Prodyut Kumar Deka
{{short description|Indian film director and author from Assam}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{infobox person
|name = Prodyut Kumar Deka
|native_name =
|occupation= Film director, author
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1978|4|18}}
|notable_works=Dhunia Tirutabur
Samiran Barua Ahi Ase
Surjasta
Borosi
}}
Prodyut Kumar Deka (born 18 April 1978) is an Indian writer, film and stage director, screenwriter and presently editor of Roopkar magazine based in Assam. His films include Dhunia Tirutabur (2009), Samiran Barua Ahi Ase (2012), Surjasta (2013), and Borosi (2014).
He turned to writing English fiction gradually from 2016 to 2017 with the anthropological Ambari Series based on the Ambari Archeological site in Guwahati.{{cite web|url=https://janambhumi.in/VFdwck0wMVVTVDA9/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8B%E0%A7%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8,-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8B-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AD%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%B0-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87.html|title=মোৰ বিশ্বাস, সকলো সভ্যতাৰ কিছুমান গোপন অধ্যায় থাকে|website=janambhumi.in}}
In 2025, to commemorate fifty years of publication of Roopkar, founded by his father late Pabitra Kumar Deka, the magazine was revived by Prodyut Kumar Deka, who announced it would be published annually as a Special issue.{{cite web |title=Legendary Assamese magazine 'Roopkar' to be republished in April 2025 |url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/entertainment/story/assam-legendary-assamese-magazine-roopkar-to-be-republished-in-april-2025-1181809-2025-03-10|website=www.indiatodayne.in/}} {{cite news |author= ETV Bharat Assamese Team |title=ৰূপকাৰ... নব্বৈ দশকৰ অসমীয়া শিল্প-সাংস্কৃতিক সাংবাদিকতাৰ নব্য-ৰূপকাৰ |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/as/!entertainment/lets-revisit-roopkar-a-memorable-journey-of-pabitra-kumar-dekas-theatre-movement-assam-news-ass25060104121|work=www.etvbharat.com |date= June 1, 2025}}
Film and television
In 1989, he made his debut as a child actor in the TV film Dalal, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Bidyut Chakrabarty. He later appeared in television serials such as Deuta (1991), directed by renowned filmstar Biju Phukan, and Aie Saharate (1992), directed by Prabin Hazarika.
He made his debut as scriptwriter and director with the critically acclaimed Assamese film Dhunia Tirutabur (English: Beautiful Woman) in 2009, based on the disappearance of an artist.
{{cite web|date=2015|url=http://assammovies.blogspot.in/2015/02/filming-egalitarianism.html|title=Notes for a film theory about the cinemas of Assam|website=Assam Movies|publisher=Blogspot}} His next film, Samiran Barua Ahi Ase (English: Return of Samiran Barua), was based on a political subject and was released in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://assamesefilmnews.blogspot.in/ |title=In mid March "Samiran Baruah Ahi Ase" |website=Assamesefilmnews|publisher=Blogspot|date= |accessdate=2017-07-08}}{{cite web|url=http://wordsofeast.blogspot.in/2012/04/samiran-barua-finally-arrives.html/|title=Samiran barua finally arrives|website=Wordsofeast|publisher=Blogspot}} He tentatively planned to direct a sequel of the movie, titled Samiran Baruah Aru Nahe but the plans were dropped for unstated reasons.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
His other films include Surjasta (English: A Sunset), a 2013 work on the subject of child negligence, the 2014 suspense drama Borosi (English: The Trap) and a 2016 television film, Dristi (The Vision), based on Rabindranath Tagore's story of the same name. Surjasta received nominations in the Best Actor Male and Female categories at the Filmfare Awards 2013 (East).{{cite web|url=http://www.assamportal.com/assamese-film-surjasta%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%82%E0%A7%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4-to-release-on-17th-may/|title=Assamese Film Surjasta(সূৰ্যাস্ত) to Release on 17th May|date=11 May 2013|access-date=29 January 2018|archive-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815155220/http://www.assamportal.com/assamese-film-surjasta%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%82%E0%A7%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4-to-release-on-17th-may/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.creativica.in/filmfare-awards-2013-nomination-list-of-assamese-cinema/|title=Filmfare Awards 2013 Nomination List of Assamese Cinema|date=19 March 2014|access-date=29 January 2018|archive-date=22 