Ashutosh Tiwari, Jagdalpur. The stories born on the land of Bastar were often limited to legends and reports, but this time Bastar has decided to tell its own story and the result of that is the Chhattisgarhi film ‘Maati’, which became the center of discussion as soon as it was released across the state on Friday. While most films bind Bastar in a one-sided picture of conflict or violence, for the first time ‘Mati’ presents Bastar to the world from its own perspective, its people, its culture, its sensitivities and the hopes growing within it.

Not from the point of view of reporters, but from the point of view of Bastar, ‘Mati’ changed the way of seeing.

The first show of ‘Maati’ released across the state was organized especially for journalists in Jagdalpur. But the biggest feature of this show was not the film, but the perspective that the journalists saw on the screen of a Bastar which they cover every day, but for the first time they were able to experience it in such a live form. The film breaks the definition of entertainment and captures the stories rooted in the soil of Bastar. The breath of dense forests, the silence spread in the valleys, the simplicity of the villages, and the stubbornness of life even amidst the shadow of Naxalism. ‘Maati’ does not show Bastar as a “problem area”, rather the real heartbeat of the place highlights the courage of the people and the warmth of relations.

People lived their own story, participation of more than 1000 local artists

The real strength of the film is the involvement of the people of Bastar in it. Not by acting, but with my real life experiences. According to producer-storyteller Sampat Jha, Maati is not a film but the collective voice of Bastar. Initially people were hesitant due to the fear of Naxalism, but later more than 1000 villagers made themselves a part of this story and this is the soul of the film.

Love and hope amidst Naxalism, a story that Bastar lives, but does not play.

The film has a backdrop of violence, fear and conflict, but the story does not revolve around them. This is a story of love, trust, humanity and the spirit that teaches every Bastar resident to move forward even in the face of difficulties. Director Avinash Prasad, with years of grounded understanding, has made the scenes so real that many moments feel like a documentary but the depth of emotions is completely cinematic.

Real locations of Bastar, no set, no green screen

The film has been shot in the Naxal affected areas of Bastar, dense forests, river valleys, high mountains, and remote villages. That natural beauty, which often remains out of reach of people, is seen shining like the pride of Bastar on the big screen this time.

Strong presence of local artists

In the lead roles, actors like Mahendra Thakur (Bheema), Bhumika Saha (Urmila), Bhumika Nishad, Rajesh Mohanty, Ashutosh Tiwari, Deepak Nathan, Santosh Dani, Nirmal Singh Rajput, Jitendra Thakur, Neelima, Lavanya Manikpuri, Purnima Saroj, Sridhar Rao, Badshah Khan, Shiv Shankar Pillai brought the soul of Bastar on screen.

Maati is not just a cinema film, it has become the documentary identity of Bastar.

Journalists who have seen the film said that ‘Maati’ changes the perspective of looking at Bastar. This film proves that the story of a place can be told best by those people who themselves live the fragrance of that land, its pain, and its hopes every day.