Ekjon Jhumur

Ekjon Jhumur ( Jhumur, the girl) is the story of a self-respectful, independent-minded young lady of today in her late twenties. Her consciousness of life, morality and her own entity are intermingled with theater. The undaunted spirit places her above the nitty-gritty of daily life. She seeks emancipation through her medium of self-expression - the theater.

The patriarchal society seems not to be tolerant with her sense of emancipation. It tries to delimit her within the conventional notion of womanhood. From the elders in the vicinity like Bhattacherjee or Mallickbabu to the local ruffians - Jaga, Patla and Buro, everyone is eager to snatch her freedom.

In this gloomy atmosphere, her only refuge is her close proximity with Rajat, a theater director - already married and father of a daughter. From closeness to love or something beyond… Her love for life, theater, and Rajat become inseparable in such a way, she could not resist. The conventional society wants to shatter her relationship with Rajat and to teach a lesson.

Incidentally, Rajat has to take the responsibility of directing a drama to be played in the annual function of the local club. Jhumur is in the role of a female lead. Everyone thinks - something has to be done. In the pretext of rehearsal, the ruffians took Jhumur to a wrong destination and raped her.

Jhumur falls prey to the crime of the rapists. But who are the culprits? Is it the ruffians or the patriarchal society? There is no redress as it gets patronisation of the political parties. There’s only women’s fight against conventional society. A fight - Jhumur’s own. Her ammunition - her challenge - the theater.

Story : Mohit Ray

Script & Direction : Gautam Sen

Spl. Assistance : Ruma Ray

Photography : Pradip Chakrabarty

Editing : Narayan Biswas

2002, PAL, DVD, 44 minutes

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Selected Screening

Aired by Calcuta Doordarshan, in prime channel (DD-1 & DD-7) in two episodes.

BYOFF Film Festival, Puri.

4th Cinemela, 2009, Delhi

Culture Unplugged Online Film Festival, 2009