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322142720/https://www.creativica.in/filmfare-awards-2013-nomination-list-of-assamese-cinema/|url-status=usurped}}{{cite web|url=http://www.filmfare.com/news/nominations-for-vivel-filmfare-awards-assamese-5726.html|title=Nominations for Vivel Filmfare Awards (Assamese)|date= 28 March 2014}}{{cite web |last=Roy |first=Abhijit |url=http://www.creativica.in/pradut-kumar-deka-s-suspense-thriller-boroshi-releases-in-18th-april/ |title=Pradut Kumar Deka's suspense-thriller Boroshi releases in 18th April |website=Creativica.in |date= |accessdate=2017-07-08 |archive-date=30 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130145533/http://www.creativica.in/pradut-kumar-deka-s-suspense-thriller-boroshi-releases-in-18th-april/ |url-status=usurped }}{{cite web|url=http://www.newslivetv.com/assamese-film-and-theatre/assamese-films-news-this-week-25-31-march-2013.html/ |title=Assamese Films: News This Week (25-31 March 2013) |website=Newslivetv.com |date=2013-04-07 |accessdate=2017-07-08}}
Deka contributed to one segment (Ardhasatya) in the anthology film Ji Golpor Sesh Nai.{{cite web|url=http://www.sentinelassam.com/saturday/pages/page-1-saturday-fare-/0/sight-sound-prantik-deka/2018-04-28/3/3407|title=New Assamese Film Launched}}{{cite web|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/at.asp?id=may0818/Page11|title=A New Experiment|website=Assam Tribune}}{{cite web|url=https://epaper.telegraphindia.com/paper/9-0-21@05@2018-1008.html|title=Loneliness links three stories|access-date=22 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522181133/https://epaper.telegraphindia.com/paper/9-0-21@05@2018-1008.html|archive-date=22 May 2018|url-status=dead}} A special screening of the film was held on 18 April 2019 and received favorable praise from the media.{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/northeasts-first-anthology-film-screened-in-guwahati-assam/article26903427.ece|title=Northeast's first anthology film screened in Guwahati, Assam |website=The Hindu |date=21 April 2019}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.uniindia.com/ne-s-first-anthology-film-screened/east/news/1569209.html|title=NE's first anthology film screened |date=19 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pratidintime.com/3-filmmakers-give-northeast-its-first-anthology/|title=3 filmmakers give northeast its first anthology |date=21 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2019/04/22/northeasts-first-anthology-film-screened-in-guwahati/|title=Northeast's first anthology film screened in Guwahati |date=22 April 2019}} Presently he will be directing one segment (Paap) in the forthcoming anthology film Kahini Nohoi which will pay homage to the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock.
{{cite web|url=https://northeastfilmjournal.com/kahini-nohoi-a-new-anthological-film-from-assam-celebrates-the-spirit-of-suspense|title='Kahini Nohoi': A new Anthological film from Assam celebrates the spirit of Suspense |date=7 April 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://epaper.sentinelassam.com/editionname/GuwahatiEnglish/THESENTI_GUWE/page/3/article/THESENTI_GUWE_20250410_3_9|title='Kahini Nohoi': A new Anthological film from Assam celebrates the spirit of Suspense |date=10 April 2025}}
His latest projects include Chiyahir Rong, a 2021 film about newspaper houses in Assam, based on a story by journalist Jitumoni Bora,{{cite web |date=2018 |title=Siyahir Rong–The Dark Side of The Fourth Pillar |url=https://www.magicalassam.com/2018/12/siyahir-rong.html |website=Magical Assam}} and The Government Servant, a film set in Mayong and based on a story by Sahitya Akademi Award winner Jayant Madhab Bora. Both films were released online in the Reel Drama portal.{{cite web|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/at.asp?id=dec2518/Page12|title=The Fourth Pillar|access-date=26 December 2018|archive-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226133951/http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/at.asp?id=dec2518%2FPage12|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Assamese Film Portrays Mayong As Not 'Land of Magic' |url=https://www.pratidintime.com/entertainment/assamese-film-portrays-mayong-as-not-land-of-magic |website=pratidintime.com}}{{cite web |title=New feature film 'The Government Servant' to hit theatres soon |url=https://newslivetv.com/new-feature-film-the-government-servant-to-hit-theatres-soon/ |website=newslivetv.com}}{{cite web |title=The government servant |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27442590// |website=imdb.com}}
