By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Chalo India With Eric Ji (Varanasi), directed by Assam filmmaker Rajdeep Choudhury, was recently screened at the British Film Institute in London after being selected in the Indian Panorama (Non-Feature) section at the 56th International Film Festival of India.
The documentary is part of a travel and cultural anthology presented by Eric Ollerenshaw, a former British MP and history teacher whose long-standing interest in India forms the basis of the project.
Choudhury, who has been based in London for over 17 years, conceptualised the anthology to explore different regions of India through culture, history and lived experiences.
The Varanasi episode was filmed during Makar Sankranti, around the time of the Maha Kumbh period, capturing daily life, rituals and spiritual practices associated with the city.
The film follows Ollerenshaw’s journey through Varanasi, covering its ghats, food culture, narrow lanes and nearby heritage sites such as Sarnath. It uses observational storytelling to present various aspects of the city and its cultural significance.
The screening at NFT2 on May 10 was organised by the Indian High Commission in London in collaboration with the UK Asian Film Festival and Tongues on Fire. The event was attended by members of the Indian diaspora, film enthusiasts and other guests.
During the event, the team also received the “Heritage Cinema Excellence Award”, presented in association with the Indian High Commission, UK Asian Film Festival and Tongues on Fire, in recognition of cultural storytelling through cinema.
The next instalment in the anthology, Chalo India With Eric Ji (Mizoram), focuses on Northeast India and its cultural landscape. The teaser was launched earlier this year by the India Tourism Development Corporation in the presence of Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and ITDC Managing Director Mugdha Sinha.
According to the makers, the anthology aims to document different Indian states through travel-based storytelling intended for international audiences, with a focus on cultural narratives from various regions.
Rajdeep Choudhury, originally from Silchar in Assam, said the project marks the beginning of a wider plan to cover all 28 states of India through stories that present regional identities to global audiences.
Chalo India With Eric Ji is positioned as a cultural documentary series that showcases India’s diversity through travel storytelling aimed at international viewers.