Neelkantha

Nandiram is a barodhuliya, a master of the big dhol, wholly given to his art. There was a time when crowds gathered to watch him and his troupe perform, but as times changed the tradition of the dhol faded.

In deep poverty, Nandiram loses his wife for lack of treatment. His only daughter's marriage to the son of the village moneylender does not last. The son, Konok, is a drunkard who has a strong dislike for the drumming craft. Through all this Nandiram stays faithful to his art.

The moneylender is at odds with Nandiram on matters of principle. He knows a man firm in his principles can be defeated but not destroyed, and, out of pride, he arranges for artists from the town to perform at the village's annual festival, with some local youths on his side, to humiliate Nandiram. Nandiram goes uninvited and begins to play alone, but the youths send him away.

Humiliated, he returns home and in anger takes up the drum, playing until he collapses exhausted on the ground. Then he sees his son-in-law Konok slinging the great drum around his own neck and starting to play. A heavenly joy lights up the old drummer's face.

The film was directed by Rajani Barman and produced by Ganesh Tamuli for Vidya Films. Prakash Medhi wrote the story.