Purulia Chhau Dance and the Mask Makers: A Reflective Story

educational resource

posted on 2025-03-27, 04:50 authored by Vikrant Kishore

History

Language

English

Research statement

Background This documentary emerges from Dr Kishore’s two-decade engagement with the Purulia Chhau tradition. Drawing on archival footage, and field research from the 1980s to 2024, it explores the cultural continuity and change within Chhau dance and mask making. The film is part of wider research into intangible cultural heritage (ICH), responding to concerns around rural artistic labour, digital preservation, and intergenerational transmission. It follows a community-engaged, practice-led methodology focused on performance, identity, and representation. Contribution The film profiles the mask-making family of Jaggu and Somu Sutradhar, exploring how traditional knowledge is sustained through labour and ritual. It documents gender shifts within Chhau, including the entry of women into dance and craft. Building on the advocacy of Dr Kishore’s parents, the film reflects on legacy, recognition, and community. Drawing on Schechner’s “restored behaviour” and Appadurai’s “cultural flows,” it positions performance as an ongoing negotiation shaped by memory, adaptation, and emerging technologies. Significance The film demonstrates how screen-based practice can support heritage preservation while raising concerns about digital access and cultural commodification. It won awards at Nawada (Best Film, Documentary, and Audience Choice), Kollywood (Best Documentary), and Saath Jiyo (Best Director), and was selected at festivals in Janakpur - Nepal, Karnataka - India, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dr Kishore was also invited to present the work at the Global Dis:connect Summer School, LMU, Germany (July 2024), affirming its academic and international recognition.

Recognition, awards & prizes

Best Film of the Year 2024, Best Documentary, and Audience Choice Award at Nawada International Film Festival (NIFF), selected from over 1800 entries across 84 countries Best Director of the Year (2024) – NIFF Best Director – Saath Jiyo Foundation International Film Festival (2025) Best Documentary Feature Film – Saath Jiyo Foundation International Film Festival (2025) Best Documentary Feature Film – Kollywood International Film Festival (2024) Official Selection – Janakpur International Film Festival (2025) Official Selection – Buenos Aires International Film Festival (2025) Official Selection – Karnataka International Film Festival (2024)