Guwahati, Aug. 17 -- National Award-winning filmmaker Hiren Bora's Burkha - The Veil (2025) is a story of freedom and aspiration that struggles in the hands of conservatism and an orthodox belief system prevalent among a particular religious minority community of Assam. Told through the eyes of a young school-going girl, the film deals with a range of questions linked to empowerment and education, the role of patriarchy, and authoritarian control in a rural setting in Assam.

The subject of the film is so timely that it resonates with many real-world concerns of our times. It also fits into the broader agenda of the state, which has been highly active in its crusade against social evils such as child marriage. But despite its serious inte...