Aabiskar (The Debut) by Ankur Deka, which premiered at the 31st Kolkata International Film Festival in 2025, is a short, feel-good story about rediscovering oneself. Inspired by a short story by Satyajit Ray, the Assamese short film traces the emotional impact of a new opportunity that arrives at the doorstep of Manoranjan Kalita, a retired man living peacefully with his family in Guwahati. The opportunity, which he encounters on his way to the market, is an invitation to act in front of the camera. It is a proposal for a big-budget Assamese film, where Kalita’s physical appearance is in perfect sync with the role.
The film observes Kalita’s hesitations as well as his gentle willingness to try out the part, even though it has been a while since he last set foot on a stage. As one might expect, the desire of this man in his sixties is met with opposition from his wife and son. However, the filmmaker handles the subject and the situation without external judgement. Instead, the film adopts an observational approach to portray the protagonist’s internal tug-of-war. With every conversation he has with family or friends, Kalita gains a little more clarity about whether he wants to accept the role or not. With each new thought, he comes an inch closer to a deeper understanding of himself.
Explaining how the short film was conceptualised, filmmaker Ankur Deka noted, “Aabiskar took shape during the 2021 Covid-19 lockdown, at a time when I was completely stuck and watching my friends abandon acting for more ‘secure’ jobs. The growing perception of creative work as ‘non-essential’ felt deeply troubling to me. In that moment, the dignity and resilience of the protagonist in Satyajit Ray’s Patol Babu, Film Star kept coming back to me. Revisiting the story made it clear that this was the narrative I needed to reimagine for our current reality, and thus this film was born.”
Aabiskar’s emotional truth is built around internally complex navigations and the micro-currents that oscillate between the protagonist’s lonesome sighs—softened by the embrace of a friend’s support—and the cold approach of his son back home. The film makes one reflect on how often we allow other people’s opinions to define what we can or cannot do. As a result, Kalita’s renewed way of seeing life becomes a hopeful reminder that sometimes the hardest part of following a desire is not taking the first step, but convincing oneself of the worth of that step. Aabiskar successfully conveys this message to audiences in a simple and engaging manner.
The role of Manoranjan Kalita is portrayed by Dr. Jayanta Das with his characteristic finesse. He is supported by an ensemble cast that includes Kula Kuldip, Swagata Bharali, Pakija Begum, Mintu Barua, Chinmoy Kataki, Chanku Niranjan Nath, and Uddipana Choudhury. With a screenplay by Adhiraj Kashyap and Ankur Deka, the film is produced by Bhaskar Hazarika and Ronnie Lahiri, along with Dr. Jayanta Das and Ranjana Das as co-producers.
When asked about the budget and the challenges of making the short film, Deka said, “No independent filmmaker ever gets the dream budget. We never make films comfortably. I am fortunate that Bhaskar Hazarika and Ronnie Lahiri came on board not just as mentors, but as people who protected the film and kept us focused. Dr. Jayanta Das and Ranjana Das also supported me.”
He further added, “The entire post-production process of the film would not have been possible without our associate producers—Priyadarshini Inman, Kabir Bhattacharya, and Amrita Barooah. Every single person in the cast and crew has cut corners on their end. That human investment is the real budget of Aabiskar. It’s huge, and it’s priceless.”
Unlike feature films, which can sustain themselves through post-release revenue from OTT platforms and television, short films often struggle to generate returns. Once their festival run ends, they face an uncertain afterlife with limited avenues for visibility or financial gain. Addressing this, Deka remarked, “It’s true—short films are rarely made with a financial motive. It is more about the festival circuit and, primarily, about recognition.”
He also observed, “Today, OTT platforms are beginning to create a dedicated space for short-format content. However, for Aabiskar, I never aimed for a festival-centric path. The goal was always to make the film accessible to everyone, and hence I kept the storytelling simple. Its sustainability will now come from the popularity it gains among audiences.”
The music of Aabiskar, another strong aspect of the film, is composed by Anubhav Gogoi, while the cinematography is handled by Chandra Kumar Das. The film is edited by Hirak Jyoti Pathak, with Rinku Boro as the sound designer. Aabiskar will soon be available for all viewers, especially those wrestling with second thoughts about pursuing a creative profession.