‘Akoman’ review: A quest for resilience, resolve, nationalism

• Release Date: 2021
• Cast: Bhupen Gogoi, Bishwajit Handique, Sandhya Hazarika
• Director: Pranjal K Saikia

Akoman’s thought-provoking journey of discovery depicts a people’s quest for resilience, resolve and nationalism

The 16th International Guwahati Film Festival was a celebration of cinema, and “Akoman” proved to be one of the defining films of this festival for me. While most of the films showcased the diverse and, in the end, unifying nature of man through practices, common emotions, and love for the world we live in, “Akoman” in particular underlined aspects of Assamese life that we all experienced in varying amounts growing up. The film presented it all in such a heartwarming and astute manner that it instantaneously engrossed me not only in the narrative and the life of its protagonist but also filled me with a varied range of emotions that some of the very best films have the knack of doing.

The story revolves around a kid, Akoman, who is insulted and punished in his school for tying the national flag so tight on the day of its hoisting that it creates a problem for the government dignitary present in his school to hoist the national flag in an intended manner. The punishment, coupled with the unexplained importance of the national flag and the need for it to be hoisted and honoured, sets Akoman on a path of self-discovery. He does everything in his power to possess a national flag of his own and decipher what it was about the flag that made people react to it with such reverence. As he navigates his way through tough questions and perilous circumstances, we as the audience are forced to ask critical questions about life, nation, survival, freedom, and right and wrong through the innocent protagonist of the film. The director, Pranjal K Saikia, then successfully answers these questions from his perspective. While there may not be one answer to these questions, there can definitely be answers from our own perspectives. The end is a deeply impactful, engaging, and thought-provoking film that relies as much on its performances as it does on its presentation, cinematic quality, and technicalities.

The film begins with the depiction of a flood that we have seen in numerous other Assamese films of late. However, the depiction of the flood in this case felt beautiful and devastating at the same time, and certain aspects of it grabbed my attention. A scene where the boys, led by our protagonist, sneak into the house of a villager to steal something that would enable them to play football is beautifully envisioned and captured. It not only conveyed the entire extent of the mischief that ultimately culminated in the boys being able to play football but also laid out the topography and the state that the place was in wonderfully. This also underlined the boys’ creative nature and ability for problem-solving, which then went on to define and logically justify some of the other much more important, poignant and complex actions that we see them do together or Akoman pull off on his own.

The manner in which Pranjal K Saikia depicted nationalism in this film was not just nuanced and subtle but also impacted me at a deep and emotional level. The best example of this can be seen in a scene where Akoman creates a national flag using various naturally occurring substances. At the surface, this is nothing much to write home about, but if one looks at this scene deeply and lets his imagination fly with that of the child and how he perceives the world, then one can practically feel the fact that the national flag of ours is in one with nature and every element that makes up our existence. We can use elements from this earth to create a flag, and that not only makes it a representation of the land and nation but also an extension of it. Once the boys hoist the flag, it doesn’t move due to the lack of wind. Akoman then picks up the flag and floats it through the air, making it take the form that we associate with the proud hoisting of our flag. This portion of the sequence can be interpreted as the director’s way of showing that the national flag and its identity are lifeless without us holding it in our hands and giving it the life that makes it real and alive. It is the citizens of the nation that make up the nation and its identity, and it is through our efforts and push that the nation thrives and soars towards greatness and life.

I might have completely jumped the gun on this over-the-top study of simple sequences that may not have meant exactly this, and for that, I apologize. However, I understand that cinema is a subjective art, and the fact that I was able to or rather forced to interpret the simple sequence to this level points out the greatness and success of Pranjal K Saikia’s execution of it. He deserves the highest of praise for this.

Pranjal K Saikia’s intention and craft behind every scene are very evident and purposeful. I absolutely loved the scene where we see members of the banned organization hoist their flag at the village panchayat office in the middle of the night. The way the director plays with the light in this sequence is interesting and serves the sequence well. Similarly, the scene where Akoman’s mother hears the sound of a motorbike approaching while in bed with her children, and then the motorbike leaving without anything more happening, was a heartbreaking moment that underlined her inherent tragedy that resulted from the fact that she must have been waiting for someone who never came back. Later in the film, we learn that it was, in fact, her husband. It is not that we needed to wait for the revelation, as everything you needed to know about the tragedy was right there in the scene.

Having said that, numerous sequences in the film will need context to be comprehended completely. While the film will be easily intelligible in Assam and places where similar ordeals and situations are prevalent, people living in more benevolent worlds might need a lot of context and explanation. They will have a similar experience to what I had trying to decipher Tarkovsky’s “Mirror”.