He was co-scriptwriter of the films Orong (Strangers in the Mist) (2015) on child psychology and Rum Vodka Whiskey (2017), based on three unsuccessful love stories in different seasons. Orong won the National Award for Best Rabha film in 2015.{{cite web |title=Orong |url=http://kff.in/film.php?f=108 |website=kff.in}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kothasobi.com/movie/assamese-film-rum-vodka-whisky-release-november-24/|title=Assamese Film 'Rum Vodka Whisky' To Release on November 24|website=kothasobi.com}} He wrote the screenplay of the forthcoming film Smriti, which is directed by Pankaj Kalita and is under production.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
He has made two short films based on essays by Assamese writer and journalist Homen Borgohain,Why I write (2008) and A short film about Walking (2011), which were shown in various film festivals.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.festivalfocus.org/user/3139/prodyut_deka/ |title=prodyut deka, guwahati, India |website=Festivalfocus.org |date=1978-04-18 |accessdate=2017-07-08}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/3114/A-Short-Film-About-Walking/ |title=A short Film About Walking |website=Cultureunplugged.com |accessdate=2017-07-08}} He also made a 50-minute documentary, An Anti-insurgent Journey, which depicts former Asam Sahitya Sabha Chief Kanaksen Deka and his stance against subversive activities of the outfit in the 1990s.{{cite web |date=12 June 2014 |title=Bangalore to screen film on Deka |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1140612/jsp/northeast/story_18502097.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616221304/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140612/jsp/northeast/story_18502097.jsp |archive-date=16 June 2014 |website=telegraphindia.com}}
Theatre
He revived the theatre group Aikyatan in late 2010s, originally founded by his father Pabitra Kumar Deka in the early 1970s. With the group, he has directed plays such as Moni Kanchan (Badal Sircar), Jonakor Pohar (English:The Rising of the Moon), The Game of Chess, and 27 Gaari Kopah (English: 27 Wagons full of Cotton). Deka penned an Assamese translation of the play Eserenga Rod (English: A Sunny Morning), which was premiered in Natasurjya Drama Festival 2016 under the direction of Pranjal Saikia. {{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/spanish-play-staged-at-poorvottar-theatre-fest/125471.html|title=Spanish play staged at Poorvottar theatre fest |website=www.tribuneindia.com |date= |accessdate=2017-07-08}}{{cite web |date= |title=Northeast takes centre stage |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/northeast-takes-centre-stage-115082101362_1.html/ |accessdate=2017-07-08 |website=Business Standard News}}{{cite web |title=Laikhuta of Kartik Hazarika National Theatre Festival erected at Tezpur |url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=nov1918/state054 |website=Assam Tribune}}{{cite web |title=Assamese Adaptation of 27 Wagons Full of Cotton Staged in Guwahati |url=https://neindiabroadcast.com/2024/04/08/assamese-adaptation-of-27-wagons-full-of-cotton-staged-in-guwahati/ |website=neindiabroadcast.com}}
Also associated with Indian People's Theatre Association, Assam, he has directed Coffee Housot Apeksha (On the occasion of platinum jubilee) {{cite web|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/at.asp?id=mar1019/Page3|title=IPTA platinum jubilee}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kothasobi.com/2019/03/ipta-drama-festival-held-guwahati.html|title=IPTA Drama Festival Held at Guwahati|access-date=28 August 2019|archive-date=28 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828071809/http://www.kothasobi.com/2019/03/ipta-drama-festival-held-guwahati.html|url-status=dead}} and the famous play An Inspector Calls in 2019 at Guwahati. {{cite web|url=https://www.northeasttoday.in/an-inspector-calls-to-be-staged-on-november-27/|title=AN INSPECTOR CALLS TO BE STAGED ON NOVEMBER 27}} {{cite web|url=https://nenow.in/entertainment/assamese-adaptation-of-priestlys-classic-in-guwahati-on-wednesday.html|title='Assamese adaptation of Priestly's classic in Guwahati'}}
Writing
He writes on cinema in the local Assamese newspapers like Sadin, Asomiya Pratidin, Agradoot and Asomiya Khobor. He has published several books on cinema and television. His 2021 biography of actor Biju Phukan, Biju Phukan: A Life in Cinema, won the Best Book on Cinema award in the Prag Cine Awards, 2022. He has also written a trilogy of anthropological novels based on the Ambari Archeological site which was discovered in Guwahati in 1969. Presently, he edits the famous cultural magazine Roopkar published yearly.
