NRC — Nalparar Ram Chandra attempts to turn a politically sensitive and socially relevant subject into a story about identity, belonging and societal pressures. Based on a narrative by Bedabrat Borah, the film blends socio-political themes with situational comedy and satire, drawing inspiration from an incident during the NRC update process.
The story begins with a woman forced to leave her ancestral home following devastating floods. Displaced from her roots, she starts a new life in an unfamiliar land and gives birth to Kaushalendra. As he grows up, Kaushalendra develops a deep interest in Bhaona, Assam’s traditional Vaishnavite theatre.
His life takes a dramatic turn with the beginning of the NRC process. A man who has always considered the land his home is suddenly required to prove his identity and citizenship through legacy data and official documents. His journey through paperwork, bureaucracy and uncertainty forms the central conflict of the film.
Yet, the film goes beyond the question of citizenship. The NRC process becomes a metaphor for Kaushalendra’s personal search for identity. While he struggles to establish himself as an Indian citizen, he is also trying to understand who he is beneath the expectations and conventions imposed by society.
The other characters explore how people can become trapped within social roles and norms, gradually losing sight of their individuality. Satire plays an important role in presenting these serious themes. Situational humour makes the narrative accessible, while mythological references in the dialogues add another layer to the storytelling.
Bhaona and Assamese cultural elements are also organically woven into the narrative, becoming an important part of Kaushalendra’s character and the film’s exploration of identity.
Siddhartha Sharma, known for his portrayal of KK, takes on the lead role, while Jayanta Bhagawati returns to the big screen after a long gap. The cast also includes Upakul Bordoloi, Jolly Laskar, Ashim Krishna Boruah, Manoj Saikia, Pankaj Mahanta and Boibhabi Goswami.
Produced by Nipon Kumar Talukdar the film marks Nanan Pachani’s directorial debut. A song by Zubeen Garg also features in the film.
At its heart, NRC — Nalparar Ram Chandra is less about a document and more about a question: when society constantly asks us to prove who we are, do we ever get the opportunity to discover who we really are?