--- title: "Manuhar Gaan: Assam’s Bhupen Hazarika on social injustice" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/manuhar-gaan-assam-s-bhupen-hazarika-on-social-injustice-japm3 publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Society published: 2026-08-23T08:30:33.155Z modified: 2026-08-23T10:00:06.075Z language: en-IN --- # Manuhar Gaan: Assam’s Bhupen Hazarika on social injustice A new 82-minute Assamese documentary, Manuhar Gaan, analyzes Bhupen Hazarika’s songs on social injustice. The film trailer and poster debuted in Guwahati on Aug. 22, 2026, ahead of the late maestro’s birth centenary celebrations. ## Key takeaways - Manuhar Gaan is an 82-minute documentary focused on Bhupen Hazarika’s socially engaged songs. - The poster and trailer debuted in Guwahati on August 22, 2026, with Manisha Hazarika unveiling the materials. - The film took eight years to complete, with major footage shot in 2018 and additional work in 2025. ## What Happened A feature-length Assamese documentary titled Manuhar Gaan (The Hum of Humanity) examines how Bhupen Hazarika’s songs addressed social injustice and significant historical events. The 82-minute film is directed and scripted by Utpal Borpujari and produced by Dolly Borpujari, Prabhat Chandra Borpujari and Abhijit Bhuyan under the 92X26 Films banner. The poster and trailer were unveiled in Guwahati on August 22, 2026, with singer Manisha Hazarika, president of the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Cultural Trust, performing the unveiling honors. The project positions Hazarika as a musician whose social responsibility and humanist stance extended beyond musical genres to social and political commentary. The documentary aims to reach audiences beyond Assam and West Bengal, expanding awareness of his social commitments. The film features contributions from family members and close associates, including Mayukh Hazarika, Sudakshina Sarma, Hrishiraj Sarma, Ratna Ojah, and other collaborators. The production notes indicate the project took eight years to complete, with funding challenges during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A major portion of the shooting occurred in 2018, with remaining portions filmed in 2025 and editing following thereafter. The team has signaled plans to release unused interview footage on YouTube for researchers and academics. This aligns with the documentary’s broader project of documenting Hazarika’s social and cultural impact, and making archival material accessible to scholars. In parallel, a separate initiative associated with the project has highlighted discussions on renaming a train as part of a cultural tribute to Hazarika, reflecting continued public interest in commemorating his legacy within national infrastructure naming debates. The Guwahati premiere occurred as part of ongoing centenary commemorations surrounding the artist, who was born on September 8, 1926, and died on November 5, 2011. ## Why It Matters The documentary foregrounds Bhupen Hazarika’s role as a cultural figure who linked artistic expression with social causes. By emphasizing how his songs tackled social and socio-political issues, the film contributes to a broader understanding of regional Assamese culture and its influence on national conversations about justice and equity. The organizers’ intent to share unused footage publicly could enrich scholarly work on Hazarika’s life and music, potentially informing academic study of how music can intersect with social movements in India. With premieres tied to the birth centenary celebrations, the project also reflects a broader trend of re-examining regional voices within Indian cultural history and increasing visibility for artists from the Northeast in national discourse. The film’s casting of family members and collaborators alongside archival material may offer new perspectives on Hazarika’s social commitments, beyond the two songs commonly cited in popular memory. ## Background Bhupen Hazarika, commonly known as the Bard of Brahmaputra, was born on September 8, 1926, and died on November 5, 2011. His work spans multiple genres, including songs that celebrate Assam’s seasons, as well as ballads and social commentary. The documentary’s director, Utpal Borpujari, frames the project as a tribute to Hazarika’s humanism, seeking to illuminate the breadth of his social responsibility through film. The project’s eight-year development path — with principal shooting in 2018 and additional material in 2025 — highlights the logistical and funding challenges often faced by independent documentary productions in the region, particularly those connected to cultural trusts and small production houses. The filmmakers indicate that an expanded release of interview footage will be made available on YouTube, intended to support academic use and broader public access to primary material related to Hazarika’s music and life. The production credits include a team of credited technicians and collaborators, underscoring the collaborative nature of a long-form documentary project rooted in regional cultural production. ## Key Facts - Manuhar Gaan is an 82-minute feature-length Assamese documentary. - The poster and trailer were released in Guwahati on August 22, 2026. - Manisha Hazarika, president of the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Cultural Trust, unveiled the materials. - Director/scriptwriter: Utpal Borpujari; producers: Dolly Borpujari, Prabhat Chandra Borpujari, Abhijit Bhuyan; production banner: 92X26 Films. - The film explores how Hazarika’s songs addressed social injustice and historical events. - Eight-year production timeline; major shooting in 2018; remaining footage in 2025; editing completed subsequently. - A plan exists to release unused footage on YouTube for academics and researchers. - Birth centenary of Bhupen Hazarika was celebrated in 2026, with notable public recognition and events surrounding the centenary. - Participants featured in the film include Mayukh Hazarika, Sudakshina Sarma, Hrishiraj Sarma, Ratna Ojah, and others; crew includes Chida Bora, Bhaskar Jyoti Das, Diganta Bora, Debajit Gayan, Uday Bhaskar Patar, Rituraj Shivam; poster by Samudra Kajal Saikia. ## What Happens Next The producers indicated plans to release unused interview footage on YouTube to benefit academics and researchers, extending the documentary’s educational reach. A broader cultural conversation around Hazarika’s social commitments is anticipated as the birth centenary events continue and as screenings expand beyond Assam and West Bengal. Separately, there are public discussions around symbolic honors, such as renaming a train in tribute to Hazarika, reflecting ongoing efforts to embed his legacy in national memory. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/manuhar-gaan-assam-s-bhupen-hazarika-on-social-injustice-japm3 Reported from: Multiple Sources