KOTHANODI: The river of fables

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              KOTHANODI               
    𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔
                                 

Fables and bedtime stories are definitely not a preference for us when we consider ourselves as grown-ups. As we all are not so obsessed to morals and advices, fables and grandma's stories are subjected to juvenile intelligence. A demolition to this concept came after watching Kothanodi (2015),the river of fables, written and directed by Bhaskar Hazarika. The macabre twists and turns and a sense of weird mood makes the movie unconventional. Bhaskar Hazarika's ability to turn the simple Assamese folklore fables into a top-notch engrossing motion picture is admirable. Kothanodi is based on the traditional stories of Assam depicted in Burhi Aai'r Xadhu (Grandma's tales).
Kothanodi begins with the scene of a man who buries a crying baby alive in a shady grove in the night creates a terrifying atmosphere along with an ominous soundtrack.
The film revolves around the life of four woman. The most pathetic story is about Tejimola, an innocent girl, whose father Devinath goes on a trip to a distant place. Her stepmother Senehi schemes for murdering Tejimola and she is seen as a character who has frequent symptoms of hallucinations and delusions. Meanwhile, Devinath confronts another woman named Keteki, who has given birth to an outenga. Devinath tries to excavate the truth behind this. Then the movie is plotted to Dhoneshwari, who makes her daughter married to a Python. Dhoneshwari is the replica of greed and avarice. Her greed eventually leads to the appalling death of her daughter.
Another story unravels along with this, which is about a woman-Malati, trying to rescue her new born baby from the 'shibbolethics' of her husband and his uncle. Earlier the three babies were buried alive by her husband. But eventually Malati realises a terrifying solid truth behind this.
Kothanodi weaves a kind of magical realism in each and every sequence of its twilight moves. It can be actually seen as the story of four mothers who are totally contrasting to one another. It is crucial to note that Bhaskar Hazarika has given realistic identities for the fables without eliminating the essence of Assamese culture. A dark moody ambience is taken for creating a mystifying effect. Kothanodi is inestimable in terms of its qualities. Assuredly, it deserves a unique position in the Indian celluloid.

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ᴋᴏᴛʜᴀɴᴏᴅɪ ꜰɪʟᴍ,(2015)ʙʜᴀꜱᴋᴀʀ ʜᴀᴢᴀʀɪᴋᴀ

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