Experiencing Interruptions?

IN SEARCH OF PARBHA CHHAU

In Search Of Parbha Chhau is a documentary film of duration 47:27 minutes, based on the search of a rarely heard, dying dance form called PARBHA. This unique Chhau dance form of Bengal, has become obscure and consigned to oblivion. Unlike the other two forms ‘The Purulia Chhau ‘ and ‘The Seraikela Chhau,’ that have earned accolades worldwide -- the third important form Parbha, or ‘ The Chilkigarh traditional Chhau’, has met its misfortune of being lost under existential crisis.

  • ABANTI SINHA
    Director
  • ABANTI SINHA
    Writer
  • EASTERN ZONAL CULTURAL CENTRE , MINISTRY OF CULTURE, GOVT OF INDIA
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    পরভা ছৌ-এর সন্ধানে
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    47 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 20, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Bengali
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital (Canon Eos 5D Mark IV D)
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - ABANTI SINHA

Abanti Sinha is a documentary maker, based in Kolkata, India. She has spent the last twenty odd years in her career as a journalist working with the renowned groups of the Print Media Industry, namely, Uttar Banga Sangbad, Ananda Bazar Patrika and Delhi Press Group of Magazines. She always had an inclination to writing and also a keen vision for exploring the untold stories of people, their life,art, rituals, the lesser known cult and culture.
Her passion of travelling to the nooks and corners of her country, to unknown places, interacting with people of different faith, beliefs and culture -- gave her the privilege of spontaneously mingling and interacting with people of grass root, getting involved in the truest sense to capture the essence of their prosaic life. As a director of the documentary films, her narrative finds a new way of unleashing her creative efforts.
Her film,’ IN SEARCH OF PARBHA CHHAU’ produced by Ministry Of Culture Govt. Of India, is on a rare dance form of Chhau which is consigned to oblivion. It is through the Documentary her findings for this rare dance form, has reached the world. It has won accolades worldwide in International Film Festivals like Standalone Film Festival and Awards Los Angeles, Roll out Dance Film Festival Macau, Lift-off Sessions Pinewood Studios UK and Golden Tree International Documentary Festival, (Frankfurt, Germany). Some awards have also come its way. Special Mention Award in Dhaka Festival, Best Runner up Award in Cochin International Short Films Awards and Best Documentary award in Cinema4Screen Film Festival Mumbai, Best Documentary Film on the Intangible Heritage of India from Kerala State Museum Talkies International Film Festival are some to mention. The film has also been officially selected and screened in Indic Film Festival, Royal Stag Barrel Challenge and many others.
Her recent Documentary Film Bhumchu- The drops of Eternal Life, produced by The Govt. Of Sikkim is on a very interesting subject, WATER.“Bhumchu” which means a sacred pot of water, is one of the most colourful and vibrant festival of Sikkim which is celebrated with tremendous fanfare in the entire state. The festival is believed to decide the fate of this beautiful North Eastern state of India in the upcoming New Year. Undoubtedly, one of the most important and holiest festivals for all the Buddhists in Sikkim and around, it also provides for a perfect platform for all those Non-Buddhists who seek a deeper insight into Buddhism and its religious customs, beliefs and rituals. It reveals how water, the primordial substance of our existence is deeply connected to Tibetan faith and the philosophies of Buddhism.
This film is also selected for a public screening at the Noble International Film Festival, Bengaluru and The London Film Festival September session, at the Pinewood Studios.
There are few more projects in pipeline with Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, The Indian Foundation for Arts and Sikkim Govt.
Having worked in the Cultural field for years she describes her journey as a process of evolving into an orator through the lenses. Her motto is to indulge and create more Documentaries and short films on the diversifications of the cultural heritage of her country.

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Director Statement

The urge of discovering the rustic folk form of PARBHA CHHAU, took me to the remote villages of Midnapore in West Bengal. As it is an extinct dance form it took a great deal of fieldwork and research to reach the core of the subject. The socio- cultural backdrop , the beliefs and heritage associated with it. After much search I could locate two elderly surviving dancers to get a fair idea about the essence of this explicit form.
Parbha once emerged through the Royal house of Chilkigarh and was widely endorsed and patronised by the kings of Dhabaldev Dynasty. Later on with the lack of resources, became endangered. Some of the wooden Parbha masks which are also very unique and stylized, got destroyed by an accidental fire. The few that remains need to come into limelight. The purpose of my documentary film, is not only to bring forth the traditional form as old as 188 years, but also to throw light on the rare artefacts and the artistes who never had a recognition. If the form would be restored, the artistes would sustain, their hard work to train their posterity would meet a purpose.