Be Ready For A Punch In The Gut With Award Winning Assamese Short Film Tell Me It’s Grey

Life needs to go on, even when all things are not seemingly perfect and when obstacles block the way. Watch Tell Me It’s Grey.

Does life only shower smiles and sunshine on us, or is there also a sad tale written amidst the grey clouds? The short film Tell Me It’s Grey, a blend of English and Assamese, tenderly unfolds one such story that encapsulates a wide range of human emotions.

The film, which was released on YouTube on September 11, was screened at the Guwahati International Film Festival and the Jaipur International Film Festival. It was also conferred the “Special Festive Mention” award at the 10^th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival.

The story of Tell Me It’s Grey

The film, spanning a little over 12 minutes, centers on a conversation a young couple has among themselves. All is not right as the lady seems visibly upset. She curses and rants, and she has her tears trickling down. However, her sadness is tempered by her companion who lightens the situation with his witty words.

The duo shares their moments of love, longing, sadness, and nostalgia while going down memory lane. With a laugh now and then, they give a patient hearing to each other.

Have they been able to strengthen their bond and make it beautiful by appreciating the little joys while living in the present? Or have they reduced their relationship to ashes on the basis of regrets, complaints, and failures? This is the answer we look for in their story.

A conversation in the lap of nature

The film is shot in just one locale with the couple sitting on a raised bamboo platform against the banks of a sparkling river.

As the setting captures the bucolic charm, the scenic elegance of Assam comes alive with the green hills and the brown earth that make the place look so paradisiac. I would say the backdrop is indeed a perfect choice which has contributed immensely to the beauty and poignancy of the story and the depth of the conversation between the characters.

The characters seem so real

The superior performances of the actors succeed in sustaining one’s interest in their story as the film progresses. As they casually talk and exchange notes, it seems like a conversation between two youngsters from real life who are in love.

The brilliance comes as no surprise as the roles are played by Barsha Rani Bishaya and Ravi Sarma who are both prominent and talented actors from the Assamese film industry.

We need to celebrate life!

Director Bishnujyoti Handique, who shouldered the responsibility of crafting the screenplay and writing the dialogues, is also the writer of the story which essentially warms the heart.

Life needs to go on, even when all things are not seemingly perfect and when obstacles block the way. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” goes the saying. The challenge lies in making the best out of a situation and by overcoming all odds with a fervor of optimism. That is the message Tell Me It’s Grey seeks to convey.

Rashmi Bora Das

Born in India, Rashmi Bora Das moved to the United States in the early nineties.

Learn More