VISAKHAPATNAM: FOR the first time in the history of Indian cinema, a Maithili film ‘Mithila Makhaan’ based on the 2008 Kosi floods has bagged the 63rd National Film Awards in the best language category. But interestingly, the 135-minute bilingual film-made in Maithili and Hindi-is dedicated to a Telugu mountaineer from Nellore who died during his expedition to Andes in Argentina last year.
‘In the memory of Malli Babu Mastan’ reads top of the poster of the movie. Samir Kumar, who co-produced the film with Traffic Signal-fame Bollywood actress Neetu Chandra unravelled the mystery here on Saturday.
“We (Samir and Babu Mastan) were classmates in IIM, Kolkata. I came to know about his death while shooting for this film. I decided to dedicate my movie to him,” said Samir, who was in the city to promote the film, said. The movie will be released in India in September.
Mastan’s sister is writing a book based on his life. “As soon as the book is completed, I will be working on a film based on the book,” Samir said, adding that he was planning to make a film in Telugu language too.
‘Mithila Makhaan’ has taken the disaster of 2008 deluge and breach of Kosi embankment in which more than 2.36 lakh houses were either washed away or damaged beyond Bihar. With ‘back to your roots’ as the theme, the film is about the emotional and thrilling journey of Kranti Prakash, who returns from Toronto after 23 years, to his native Taralahi, a parched village in Darbhanga district in Bihar. “It’s story of Karnti’s struggle to re-establish his grandfather’s business of Makhana-an aquatic plant grown in ponds whose seeds are used for culinary purpose.
“It is struggle to run an entrepreneurial venture in the Indian hinterlands marred with migration, corruption and apathy,” Samir explained.
Asked about the problems he had faced while making the film, he said
Maithili was the second popular language in Bihar after Bhojpuri and spoken by over five crore people in North Bihar and Nepal.
“While shooting, we hardly got support from the local people. In fact, they were confused about our intentions as to what on earth would have brought somebody to shoot a film in a sleepy village,” said Samir laughing.
“I wish to make a film based on tribal people in this district (Vizag). I want people to know about the life in Bihar and Maithili language and culture,” he added.