Brajen Baruah

Brajen Baruah (27 February 1925 - 28 June 1972) was one of the pioneers of Assamese cinema. He worked as producer, director, music director, singer, actor and screenwriter, and he also led orchestras on Guwahati stages and sang on All India Radio. He directed five films and composed the music for eight.

Born in Guwahati into a large and musical family, he studied in Calcutta and then at Cotton College, but left his studies unfinished. He briefly held government jobs in Shillong and Jamugurihat before giving them up for music. He is counted among the early promoters of orchestral music in Assam, and he joined the Guwahati radio station as a composer and singer in its early years.

He entered cinema in 1956 as composer and actor for his brother Nip Baruah's first feature, Smritir Porosh, and went on to score films such as Lakhimi, Maak Aru Morom, Bhakta Prahlad, Amar Ghor, Lachit Borphukon and Narakasur. As a director his credits in our database include Ito Sito Bahuto (Itu Situ Bohutu, 1963), Dr. Bezbarua (1969), Mukuta (1970), Lalita (1972) and Opaja Sonar Mati (1972). Dr. Bezbarua won the award for best regional-language film and is regarded as a milestone of Assamese cinema. He also appeared as an actor in Baruar Sansar (1970).