Biswajit Das

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA under Explorations will explore the making of a unique monthly comics journal of one-page graphic stories, in collaboration with young Assamese artists, fostering dialogue on important local issues, through thematic workshops over six months. Biswajit Das is the Coordinator for this project. 

Biswajit Das is a documentary filmmaker and animator from Guwahati, India. Since 2011, he has worked extensively in the field, directing 24 documentary films and over 100 short animation videos. His projects explore various cultural and social narratives, particularly focusing on food habits and traditions in Assam. His latest notable work is Karpum’s Travels, a 13-episode documentary series aired on Doordarshan Arunprabha, which follows a young chef discovering traditional Assamese recipes. His work has earned him several prestigious recognitions, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Research Grant in 2015, the One World Media Fellowship in 2022, and the Serendipity Food Matters Grant in 2024. Biswajit holds a PG Diploma in Film and TV Production from SACAC, Delhi, and a BE in Electronics and Communication Engineering. He continues to teach filmmaking and animation in various universities and workshops across India. Given his experience, Biswajit Das is best placed to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA.

The project will create a monthly journal of one-page graphic stories, focusing on themes relevant to the community in Assam. Over six months, the journal will empower local talent by collaborating with young artists to produce six issues, each featuring unique stories. By distributing the journal in schools and colleges around Guwahati, the project aims to ignite an independent comics movement in the region, encouraging a culture of reading and creating comics. The journal will foster dialogue on important issues such as the environment, sociopolitical matters, and personal stories, all while celebrating Assamese culture and heritage. Through regular releases, the journal will engage audiences and build a comprehensive archive of local narratives.

The format of the journal will be unique. Each comic created by individual artists will be printed separately on an A4 sheet of paper folded in a particular way and put together with the other comics in a single envelope. The name of the issue and other details like date, contact details, etc. will be printed on the envelope and the envelopes with the comics inside will be distributed as a single issue of the journal. The same will continue for all the six issues.

The artistic process of the project will involve monthly three-day meetups with the artists to plan, create, and finalise each issue. The first day will focus on thematic discussions after readings and screenings, followed by rough storyboarding and narrative outlines on the second day. The final day will take place 15 days later, during which completed comics will be printed, folded, and packaged. Each issue will be distributed across Assam, with the process repeating for all six issues, ensuring a consistent and timely release.

The outcome of the project will be six workshops and six issues of a comics anthology of six comics each. The Project Coordinator’s deliverables to IFA with the final report will be photographic documentation of the artistic process and workshops, along with digital and physical copies of the comics anthology.  

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Arts Practice programme in the manner in which it attempts to empower young artists in Assam to explore socio-political issues, promote cultural preservation, and foster critical dialogue, democratising artistic expression while challenging dominant narratives and strengthening community identity, through exploring the infinite narrative potential of comics, by making it a community-based art practice. 

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm by convening an online gathering of artists coordinating Explorations projects. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.

This project is made possible with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment Fund.