Mon Jaai
Encyclopedia
Mon Jaai is a 2008 Assamese language film directed by Moirangthem Maniram
. The film is about the life of four unemployed educated youths from lower middle class families of Tinsukia
, Assam
who are entangled by their own misfortunes. The film is among 20 outstanding feature films of the country selected for Indian Panorama 2008 and shown in the 39th International Film Festival of India 2008 in Goa held from November 22 to December 2.
. When his father dies, Nayan leaves home to work with an uncle in a distant township. One day the trio - Manab, Tapan and Akan are rounded up by police as terror suspects. Although they are bailed out three days later, that incident left them with a terror stamp that stands in their way of getting a clean job. This led them to indulge illegal activities. They hatch a plan for easy money and accordingly kidnap a businessman. But being amateurs, they end up killing the hostage. This create a huge furore but no one suspects the three youths because of their otherwise clean record and family background. The insurgent groups, however, deny their any involvement in the incident. With the passage of time the incidents is forgotten but the repentant trio, though, cannot escape pangs of conscience. One day, Manab’s father chances upon Manab’s share of the ransom money and learns about his son’s involvement in the kidnap-death. This shocks him to such an extent that he disowns his only son and forbids him to even light his pyre. Once again their conscience is stricken. They know they can never forgive themselves. In the meantime Nayan, a well off, arrives from Guwahati
and tell them not to indulge in any illegal activities. Nayan, with all his conviction and sincerity, becomes an Assam Civil Service officer and is serving as the Sub-Divisional Officer in Tinsukia.
Manab, unable to withstand the sight of his parents and sister leaves home. He travels till he reaches a monastery and devotes himself to service of the people. Tapan, being more aggressive, unwittingly gets involved with an anti-social racket and dies in a police encounter. Akan marries his girlfriend-Sewali and becomes the father of two kids He starts a business but it goes down and he loses his mental balance.
The film thus revolves around how they go about their lives in spite of their mistakes and highlights many issues plaguing Assam like corruption, terrorism, Bangladeshis etc.
Moirangthem Maniram Singha
Moirangthem Maniram Singha is a meitei from North Lakhimpur district of Assam. By profession he is a film maker, director, producer and scriptwriter.-Family background:...
. The film is about the life of four unemployed educated youths from lower middle class families of Tinsukia
Tinsukia
Tinsukia is a city and a municipal board in Tinsukia district, Assam, India.Tinsukia is a business city in the Indian state of Assam. It is situated north east of Guwahati and kilometres away from the border with Arunachal Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Tinsukia District of...
, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
who are entangled by their own misfortunes. The film is among 20 outstanding feature films of the country selected for Indian Panorama 2008 and shown in the 39th International Film Festival of India 2008 in Goa held from November 22 to December 2.
Plot
Manab (Zubeen Garg), Nayan (Pabitra Margherita), Tapan (Gyanendra Pallab) and Akan (Nabadeep Borgohain) are four unemployed educated youths from lower middle class families of TinsukiaTinsukia
Tinsukia is a city and a municipal board in Tinsukia district, Assam, India.Tinsukia is a business city in the Indian state of Assam. It is situated north east of Guwahati and kilometres away from the border with Arunachal Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Tinsukia District of...
. When his father dies, Nayan leaves home to work with an uncle in a distant township. One day the trio - Manab, Tapan and Akan are rounded up by police as terror suspects. Although they are bailed out three days later, that incident left them with a terror stamp that stands in their way of getting a clean job. This led them to indulge illegal activities. They hatch a plan for easy money and accordingly kidnap a businessman. But being amateurs, they end up killing the hostage. This create a huge furore but no one suspects the three youths because of their otherwise clean record and family background. The insurgent groups, however, deny their any involvement in the incident. With the passage of time the incidents is forgotten but the repentant trio, though, cannot escape pangs of conscience. One day, Manab’s father chances upon Manab’s share of the ransom money and learns about his son’s involvement in the kidnap-death. This shocks him to such an extent that he disowns his only son and forbids him to even light his pyre. Once again their conscience is stricken. They know they can never forgive themselves. In the meantime Nayan, a well off, arrives from Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
and tell them not to indulge in any illegal activities. Nayan, with all his conviction and sincerity, becomes an Assam Civil Service officer and is serving as the Sub-Divisional Officer in Tinsukia.
Manab, unable to withstand the sight of his parents and sister leaves home. He travels till he reaches a monastery and devotes himself to service of the people. Tapan, being more aggressive, unwittingly gets involved with an anti-social racket and dies in a police encounter. Akan marries his girlfriend-Sewali and becomes the father of two kids He starts a business but it goes down and he loses his mental balance.
The film thus revolves around how they go about their lives in spite of their mistakes and highlights many issues plaguing Assam like corruption, terrorism, Bangladeshis etc.
Characters
- Manab is the only son of a retired teacher with his sister and mother. His father is incapable of providing him anything other than arming him with a good moral character. He can think no wrong being grown up under his father’s ideals. Due to want of money he misses a lucrative job in police forces. Again he cannot think of business for the same. He loves a college girl Meghali, but because of his joblessness cannot muster courage to express his feelings to her.
- Nayan has a bedridden father and two elder sisters waiting to get married. He is the most sober and also a tee-to-teller among the four. He always gives his friends useful advice despite of his own household problems. When his father dies, Nayan leaves home to work with an uncle in a distant township.
- Tapan lives with his two elder brothers and a sister-in-law in their ancestral house. He is always shabbily treated by his sister-in-law for his no contribution to the family and reminded that he is living off his brother’s earnings. His middle elder brother Dhiraj demands his parental property which is readily denied by his sister-in-law. this led Dhiraj to plan killing their elder brother and asks Tapan to join him. Here Tapan is caught between. He jointly run a PCO with Akan but it earns just enough for the evening’s buzz. He spends his time with his friends often sharing a round of drinks after dusk.
- Akan is a happy-to-lucky boy. He jointly run a PCO with Tapan. He stays in a rented house which is often the place of drinking in the mornings, afternoons and evenings.
Cast
- Zubeen GargZubeen GargZubeen Garg is a singer and composer from Assam, India, in the Bollywood and Assamese music scene. He plays dhols, guitar, dotora, mandolin, keyboard and various percussion instruments.-Background:...
as Manab - Pabitra Margherita as Nayan
- Gyanendra Pallab as Tapan
- Nabadeep Borgohain as Akan
- Nishita Goswami as Meghali, Manab's love interest.
- Jonali Devi as Sewali, Akan's girlfriend.
- Rimpi Das as Manab’s sister
- Rina Bora as Manab’s mother