= Publications =
== Non-fiction ==
- {{Cite book|title=Amar Kotha Teolokor Kotha|year=2014|language=Assamese|publisher=Arclights|location=Guwahati}}, anthology of cinema essays
- {{Cite book|title=Cinema Suwar Ananda|year=2017|language=Assamese|publisher=Arclights|location=Guwahati}}, anthology of cinema essays{{cite web |date=2017-03-26 |title=Cinema Sowar Ananda - Book on Cinema Released |url=http://www.magicalassam.com/2017/03/cinema-sowar-ananda-book.html |accessdate=2017-07-08 |publisher=Magical Assam}}{{cite web |date=1999-02-22 |title='Cinema Sowar Ananda' : New Book on Cinema by Prodyut Kumar Deka |url=http://www.kothasobi.com/book/cinema-sowar-ananda-new-book-cinema-prodyut-kumar-deka/ |accessdate=2017-07-08 |website=Kothasobi.com}}{{cite web |date=2017-04-07 |title=Cinema Sowar Anandar Utsat |url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/spda.asp?id=2017/apr0717/BigPage17.jpg |website=Assam Tribune}}
- {{Cite book|title=Biju Phukan: A Life in Cinema|year=2021|publisher=Assam Publishing Company|location=Guwahati|language=en}}, biography
- {{Cite book|title=Doordarshanor Dinbur|year=2023|publisher=Asom Prakashan Parishad|location=Guwahati|language=Assamese}}, a history of television or Doordarshan in Assam
== Novels ==
Ambari trilogy
- {{Cite book|title=Ambari|year=2017|location=Delhi|publisher=Educreation Publishing}}{{cite web |title=Magical Discovery |url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/at.asp?id=sep2517/Page11 |website=Assam Tribune}}{{cite web |title=Ambari: An Anthropological Thriller |url=http://www.sentinelassam.com/saturday/pages/page-1-saturday-fare-/0/ambari-an-anthropological-thriller/2018-02-03/3/3022 |website=Sentinel Assam}}
- {{Cite book|title=Prophecy of Ambari|year=2018|location=Delhi|publisher=Educreation Publishing}}
- {{Cite book|title=A Monk in Ambari|year=2020|location=Delhi|publisher=Educreation Publishing}}
Translations
- {{Cite book|last=Chandler|first=Raymond|author-link=Raymond Chandler|title=The Big Sleep|year=2023|language=Assamese|publisher=Roopkar Prakashan|location=Guwahati}}
- {{Cite book|last=Datta|first=Utpal|author-link=Utpal Datta|title=The Last Signature of Mozart|year=2024|language=en|publisher=UD Foundation}}
Personal life
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}
Prodyut Kumar Deka was born in Guwahati, Assam. He is the younger son of writer and film critic Pabitra Kumar Deka and the grandson of Mahendra Nath Deka, a government officer and film distributor in the early 1970s. He has one elder brother Prantik Deka, a still photographer, film critic and producer of documentaries. Prodyut passed his graduation in Commerce in 2000 and completed Law in 2006 from Gauhati University. He works as a Section Officer in the Assam Secretariat since 2010 and lives in Pub-Sarania, Guwahati, Assam (India). He is married to Pallabi Borah, who hails originally from Nagaon, and they have two sons, Nihaar Ranjan Deka and Ivan Deka.