The director knows that he is dealing with a sensitive topic and to ask tough questions, it is always best to use children. It serves two purposes: first, no questions are off-limits for them. Two, their understanding of the world is not marred by grey, and hence when they are shown convinced by a certain point, it serves as a full stop and brings a sense of finality that is beyond question or conflict in a given narrative. These aspects have been utilized extensively in Iranian cinema and also in other Middle Eastern films as censorship is on a whole different level there. Thus, through simple stories and child protagonists, major and impactful issues have been dealt with. A similar approach can be seen in this film, and it works well throughout.

Pranjal K Saikia, through his protagonist Akoman, not only tries to deal with the price of insurgencies that the families had to pay but also the emotional, psychological, and societal toll that it took on a society that was bubbling with all the emotions and plethora of expression of youth, love, dreams, and planning of the future that was ever-present. The insurgency not only proved to be a hindrance in the otherwise organic propagation of life in the village that the story is based on but was also something that was lurking in the shadows prepared to devour any and everyone if they were not careful. This feeling is wonderfully brought out in the film through key scenes and is also beautifully put out through the characterization of Akoman’s mother in the film when she rebukes her son for finding a banned flag and some leaflets of the insurgent organization and plays with them.

For a brief period, Akoman tries to understand why his father wanted another flag when he already had the tricolour to contend with. He reads their leaflets and tries to make sense of it. This portion of the story culminates in something that not only shows Akoman the horrors of insurgencies but also helps him make up his mind and understand which side of the conflict he wants to be on. This not only ends the film with a clear vision and which side the director would want to take but also offers sufficient reasons for his choice, underlying the strong value system that he tries to propagate through the film. I love films that have something to say and speak it with conviction and finality. Akoman is one such film. I may agree or disagree with the director, but he has no confusion with his understanding and laying out of his own truth.

Some films are so heartwarming and relevant, and get their points across with such conviction that they rise above the few shortcomings in their technicalities posed mostly by budgetary reasons and sometimes due to the lack of proficiency, vision, and precision on the part of the technical team. “Akoman” is one such film. The performances in the film are great. Children seldom go wrong in terms of their performances, but it is an art and a science to extract the kind of performance from them that is apt for your film. Pranjal K Saikia is able to extract just that from his ensemble cast.

Bhupen Gogoi as Akoman is brilliant. He is not only completely natural in his essay but also feels like someone who believes in the story of his character and is tormented by the predicaments that come into his life and that ultimately dictate his actions throughout the film. I was also impressed by his chemistry with the other actors in the film, including his mother. These are shorter bits and almost unnoticeable, but they all contribute to building up a character that ultimately controls our view and understanding of the world that the film unfolds in. He is extremely successful in extracting the right emotions and works wonderfully well in poignant moments.

Biswajit Handique has a shorter role but makes his presence felt. His character has a nice little arc that just goes on to underline the quantum of his loss that befalls him at the end of the film. Handique is extremely honest and gives the character his everything. Sandhya Hazarika, who I believed played the mother of Akoman, was equally good. She comes into her own in sequences where she faces Akoman in matters relating to her past and Akoman’s missing father.

I absolutely loved the background score and the sound design of the film. I watched this film with questionable sound and picture quality, and yet I was able to feel the depth and effort that went into designing and mapping the sound to the story of the film. The cinematography and the editing, however, could have been better but that is a very minor issue that most viewers won’t even feel.

In conclusion, “Akoman” stands as a poignant testament to the power of storytelling, particularly when navigating sensitive subjects through the eyes of children. Pranjal K Saikia’s directorial finesse illuminates the societal, emotional, and psychological ramifications of insurgency on a community, utilizing a young protagonist, Akoman, as the lens through which these complex themes unfold. The film’s portrayal of nationalism is nuanced and emotionally resonant, evoking a profound connection between nature, identity, and the national flag. Despite some technical shortcomings in cinematography and editing, the film triumphs through its compelling performances, especially Bhupen Gogoi’s brilliant portrayal of Akoman. “Akoman” is more than a cinematic experience; it’s a thought-provoking exploration of life, identity, and the profound impact of historical conflicts on the human psyche. In the realm of regional cinema, it shines as a beacon of storytelling prowess, leaving an indelible mark on the audience.

Rating: 4/5 (4 out of 5 Stars)

The views expressed in this article are that of the reviewer and do not reflect EastMojo’s position.

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