Life in a Puppet

Puppet dance, long familiar to people across Assam, has been neglected as modern times advance, even though it is recognised as an ancient folk art. A small number of artists in Assam still work to keep the form alive. The film sets out to show their labour, their feeling for their art and their determination.

The film received its certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification in December 2020. It was released on 22 October 2021 in ten cinema halls across Assam. It is described as the first Assamese film to open in theatres after roughly eighteen months of closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By 22 October 2021 the film had been shown at 20 film festivals worldwide and had won recognition in about 30 categories. It took part in around twenty festivals in India and abroad, including events in France, Italy, Chile, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, the United States and India. It was also nominated at an international film festival organised by the UNESCO office in New Delhi.