Set in rural Assam, this intimate sequel to Village Rockstars (2016) revisits Dhunu, now a determined 17-year-old navigating the hardships of adulthood. Torn between her dreams of becoming a guitarist and the demands of everyday survival, she shoulders the burden of caring for her ailing mother while enduring the erratic behaviour of her brother. As her widowed mother’s health declines and the weight of responsibility grows heavier, Dhunu finds solace in the rhythms of nature, the refuge of music and an unyielding inner strength. Amidst the backbreaking toil of working the land, frequent floods and predatory land brokers, her defiance emerges as a beacon of resilience.

Rima Das crafts a deeply personal narrative, capturing both the beauty of Assam and the harsh realities its people face, particularly women – from climate change to entrenched patriarchy. A self-taught auteur, Das once again writes, directs, shoots, edits and produces with remarkable finesse, blending coming-of-age drama with socio-political commentary. Opting for a more immersive, unfiltered soundscape, Das makes a refreshing choice to diegetically punctuate Dhunu’s journey with the purity of her own music, eschewing a traditional score. With respectful, observational cinematography and naturalistic performances – including members of her own family – the film creates a balanced portrait of love and sacrifice while serving as a powerful meditation on the fragile interplay between tradition, modernity and the universal struggle for self-determination.

Guest: Rima Das