Prodyut and his family members run the NGO Pabitra Kumar Deka Archive, an archive of old Assamese film materials, in memory of his father. The archive has presented the Roopkar Award to one outstanding personality from stage, film and media annually since 2011. {{cite web |title=Pabitra Kumar Deka: The pioneer in film journalism |url=https://northeastfilmjournal.com/pabitra-kumar-deka-the-pioneer-of-professionalism-in-film-writing-in-assam |website=northeastfilmjournal.com}}{{cite web |title=Roopkar Awards Honour Utpal Datta and Sanjeev Hazorika |url=https://neindiabroadcast.com/2025/01/08/roopkar-awards-honour-utpal-datta-and-sanjeev-hazorika/
|website=neindiabroadcast.com}}
Filmography
=As producer/director=
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | English Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Genre ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Awards/Festivals | ||||
| 2002 | Hatura | The Monkeys Paw | Tele play/Doordarshan Kendra | |
| 2003 | Abartan | 5 Episode/Doordarshan Kendra | ||
| 2006 | Murder | TV series/NE TV | ||
| 2008 | Mayajal | 5 Episode/Doordarshan Kendra | ||
| 2008 | Shanti Tirtha | 5 Episode/Doordarshan Kendra | ||
| 2008 | Why I Write | Short film | Hyderabad film festival, Mumbai International film festival, North East Film Festival, Twilight Film Festival, New Delhi | |
| 2009 | Dhunia Tirutabur | Beautiful Women | Feature | Best Director, Editor and Make up Award in Assam State Film Festival, 2010 |
| 2010 | Cinema Cinema | TV series/NE TV | ||
| 2010 | Pas Porichalokor Pasta Kahini | 5 Short films/Rong TV | ||
| 2011 | A Short film about Walking | Short film | Dhaka International film festival | |
| 2011 | Samiran Barua Ahi Ase | Return of Samiran Barua | Feature | 12th Kolkata International film festival, 2012 |
| 2012 | Eta Nikhut Hatya | 5 Episode/Doordarshan Kendra | ||
| 2013 | Surjasta | A Sunset | Feature | Nomination in Best Actor Male and Female category in Filmfare Awards 2013 (East) |
| 2014 | An Anti-Insurgent Journey | Documentary | 3rd Bangalore Short Film Festival, Indian Cine Film Festival, 2014, Mumbai | |
| 2014 | Borosi | The Trap | Feature | 5th Dada Saheb Film Festival 2015, New Delhi |
| 2016 | Dristi | The Vision | Tele film/Prag News | |
| 2019 | Ji Golpor Sesh Nai | Never Ending Stories | Feature (First Anthology film from Assam) | 12th International Guwahati Film Festival, 2020 |
| 2021 | Chiyahir Rong | The Color of Pen | Feature | 13th International Guwahati Film Festival, 2021 |
| 2023 | The Government Servant | Feature | Northeast Film Festival 2023, Mumbai | |
| TBA | Kahini Nohoi | Not a Story | Feature (Anthology film) |
Stage drama
=As director=
| class="wikitable" | |||||
| style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Original writer ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Translation ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Group ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Venue | |||||
| 2011 | Moni Kanchan | Badal Sircar | Nayan Prasad | Adda | Surjya, Ambari |
| 2016 | Jonakor Pohar (Rising of the Moon) | Lady Gregory | Prodyut Kumar Deka | Aikyatan | Surjya, Ambari |
| 2018 | Game of Chess | Kenneth Sawyer Goodman | Prodyut Kumar Deka | Aikyatan | Surjya, Ambari |
| 2019 | An Inspector Calls | J. B. Priestley | Phani Sarma | IPTA | Kumar Bhaskar Natya Mandir, Uzan Bazar |
| 2024 | 27 Gaari Kopah (27 Wagons full of Cotton) | Tennessee Williams | Suresh Kumar | Aikyatan | Surjya, Ambari |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deka, Prodyut Kumar}}
Category:21st-century Indian male writers
Category:21st-century Indian non-fiction writers
Category:21st-century Indian novelists
Category:Assamese-language film directors
Category:Assamese-language writers
Category:English-language writers from India
Category:Film directors from Assam