Hridoy Bhuchitra – A Map of Heart, a full-length Assamese feature film directed by Dr Mukul Kumar Sarma, has been selected for the prestigious Jaipur International Film Festival, scheduled to be held from January 8 to 12 in Jaipur.
Adding to its growing list of achievements, the film recently won a Gold Award at the International Independent Film Awards in the United States. It has also secured an official selection at the New Filmmakers New York 2026 Film Festival.
The screenplay has been jointly written by Bhaskarjyoti Das and Dr Sarma, while the film is directed by Dr Sarma himself. The project holds special significance as it represents the final feature-length screenplay by the late Bhaskarjyoti Das, who spent nearly two decades in Europe studying filmmaking after leaving behind a medical career in Assam.
Dr Sarma, an Associate Professor of English at Bapujee College, Sarukshetri, and a noted activist for gender and queer rights, has produced the film under the banner of Pitambar Productions. The story is based on his acclaimed Assamese biography Hridoy Bhuchitra, published by Purbayon Publication. Parts of the manuscript were serialised in the Assamese magazine Satsori in 2023.
The book Hridoy Bhuchitra has also been included in the Gender and Sexuality Studies curriculum of English courses at Sibsagar University. Both the book and the film are regarded as pioneering works, being among the first biographical narratives focusing on queer lives in Assam.
Speaking about the recognition, Dr Sarma said the film portrays the hidden emotional and romantic lives of gender and sexual minorities and that its international recognition is a matter of pride for the queer community. He noted that all characters in the film are inspired by real individuals.
Actress Swagata Bharali plays the role of a gender non-binary transgender protagonist, marking a significant milestone in Assamese cinema. According to Dr Sarma, the character was inspired by a courageous student from DR College, Golaghat, while the male protagonist, portrayed by Bhaskar Baruah, is based on a queer youth from Guwahati who resisted intense social pressure to marry.
Dr Sarma expressed hope that both the book and film would encourage greater understanding of queer experiences among parents, teachers and society at large. He added that the film incorporates music and dance in a contextual manner to engage audiences while addressing important social themes.
Apart from filmmaking, Dr Sarma has been serving as a state resource person for the Assam Government’s awareness programmes on transgender rights and privileges in Guwahati, Golaghat and Barpeta districts, and has conducted awareness sessions at several educational institutions.
The film also features performances by Mukul, Ankita Baruah, Pratibha Choudhury, Akshay Kaushik Baruah, Dipak Roy and Himangshu Bharati. Music has been composed by Biraj Barman, while Aparajith Sris has provided the background score. Cinematography is by Nandan, and Mridumoloy Sarma serves as the website and post-production manager. The film is expected to be released next year.
