Set in the heart of lower Assam, Bulu Film presents a gripping narration of how rural India was impacted by the lockdown that followed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The movie reflects how widespread unemployment during the initial phase of the pandemic and economic hardships of the lockdown drove people towards finding newer means of earning money, such as making adult films, out of sheer desperation.
Directed by Himanshu Prasad Das, the film’s title is a fairly obvious play on ‘blue film.’ It is also a play on the name of the female protagonist – Bulu – a widow who becomes the main lead of the adult movie or the ‘blue film’ that is made in Das’s movie.
What Is the Film About?
Bulu Film is centred around the lives of three men – PK, Prasanna, and Atul; the movie shows how each of them faces challenges in running their homes as a nationwide lockdown is enforced due to COVID-19.
The film begins with a scene in which Atul is beaten up by the police for selling liquor in a van after the curfew timings. There is an acute shortage of money that each of them faces, and the only respite that they get from their dire situation is when they meet each other for long chats and strolls. It is during one of these night-time discussions that they come up with the idea of making a blue film, as PK notes that during the economic shutdown, it is only blue films and pharmacies that are making money.
But while the idea is generated, the bigger question remains – who will be the actors? Or rather, who would agree to be cast as actors in a blue film, particularly in rural Assam?
They argue that while everyone watches blue films, nobody would want to do them.
After some deliberation and search, they find a man masturbating in an abandoned house on the outskirts of the village. He becomes the perfect choice for the actor.
But finding an actress is a bigger task – questions of morality and honour play a stronger role when it comes to female sexuality. Which ‘good girl’ would agree to do such a film?
Bulu, a Widow With 'Colourful Stories' & a Mind of Her Own
Not surprisingly, they think of Bulu, a widow who is perceived as promiscuous and immoral by the villagers. This is a popular literary trope in Assamese fiction – the widow is characterised as a ‘loose’ woman who engages in illicit sexual relationships after her husband passes away.
The whole village gossips about Bulu’s life and ‘colourful stories’. Many married women and village leaders blame her for ‘ruining young boys’ and the environment of the area.
Therefore, the three lead men in the movie approach Bulu with the ultimate conviction that she will say yes to their request. Thus, there’s a twist in the tale when she declines their offer. Bulu does not give any reason for her denial but laughs it off.
Frustrated by her rejection, they grumble that everyone knows that Bulu is a slut, but now she is trying to act like a puritan. She is just trying to put up an act of chastity, they believe.
However, after many tribulations, Bulu agrees to be a part of the blue film. The change of mind comes after she is publicly humiliated and accused by the wife of her former lover (Basanta) of ruining her marriage. What happens after that is the climax of the movie and I will leave the reader to watch the film to find out.
'Bulu Film' Broaches Taboo Issues of Sexuality, Menstruation
While discussions on sex and sexuality generally remain taboo in Assamese society, particularly in rural areas, Bulu Film subtly yet cleverly manages to broach these subjects.
For instance, Prasanna’s wife Bina, who has not been able to conceive after three years of marriage, is asked by her mother-in-law to visit ‘Radhe baba’ (a religious guru). This conversation happens in the backdrop of Bina going through her menstrual cycle and sitting on the ground; while her mother-in-law has brought her food.
Some scenes depict pre-marital sex between young couples, again a topic rarely discussed in Assamese popular culture.
This small scene illustrates the taboos that surround menstruation in Assam. Menstruating women are expected to refrain from cooking and eating with others as well as sleeping on the same bed as others.
Position of Women During Lockdown
Bulu Film is also a telling commentary on the position of women in a largely patriarchal society.
During the lockdown that was marked by strict curfew timings, the movie shows how it was mostly men who had the luxury and autonomy to go out on walks. One barely sees women out in the public space in the film, except for Bulu – who is shown carrying a thermos and selling tea.
There is also a subtle reference to the prevalent casteism in Assamese society when the three men discuss Bulu’s marriage. She was an accomplished Bihu dancer of the village whose former lover and fellow troop member Basanta refused to marry her after an affair because he is a Brahmin. Thus, Bulu was married to a much older man who died soon after the marriage, leaving her a widow.
With its bold takes on gender, sex, and sexuality, Bulu Film manages to capture the multi-faceted impact of the pandemic on rural Assam. From businesses closing down to people losing jobs to police brutality, there is an indication of how the lockdown had impacted everyday life.
The movie, however, does not highlight how women’s lives are also impacted by the pandemic. There is not much focus on their lives.
In fact, the desire to make a blue film is seen as a business opportunity by the three men involved who are often conflicted with ideas of ethics and honour. But it is one of the only choices that they have in an otherwise dwindling economy. After all, blue films still sell in the pandemic economy.
(The author is a sociologist by training and teaches Sociology at Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW), University of Delhi. She is also one of the co-founders of Doing Sociology. This is an Opinion article and the views expressed are the author's own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)
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