Arunachal joins the league of Indian cinema with the state's first film Sonam, all set to hit theatres here.
"The movie, shot at an altitude of 10,000 feet in Tawang region, has a beautiful ambience of the entire Himalayan range and is all about love, passion and little madness," said filmmaker Ahsan (Raju) Mazid.
Based upon the life and lore of Monpas, a colourful tribe inhabiting the high altitude of Arunachal Pradesh bordering China, post-production of the film was completed this summer.
The film is based on a popular Asomese novel Sonam by Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, a civil servant of Arunachal Pradesh.
Raju Mazid and his wife Archana have worked on this Rs 60 lakh project since 1994, and dared to make a film on Monpa dialect with local artists.
The film is produced by Ashok Kumar Jhuria under the banner of Garima Mountain Hives in collaboration with Itanagar-based public charitable trust Mountain Hive.
"This film deals with polyandry in a small society of Yak shepherds called Brokpas, who live in the slopes of the Himalayan range, where it is customary for a woman to have more than one husband," said Mazid.
Dwelling on the movie, he said the film is all about a man, who accepts the lover of his wife as co-husband and the presence of this new man makes him lonely. The film slowly reveals the firm bond that exists between the men and women.
{{/usCountry}}Dwelling on the movie, he said the film is all about a man, who accepts the lover of his wife as co-husband and the presence of this new man makes him lonely. The film slowly reveals the firm bond that exists between the men and women.
{{/usCountry}}Sonam, the wife of the duo, gradually starts suffering due to body and mind stress. Being a believer of Buddhism, she indulges herself in total and ultimate atonement in her own death, said film maker Mazid.
Filming in high altitudes has always been a challenge probably that's why no filmmaker had dared to make a full-length film in such tough locations. But braving all odds the unit completed shooting, said Mazid.
"Our main aim was to highlight the region for tourism promotion both within India and abroad. The beautiful snowcapped mountains, the exquisite Buddhist monasteries located at great heights, the extraordinary lifestyle of the tribal people, all these and many more are brilliantly portrayed in the film."
"It will be a treat for viewers and people even in India cannot even imagine that there are such beautiful locations," said Mazid.