Against the inaccurate portrayal of the Dimasa community in “Semkhor” movie, a huge Protest rally has been organized by United Dimasa Youths. Aimee Baruah is the director of the 2021 Indian Dimasa-language movie Semkhor. The opening feature film of the Indian Panorama in 2021 featured Semkhor, the first movie ever to be released in the Dimasa language. Aimee Baruah, an actress who is now a filmmaker, debuted at Cannes this year.
As the first Assamese actor to walk the red carpet at Cannes, Baruah dazzled the audience and made history.
The Dimasa community, however, is indignant about the movie’s misrepresentation of the community now that it has been released.
Dimasa Mothers’ Association has issued a press release against the wrongful projection of presence of female infanticide among the Dimasas.
Incidentally the movie ‘Semkhor’ won the 68th National Film Awards for the best Dimasa movie. pic.twitter.com/VIgJPjCEom— Manoranjan Pegu (@manoranjanpegu) September 23, 2022
The United Dimasa Youths, representing the Dimasa community, organized a sizable protest rally on Thursday to express their displeasure.
On the other hand, Aimee Baruah, the director of the 2021 Dimasa-language film Semkhor, is currently facing legal issues after All Dimasa Students’ Union ex-president Mohendra Kemprai filed a FIR against her for allegedly “misrepresenting” Dimasa culture and fostering stereotypes about the community.
Meanwhile, The film has received numerous honours, including the Special Audience Award at the 20th Dhaka International Film Festival and the Best Actress category at the Toronto International Women Film Festival (2021). (2022). Semkhor recently won in two categories at the 68th National Film Awards: Special Jury mention and Best Feature Film in Dimasa.
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Semkhor: Addressing the media United Dimasa Youths kept a few demands which are:
1. To stop further screening of the film at theatres so as to avoid further damage on the
the morality of the customs, traditions, and livelihood of the Dimasa People.
2. They have urged for the withdrawal of Press Conferences of Director/Producer Aimee Baruah which she had given to different electronic media authenticating the story portrayed in the film ‘Semkhor’.
3. The Dimasa community has demanded a Public Apology from Director/Producer Aimee Baruah for misrepresenting Dimasa Custom, Tradition, and Livelihood in her film ‘Semkhor’.
4. They have further demanded for compensation to the Dimasa Society for defaming the customary morality of the community through the film ‘Semkhor’.
5. The community demanding justice for the family of the baby artist ‘Claring’ who was casted in the film ‘Semkhor’.
Necessary legal processes are also being carried out and if the ongoing movie screening is not put to an end by tomorrow, agitations will be carried out in Guwahati.
