Bidyut Kotoky
Writer/ Director…a dreamer, who makes films to live those dreams...
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Born in Assam, his father’s profession took Bidyut’s family all over the northeast.
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After School, Bidyut left for Pune for his higher studies and obtained a Master’s degree in Economics, another in Mass communication. Very early in life, Bidyut had decided his vocation - Filmmaking. For his stories he never had to look further than his ever growing bond with his homeland. He made more than 100 short films on northeast and taken the sight, smells and tastes of the land to the outside world. His first documentary, ‘The road less travelled… where the journey is the destination’- a journey of three friends through the fascinating terrains of Arunachal Pradesh - was successfully screened in various festivals in India and abroad.
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In the year 2006, his film ‘Bhraimoman Theatre- where Othello sails with Titanic’ based on the travelling theatre of Assam won a special mention in the National Awards.
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In the year 2010, Bidyut’s documentary ‘The Mighty Ahoms’ was telecast on National Geographic and Fox History channels.
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His first feature film as writer/ director is ‘ekhon nedekha nadir xipare’/‘as the River flows’ is a bi- lingual (Hindi & Assamese) one and is produced by National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). The film won the best script (Bidyut himself) and the best actor (Sanjay Suri) award in the 2013 Washington DC South-Asian Film Festival winning critical acclaim. He also won ‘the best script award’ for the period 2010-2012 in the Assam State Film Award and the Audience Choice Award in 2014 North Carolina South-Asian film fest for the same film.
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His documentary ‘Guns and Guitar- a musical travelogue’ is selected as one of the top 100 documentaries of this year by Color Tape International Film Festival – considered the largest festival of the Southern Hemisphere. Additionally the film has been part of the official selection of 17 festivals so far. The film is an Official Selection of the Indian Panorama in the International Film Festival of India (Goa) 2016 – the top international festival of this country. His second feature film, ‘Xhoixobote Dhemalite’ (Rainbow fields) deals with the effect of violence on kids growing up in conflict zone. The film is an Official Selection of the Indian Panorama in the International Film Festival of India (Goa) 2017 – the top international festival of this country. In July 2018, it become the first Assamese feature to get a commercial release in US. Till date the film has travelled to 27 international film festivals and won the best foreign film award at Hollywood CineFest and 3 awards, including the best film, at Love International Film Festival, Los Angeles. He also won the award for the best screenplay at Treasure Coast International Film Festival (Florida) and as best narrative feature in Erie International Film Festival (Pennsylvania). It has also won the awards for best editing & jury’s special mention for best child actor in northeast India’s biggest popular award show, “Prag Cine Awards” and jury’s special mention for its three child actors in Shailadhar Barua Northeast Film Award. The film has won the Assam State Award for best music as well.
In 2020, Bidyut has completed a 26 episode TV series for Doordarshan called ‘Kaziranga’ on the struggle of a honest forest officer to protect the national park and it's habitants from all adversaries - the foremost being human greed.
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Presently Bidyut is busy with a feature length documentary on the legendary performer from Shillong Lou Majaw, called 'Lou & behold!' and an Assamese feature film that red river & blue hills have co-produced with National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) called ' Moi eti nixasor' ( Koduwa- the nightbird).
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You can visit his blog here.