Jyotiprasad Agarwala’s remarkable journey forms the foundation of this book, written by Parthajit Baruah, which re-examines the accepted history of Indian cinema. Long before Alam Ara’s celebrated debut, Jyotiprasad foresaw a groundbreaking Assamese talkie, The Dance of Art (1930), inspired by his exposure at Germany’s UFA studios. Through meticulous research and evocative storytelling, Baruah reveals how Jyotiprasad’s creative drive and commitment to Assamese culture confronted formidable obstacles, technological, financial, and institutional. Despite these setbacks, Jyotiprasad’s later success with Joymoti marked the dawn of sound cinema in the North-East and showed the power of regional storytelling. This book challenges the mainstream narrative by showing Jyotiprasad’s crucial yet underrecognized role. Baruah urges readers to appreciate the mosaic of regional innovations that underpin Indian cinema. Jyotiprasad’s story is not only a tribute to one of India’s earliest film pioneers but also is a highlight to the broader, richer history of Indian filmmaking.
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Parthajit Baruah
Parthajit Baruah is a senior lecturer in the department of English at Renaissance Junior College, Indian film historian and filmmaker.
