Semkhor: First Dimasa Feature Film Lets Down the People It Claims to Represent

(This article may contain spoilers)

Semkhor, directed by and starring Assamese actor Aimee Barua, is the first feature film in the Dimasa language. But it has sparked a furore among the Dimasa community of Assam for “misrepresenting” their customs and traditions in the film.

The film was screened at national as well as international film festivals and was awarded the Rajat Kamal at the 68^th National Film Awards. It was commercially released on 23 September 2022.

One of the authors of this piece was present at the film’s screening at Delhi’s India Habitat Centre during the Habitat International Film Festival in May 2022.

Informed by Dimasa friends about the screening, we were excited to watch and support a movie made in our language. By then, the trailer of the film had been circulated widely on various social media platforms.

We waited for the film with great excitement as we thought it would be telling our story, for the first time, on a bigger screen. But the film left a deep sense of betrayal for us as Dimasa viewers. We found its portrayal of Dimasa customs and traditions, prejudiced.