Rupjyoti Borthakur’s Satya: The Truth, a 2024 Assamese film, is a bold attempt to represent queer love in Assamese cinema—a space where such narratives have been few and far between. Set in contemporary Guwahati, the film follows the emotional journey of Satya, a college student, and Amarjyoti Barua, an older, established businessman. Against the backdrop of familial interference, social pressure, and emotional turmoil, the film attempts to explore love beyond heteronormative boundaries.
Rakesh Barua plays Satya, a rebellious young man discovering his identity and desires. As a newcomer, Barua brings freshness to the role, but his performance is uneven. While he tries hard to embody the impulsiveness and vulnerability of youth, his dialogue delivery—especially in English—is often awkward, which at times breaks the emotional rhythm of the film. In contrast, Utpal Das delivers a nuanced and mature performance as Amar. His portrayal of a caring, conflicted, and ultimately heartbroken partner anchors the emotional core of the film. Das’s command over diction, expression, and body language is commendable. However, an odd inconsistency—where he sometimes pronounces Satya’s name as “Xatya” and sometimes as “Satya”—is a noticeable flaw that could have been avoided in post-production or direction.
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The supporting cast adds value, especially Udayan Duwarah as Satya’s brother and Dorothy Bhardwaj as Amar’s eventual wife. Dorothy’s character, though limited in screen time, is written as emotionally intelligent in understanding the connection between the two protagonists.
One of the film’s significant strengths is that it doesn’t treat queer love as a mere “social message.” Instead, it attempts to portray it as a genuine, emotionally driven connection between two individuals. The chemistry between Satya and Amar, including their intimate scenes, is handled with sensitivity and without unnecessary sensationalism.
However, Satya: The Truth falls short in its writing. The screenplay is repetitive and lacks depth, especially in exploring the emotional development of the relationship. We are told the two are in love, but we don’t get to see enough of how that love grows. Instead, the narrative often leans into repetitive family conversations, reducing the couple’s bond to moments of desire rather than deep emotional resonance. Amar’s emotional dilemma, especially his internal conflict after marrying under pressure, is left unexplored. The silence around his new wife’s psychological state or his own struggle to adapt feels like a missed opportunity. These aspects, had they been developed, could have added complexity and empathy to the film’s treatment of queer relationships.
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The most glaring weakness, however, is in the film’s resolution. Satya survives a drunken accident after learning of Amar’s marriage, and the film uses this moment as the point of final separation. The absence of a meaningful healing arc for Satya or a more thoughtful conclusion leaves the audience with a sense of emotional incompleteness. Worse still, the film flirts dangerously with the outdated stereotype that queer love is something that can be “corrected” through social or familial intervention. While the film is set after the decriminalization of Section 377 and its intent appears to be progressive, it fails to embrace the queer identity of its characters completely. Instead of challenging societal norms, it ends up reinscribing some of the very stereotypes it seemingly wants to dismantle.
To conclude, Satya: The Truth is a well-intentioned but uneven film. It is a necessary step forward for Assamese popular cinema in addressing queer themes, but it stops short of being transformative. A more courageous script, with emotional honesty and narrative nuance, could have turned this into a landmark queer love story. As it stands, it’s a commendable attempt—but one that ultimately fails to take a firm stand for queer lives and love.