Assamese film Goodbye Guruji selected for Paris festival

GUWAHATI

Assam film Goodbye Guruji has been selected for the Festival Gange Sur Seine in Paris, France, where it will have its global premiere in October.

Arunjit Borah is the writer and director of the film, billed as a story of transformation through education and perseverance. Partha Pratim Hazarika and Aimee Barua are in the lead roles.

The film follows Prayash Saikia, nicknamed Guruji, a young and devoted teacher who introduces unconventional methods to engage children at Kinkinia Primary School, and bring education back to the heart of the community.

The film weaves the mythological tale of ‘Kansa Badh’ from Assam’s 500-year-old Bhaona theatre tradition, mirroring Guruji’s struggles and triumphs, and reinforcing the timeless theme of good prevailing over adversity.

“The film is a heartfelt exploration of the transformative power of education and innovative teaching. My belief in the power of perseverance, innovation, and empathy to overcome educational barriers is at the heart of this film. Goodbye Guruji is a tribute to those who dare to think differently and inspire us to strive for a better future,” Mr. Borah said.

Chayan Sarkar, the president of Gange Sur Seine, justified the selection of the film.

“Arunjit Borah is a powerful filmmaker who often experiments with serious subjects within simple backdrops. We earlier screened his short film Zibah, which was extremely well received in Paris,” he said.

“Goodbye Guruji is a visual feast — profound yet subtle in its storytelling. The film demonstrates the power and tenacity of a simple village educator in transforming an entire community. The director’s use of rural Assam as his canvas, combined with the ancient folk theatre of Bhaona, creates a mystic, surreal, and cinematic experience,” Mr. Sarkar said.

Set to be released in theatres in 2026, Goodbye Guruji also features Rupjyoti Mahanta, Rupkumar Borah, Naba Mahanta, and Anyun Kashyap in major roles. The film is produced by National Film Development Corporation of India Limited (NFDC) in association with Cinecraft Productions, and supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The story is by Sanjeev Tiwari, with the screenplay by Arunjit Borah and Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap, who is the associate director, too. The film’s visual aesthetic is shaped by director of photography Asutosh Kashyap, art director Arup Dutta, make-up designer Panku Hazarika, and DI colourist Hadwit Baglari.

The music has been composed by Tarali Sarma, with sound design and RR mixing by Debajit Gayan, and editing by Rantu Chetia, Chinmay Dutta as chief assistant director, Prithul Kumar as producer, and Vivek Agarwal of Cinecraft Productions as co-producer.