The story of Rima Das to the Oscars with a hand-held camera

Rima Das’ story proves that passion can overcome the absence of training or technical support. Born in a small village in Assam, she had no formal film education and never worked as an assistant under any director. Yet, with nothing more than a simple handheld camera, she created a film that went on to become India’s official entry to the Oscars.

Coming from a modest family, filmmaking was never part of her original plan. Her father was a teacher, and her mother ran a printing press and bookshop. Rima grew up surrounded by nature and music, which naturally drew her toward dance and acting. Though her parents envisioned her as a professor, her real journey began through college stage performances.

Watching films taught her the craft. Gradually, she felt more connected to directing than acting. Without the backing of major film schools or mentors, she started shooting on her own with available light, using sunlight instead of professional lighting setups. Her film "Village Rockstars" emerged from this raw approach becoming the first Assamese film to be submitted to the Oscars.

Her perspective was simple yet powerful:
A Punjabi filmmaker tells Punjabi stories; a Gujarati filmmaker tells Gujarati stories. Why shouldn’t I tell stories from Assam?

Instead of complaining about lack of support, she carved her own space and chose to showcase Assam to the world. She moved ahead without expecting government help and believed that telling stories was her responsibility as a filmmaker.

Her dedication paid off with national recognition, including a National Award. But Rima Das hasn’t stopped. Her hunger to create meaningful cinema continues. She focuses not just on making films but on understanding their social impact.

From playing in the lanes of a small village to becoming one of the most distinctive voices in Indian cinema, her rise reflects the sheer strength of determination.