Agamx at 08:16, 26 January 2026

2026-01-26T08:16:21Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| image =
| director = Biswajeet Bora
| writer = Biswajeet Bora
| producer = Noorul Sultan
| starring = Harish Khanna<br />Pranami Bora<br />Porinandhi Jima Sultana
| cinematography = Sitanshu Khamari
| editing = [[Biswajeet Bora]]
| music = Vishal Khatri
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2020|10|07|Kolkata|ref1=}}
| runtime = 89 minutes
| country = India
| language = Assamese
| budget = 10,000,000
}}
'''''God on the Balcony''''' (Balconit Bhogawan) is an [[Assamese film]] written and directed by [[Biswajeet Bora]] and produced by Maina Productions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=film detail – NYIFF – New York Indian Film Festival |url=https://www.nyiff.us/film-detail/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=God On The Balcony Movie: Showtimes, Review, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos {{!}} eTimes |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/assamese/movie-details/god-on-the-balcony/movieshow/94621310.cms |access-date=2022-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sarkar |first=Shilpa |date=2021-06-24 |title=Biswajeet Bora's 'God on The Balcony' to be screened at Stuttgart Film Festival |url=http://www.eastmojo.com/entertainment/2021/06/24/biswajeet-boras-god-on-the-balcony-to-be-screened-at-stuttgart-film-festival/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=EastMojo |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pune International Film Festival |url=https://www.piffindia.com/god-on-the-balcony.php |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=www.piffindia.com}}</ref>

== Plot summary ==
In a far-off Assamese village, the movie is set. Farmer Khagen, his wife Numali, and their daughter Kuwali are central figures in the story. Unfortunately, Numali perishes after being fatally crushed by wild elephants. In the hospital, where Khagen transports her, she passes away. The narrative details his arduous efforts to ride his bicycle, while an ambulance was unavailable, to transport his wife's body from the hospital back to their home. The two reporters he encounters on his journey into the narrow streets carrying the body and his young daughter become embroiled in an entirely different conflict as a result.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramnath |first=Nandini |title=In Assamese film 'God on the Balcony', a snapshot of death caused by governmental apathy |url=https://scroll.in/reel/993207/in-assamese-film-god-on-the-balcony-a-snapshot-of-death-caused-by-governmental-apathy |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Korkmaz |first=Joseph |date=2021-07-10 |title=God on the Balcony: A review by Lebanon-based critic Joseph Korkmaz |url=https://thenewsmill.com/2021/07/god-on-the-balcony-film-review-joseph-korkmaz/,%20https://thenewsmill.com/2021/07/god-on-the-balcony-film-review-joseph-korkmaz/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=God on the Balcony |url=https://asianfilmfestival.barcelona/2021/film-item/god-on-the-balcony/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Asian Film Festival Barcelona |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=God On The Balcony {{!}} Annual DC South Asian Film Festival 2021 |url=https://watch.eventive.org/dcsaff/play/61e300ded6f4cd00a91853ea |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=watch.eventive.org |language=en}}</ref>

== Cast ==

* [[Pranami Bora]] as Numali
* Suneet Bora as Pranav
* Binod Lal Das as MLA's Assistant
* [[Harish Khanna (actor)|Harish Khanna]] as Khagen
* Rajib Kro as Watchman
* Arun Hazarika as Minister
* Eva Mahanta as Jeena
* Porinandhi Jima Sultana as Kuwali

== Production ==
The movie is set in the [[Majuli district]] of [[Assam]], where the infrastructure is appalling.<ref name=":1" /> With a genuine, flesh-and-blood approach, Harish Khanna gives Khagen Das more depth as a character. The movie stands out for its lengthy silences and few speeches. This explains why Harish's performance was so flawless. The lighting and cinematography in Khagen's home, where Numali prepares meals using an indigenous bottle topped with a lit cotton wick, contrasts sharply with the brightly lit and garishly colored frames of the Ras Mela, which are accompanied by traditional folk theatre, music, and dances. The transition between different settings, eras, and moods is skillfully done without jerks at any point in the editing. The music in this songless film is nearly entirely minimalist, focusing on a single thematic musical stroke that imbues the entire journey the father and daughter take with a lyrical tone of loss and sadness.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

