Namrata Datta’s Lakshahira is a powerful documentary that preserves the life and legacy of Dr. Lakshahira Das, standing firm against the commercialization of media in today’s post-truth era. Vinta Nanda writes…

This 94-year-old poet, lyricist, and educator from Assam, India, has contributed immensely to literature, music, and education. In a time when mainstream media is driven by commercialization and political influence, Lakshahira highlights the importance of preserving truthful narratives through documentary filmmaking. The film’s significance lies in its ability to keep Dr. Das’s contributions alive for future generations, ensuring that authentic stories like hers are not lost to the profit-driven narratives that dominate screens, news, and popular culture.   

Preserving Authentic Narratives in a Post-Truth Era

Lakshahira serves as a striking example of how documentary filmmaking can resist the pressures of commercialization. Namrata Datta's work here honours the life and legacy of Dr. Lakshahira Das, a woman whose contributions to literature, music, and education in northeastern India may have been overshadowed if not for the courage of documentary filmmakers like Datta. The film's strength lies not only in its portrayal of an exceptional individual but also in its broader significance against selective narratives that shape mainstream media today.

At the heart of Lakshahira is a simple, yet profound question: what happens to stories that don’t fit into the sanitized, politicized, or marketable packages that modern media thrives on? In a world where the mainstream media tends to erase stories that don't conform to commercial agendas, documentaries like Lakshahira stand firm in their mission to record history in its purest form—unadulterated and free from manipulations.

Dr. Lakshahira Das is a figure whose body of work as a poet, lyricist, singer, and educator speaks volumes. Yet her life could have easily been lost to time if not for Datta’s endeavour to capture her story. Through this documentary, Datta ensures that Dr. Das’s legacy will not be forgotten, and that her remarkable contributions to northeastern India's cultural and educational landscape will continue to inspire future generations.

Raised in a culturally enriching environment, Dr. Das's exceptional musical talent was nurtured by her father, blossoming into a lifelong passion. Her life is one of multifaceted achievement: from serving as a university professor and authoring textbooks to becoming a beloved lyricist and vocalist. Her journey illustrates how a woman can excel in multiple arenas—family, career, and art—without ever compromising one for the other. Dr. Das has not only been a composer, poet, mother, great-grandmother, and mentor but also an educator whose influence spans generations.

A Defiant Act of Preservation

Through Lakshahira, Datta captures the essence of a woman who, like the legendary Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, gave voice to the heart and soul of northeastern India. If not for figures like Hazarika, whose music brought the region to the national stage, the works of Dr. Lakshahira Das might have remained in the shadows. The documentary reminds us that these stories of cultural and artistic significance are not only worth preserving but necessary for the future to understand the full scope of India's post-independence cultural evolution.

Datta’s Lakshahira provides a crucial counterbalance by documenting the lives and works of individuals who would otherwise slip through the cracks of history. The film in which Datta interviews Dr. Das while also telling her life story is honest and free from distortions. Whether such films are mainstreamed, applauded, or even widely seen, they endure as vital records for the future—a safeguard against the erasure of alternative narratives.

Namrata Datta’s documentary film is more than just a tribute to a remarkable individual; it is a defiant act of preservation in a media landscape increasingly dominated by manipulated truths. As the film unfolds, one is taken through the extraordinary journey of a woman whose life is deeply intertwined with the cultural and artistic fabric of Assam. Her contributions to music and literature were not mere products of talent but of a deep commitment to her heritage, family, and community.

For generations to come, this documentary will serve as a record of Dr. Lakshahira Das’s legacy and the power of documentary filmmaking to capture truths that matter rather than the half-truths that sell so easily.

Directed and produced by Namrata Datta, with cinematography by Ratul Barman and Utpal Datta, the editing handled by Jhulan Krishna Mahanta, and sound design by Debajit Gayan, enhance the film’s narrative depth. Narrated by Abani Bora with music composed by Tarali Sarma, the film’s screenplay by Utpal Datta ensures an authentic portrayal of a remarkable figure. The subtitles, created by Prantik Deka, make this important story accessible to a wider audience. Lakshahira was crafted with the help of a dedicated team, including assistants Light Babu and Gargi Dutta. The film was edited at Chorai Chapari Editing Studio, and the logo is designed by Sourish Mitra. Special acknowledgment is given to Dr. Akunthita Barthakur, Dr. Phunu Das Sarma, and others for their support.  

The film not only pays tribute to Dr. Lakshahira Das’s life and work but also serves as a reminder of the critical role documentaries play in resisting the erasure of history in an increasingly commercialized world.