bitter realities of budgetary constraints, government apathy, and a lack of necessary support from various channels eventually forced him to pack away many of these valuable artifacts into sacks.

"I had been telling Rajesh da for a long time, ‘Da, let’s get those sacks down from the loft and open them up… who knows what’s inside!,” shares Tridip Goswami, founder of Heritage Jhankar. For several years, Goswami has diligently documented and preserved Assam’s cultural heritage, focusing heavily on Assamese cinema, music, and historical memorabilia. What started as a passionate school-day hobby has since evolved into a dedicated personal archive.

At long last, Rajesh Kumar More relented.

The dust-laden sacks were brought down, and one by one, the relics of the past began to emerge. And then, all of a sudden…their eyes froze. Lying amidst those weathered remnants were three U-matic low-band cassettes of the film Ashroy. Even More was struck with absolute disbelief!

Tridip Goswami inspects a rare film negative at the Heritage Jhankar archive

“A film we mourn as lost to time, a cinematic work thought to be gone forever, may still hold its visuals intact for the world to see,” expresses Tridip Goswami. On one hand, a wave of profound joy surged through them. On the other, a deep anxiety loomed: to what extent could this film be salvaged from such a state of advanced decay?

It was against this backdrop of uncertainty that Rajesh More informed Goswami that the restoration process would demand substantial financial expenditure. While the initial phases of delicate cleaning and preliminary preservation could be done in Guwahati, the intricate task of full recovery would require the fragile cassettes to be transported to specialised facilities in Mumbai.

Tridip Goswami reassured Rajesh More, urging him not to worry and to move forward, while promising that they would save the movie at any cost, even if it meant bearing all the expenses himself.

“We have already informed Mirel Kuddus, the producer and prominent actor of the film, about the whole matter. Upon hearing the news, he was extremely delighted, gave us his blessings, and offered his encouragement and consent to move forward,” said Tridip Goswami.

Goswami and his team are embarking on a promising journey to restore Ashroy, a film enriched by the performances of many renowned actors, including the legendary Nipon Goswami.

“And this is not just a heartening piece of news for us; it is a ray of hope for the history of Assamese cinema itself,” states Goswami.

With Ashroy, that very hope is now on the verge of reality. The long-cherished dream of Rajesh Kumar More and Tridip Goswami is finally coming alive.

And the story of this quest does not end here!

Two U-matic low-band cassettes of the 1990s children’s film Sriman Maimon, directed by Brajen Borah, were also recovered there. Borah expressed his delight upon hearing the news, heaping praise and offering valuable guidance to cultural activists Tridip Goswami and Rajesh More.

He remarked, “It is difficult to express your dedicated efforts in words! You have done so much for the preservation of Assamese cinema using your own hard-earned money. Rajesh also deserves our sincere thanks.”

Scenes, songs, characters, and memories from movies that were once considered lost might find their way back to us.

“Sometimes, restoring a film goes beyond saving a piece of cinema, as it preserves a passing era, a generation, and a fragment of our collective cultural heritage,” Goswami emphasises. For him, collecting is more than possessing rare objects; each gramophone record, cassette, photograph, old film ticket, booklet, magazine, and poster from the 1950s onward represents a fragment of a larger story.

Through Heritage Jhankar, Goswami quietly researches forgotten chapters of Assam’s cinematic history. By salvaging surviving film materials, interviewing cultural figures, and sourcing information from personal collections, he documents rare films (in both digital and reel formats), musicians, and artistes whose legacies might otherwise disappear.