By Natalia Ningthoujam
Guwahati, July 18 (IANS) They have immense talent, as well as the desirable height and figure to join the modelling industry. But aspiring models from the northeast region, which is brimming with fashion savvy people, need to groom themselves too to get national recognition as it's a serious business, believes popular Assamese actress Barsha Rani Bishaya.
Barsha, who was one of the judges of the prestigious Lakme Fashion Week's first model audition for the northeast region, has no doubt in the talent of the region.
"We have an immense talent pool here. We are not getting the right exposure. I am happy that our models got this national platform, organised by Lakme Fashion Week. And now that such platforms are available, aspiring models of the northeast have to groom themselves and take things seriously. Its (modelling) a serious business. It's not just about having a good height and figure," Barsha told IANS here.
Talking about national recognition, the actress, who has featured in Assamese films including the National Award-winning movie "Basundhara", says she did try her luck in Mumbai, fondly called the "city of dreams".
"I was in Mumbai for three years. Every actor would like to showcase his or her talent on the national platform. Maybe, I didn't come across genuine people. I was disheartened, so I came back to Assam in 2010. And then I joined mobile theatre. I did it (mobile theatre) for two to three years, took a break and now I am back to it," she said.
Barsha shared that doing mobile theatre -- staging plays from place to place -- is lucrative as regional movies aren't doing well.
"It is a good way to reach out to people and there is money factor too. We do plays all over Assam," she said.
Doesn't she wish to try her hand at Hindi films again?
"I want to work on the national platform, but going back and struggling will be difficult. If I can do good work from here and if it's my destiny, then I will get a national break from here itself," said the daughter of filmmaker Ashok Kumar Bishaya.
She started her film career in the 1990s with her father's movie "Joubone Aamoni Kore".
Any plans of working with him again?
"He is still stuck in that 1990s era kind of movies. Filmmaking has changed a lot. There used to be five to six long songs. He is still stuck in that era. Now, the patience level of the audience has gone down. You need to be precise. If we work together, then he will have to work according to me...like realistic movies with entertainment," she said.
What does she think about the Assamese film industry?
"We have only 85 screens here, out of which only 34 theatres show Assamese films. So, you can imagine the business. When there is no market, no one will dare to make good budget films. If good budget films are not made, the quality will be compromised. But hopefully, things will gradually change," she said.
(The writer's trip was at the invitation of the event organisers. Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)
