Avataran is an Assamese science-fiction feature film written, directed and produced by Tarunabh Dutta at TD Film Studio, Guwahati. When it received its censor certificate in September 2021, EastMojo reported it as Assam’s first sci-fi feature film. The film took about nine years to make, with more than 1,500 visual-effects shots made in-house.
Watch the full film
The story
At the heart of the film is the Jio, an ancient obelisk of power. In the film’s mythology, it was given to early humans by an advanced alien race that founded the first human civilisation, Atlantis. When a young girl, Panchi, rediscovers the Jio, she draws the attention of the dark figure Dagon, and her ordinary life in Assam turns into a struggle much larger than herself.
“Jio” is an Assamese word that has meant “soul” since ancient times. The director wrote it into the script in 2012, long before the name was used by any company.
The trailer
Nine years in the making
Avataran was conceived in 2011 and shooting began in Guwahati in 2012. After eight months of filming, the studio computer overheated and nearly all the footage was lost. The director restarted from zero in 2013 and used the restart to make the script stronger.
Over about nine years, the film was shot across 150 days with a cast and crew of more than 100 people. The machines failed four times from overheating. One ten-minute 3D animation sequence took a year to finish. Shots were remade, sometimes over months, until they were right.
In 2014 the director steered the story away from ideas that had appeared in a Hollywood film, to keep the mythology of Avataran its own. The film received its CBFC certificate on 10 September 2021 and premiered in Guwahati.
Visual effects made in Guwahati
- 1,500+ VFX shots, with about 80 per cent of the film combining computer graphics with live-action plates.
- Built in-house by a small team that the director trained himself, over nine years.
- The spaceship was designed by Tridib Das, an intern at the studio who later studied design at IIT and went on to work at Adobe.
- The same craft now serves clients through our VFX and compositing services.
Cast
- Panchi: Reema Kaif (child) and Sangeeta Pachani (adult)
- Agent Roy: Jyoti Thakuria
- Agent Trishna: Nilakshi Deka
- Big Babul: Lakhi Kanta Buragohain
- With Pranjal Saikia, Purnima Saikia, Rimpi Das, Saurabh Hazarika and many more
Sangeeta Pachani on working with the director: “As a human being, he’s very patient… When asked, he explains very nicely. So there’s a comfort zone.”
The making of Avataran
In this interview, the director talks about the ten-year journey of the film, the lost footage and the restart.
Recognition and press
- North-East Social Impact Award 2015, Advocacy and Empowerment.
- EastMojo, 10 September 2021, on the censor certificate.
- Cinestaan, 12 September 2021.
- Avataran on Wikipedia and the director on IMDb.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I watch Avataran?
The full film is free to watch on the TD Film Studio YouTube channel, and it is embedded on this page.
What language is Avataran in?
Avataran is an Assamese-language film.
How long is Avataran?
The film runs about two and a half hours (2:28:58).
Who directed Avataran?
Tarunabh Dutta wrote, directed and produced the film at TD Film Studio in Guwahati.
How many visual effects shots are in Avataran?
More than 1,500 VFX shots, with about 80 per cent of the film combining computer graphics with live-action footage.
More from the studio
See every feature film, short film and documentary on our films page, including the feature Adhorua, the romantic horror thriller My Love is Vengeance, the animated romance My True Love and the comedy Phokotia Tales. To make a film with the team behind Avataran, start a project.