According to [[Biswajeet Bora|Bora]], the movie is based on a newspaper article on an identical incident that happened in [[Odisha]]. He said, "I kept the news inside my heart for a long time because it disturbed me." [[Biswajeet Bora|Bora]] compared [[Odisha]] to the rural [[Assam]] where he had grown up.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video Releases a New Session of 'Maitri: Female First Collective' |url=https://scroll.in/bulletins/324/prime-video-releases-a-new-session-of-maitri-female-first-collective |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Awards ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Award
!Category
!Result
!Recipient
!Ref
|-
|2020
|26th [[Kolkata International Film Festival]]
|Best Director
|{{Yes|Winner}}
|[[Biswajeet Bora]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Winners of 2020 - Kolkata International Film Festival |url=https://kiff.in/archive/2020/winners |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=kiff.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Statesman News |date=2021-01-16 |title=26th KIFF comes to an end |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/kolkata/26th-kiff-comes-end-1502946736.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=The Statesman |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Priyanka Dasgupta|date=16 Jan 2021 |title=Curtains down on 26th KIFF with awards {{!}} Kolkata News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/curtains-down-on-26th-kiff-with-awards/articleshow/80292413.cms |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2021
|12th [[Indian Film Festival of Melbourne]]
|Best Director
|{{No|Nominated}}
|[[Biswajeet Bora]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bureau |first=Pratidin |title=Assamese Film 'God on The Balcony' Bags 3 Nominations at IFF of Melbourne |url=https://www.pratidintime.com/entertainment/assamese-film-god-on-the-balcony-bags-3-nominations-at-iff-of-melbourne |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Pratidin Time |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NEWS |first=NE NOW |date=2021-08-06 |title=Assamese film 'God on the Balcony' bags three nominations at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne |url=http://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assamese-film-god-on-the-balcony-bags-three-nominations-at-indian-film-festival-of-melbourne.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=NORTHEAST NOW |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Webdesk |first=Time8 |date=2021-08-06 |title='God on the Balcony' gets 3 nominations at 12th Indian Film Festival |url=https://www.time8.in/god-on-the-balcony-gets-3-nominations-at-12th-indian-film-festival-of-melbourne/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=TIME8 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=systems |first=optima |date=2021-08-06 |title=Assamese film 'God On The Balcony' bags 3 nominations at IFF of Melbourne. |url=https://www.explorevalley.in/assamese-film-god-on-the-balcony-bags-3-nominations-at-iff-of-melbourne |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Explore Valley Media |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2021
|13th [[Bengaluru International Film Festival]]
|Best Asian Film 2020
|{{Yes|Winner}}
|[[Biswajeet Bora]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-12 |title=Iran's "Absence", "Two Dogs" honored at Bengaluru Intl. Film Festival |url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/470965/Iran-s-Absence-Two-Dogs-honored-at-Bengaluru-Intl-Film |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Tehran Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Awards :: Bengaluru International Film Festival - BIFFES |url=https://biffes.org/awards.php |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=biffes.org |archive-date=26 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226122857/https://biffes.org/awards.php |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-10 |title=Social thriller 'Pinki Elli' extends dream run as BIFFes comes to an end |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/social-thriller-pinki-elli-extends-dream-run-as-biffes-comes-to-an-end-1090193.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bengaluru International Film Festival - BIFFES |url=https://biffes.org/movie-details.php?mid=MTcy |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=biffes.org |language=en |archive-date=26 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226122900/https://biffes.org/movie-details.php?mid=MTcy |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|2021
|10th Washington DC South Asian Film Festival
|Best Actor Male Feature Film
|{{Yes|Winner}}
|[[Harish Khanna (actor)|Harish Khanna]]
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pilibhit, Rattai Jadai, Awakash win big at DCSAFF 2022 |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2022/feb/10/33206/pilibhit-rattai-jadai-awakash-win-big-at-dcsaff-2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211070907/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2022/feb/10/33206/pilibhit-rattai-jadai-awakash-win-big-at-dcsaff-2022 |url-status=live |archive-date=11 February 2022 |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Cinestaan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-29 |title=‘God On The Balcony’ Bags Best Asian Film 2020 Award At BIFF '22 - The Hills Times |url=https://thehillstimes.in/featured/god-on-the-balcony-bags-best-asian-film-2020-award-at-biff-22 |access-date=2022-12-26 |language=en-US |archive-date=2 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602121007/https://thehillstimes.in/featured/god-on-the-balcony-bags-best-asian-film-2020-award-at-biff-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|}

== Reception ==

* There are some flaws in ''God on the Balcony''. In the initial section of the story, where linearity is unnecessarily compromised, the editing is confused. The production clearly demonstrates the paucity of resources. It was vital to include some breathtaking sequences, particularly the one where Numali gets hurt. The cell phone that is meant to be inoperable is still ringing even though the two journalists fell into the river, lost their cameras, and struggled to exit the water.<ref name=":0" />
* God on the Balcony, an Assamese movie that depicts government indifference, will be presented at international film festivals.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=NEWS |first=NE NOW |date=2021-04-25 |title=Assamese film 'God on the Balcony' portraying government apathy to be screened in international film festivals |url=http://nenow.in/north-east-news/assamese-film-god-on-the-balcony-portraying-government-apathy-to-be-screened-in-international-film-festivals.html |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=NORTHEAST NOW |language=en-US}}</ref>
* The real-life tale of the impoverished Dana Majhi from [[Odisha]], who was forced to carry the body of his wife on his shoulders for over ten kilometers because the government did not care, served as the basis for [[Biswajeet Bora]]'s Assamese film ''God on the Balcony''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bureau |first=Pratidin |title='God On The Balcony' Selected For Shanghai Film Festival |url=https://www.pratidintime.com/latest-assam-news-breaking-news-assam/god-on-the-balcony-selected-for-shanghai-film-festival |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=Pratidin Time |language=en}}</ref> The critically acclaimed picture was screened at the recently concluded [[Dhaka International Film Festival]] in January 2021 and earned [[Biswajeet Bora|Bora]] the Best Director Award in the Indian Language Films category at the [[26th Kolkata International Film Festival]]. This month, it will be shown as a part of the Indian Cinema Now segment of the [[International Film Festival of Kerala]], and later this year, in May, it will be shown at the Imagine India International Film Festival in Madrid, [[Spain]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

== References ==
{{reflist|}}

== External links ==

* {{IMDb title|id=tt13599570}}

[[Category:2020s Assamese-language films]]
[[Category:2020 Indian films]]

God on the Balcony - Revision history

Agamx at 08:16, 26 January 2026