| Submission declined on 4 October 2024 by Bonadea (talk). This submission does not appear to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. Entries should be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources. Please rewrite your submission in a more encyclopedic format. Please make sure to avoid peacock terms that promote the subject.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
Comment: The text appears to have been generated by a LLM. Please rewrite it in your own words, and strive for a neutral tone.Notability has not been evaluated. bonadea contributions talk 21:04, 4 October 2024 (UTC)
In Search of Bidesia
editIn Search of Bidesia is a 2019 musical documentary film directed by Mumbai-based filmmaker Simit Bhagat.[1]. The film explores the cultural and historical significance of the Bhojpuri folk tradition known as "Bidesia" music, which reflects the experiences of migration, separation, and the emotional struggles of individuals who leave their homes to seek work in distant lands or cities. The documentary delves into how these themes, encapsulated in the musical genre, resonate with the lived experiences of Bhojpuri-speaking migrant labourers.
Production
editThe documentary was independently produced as part of Simit Bhagat's larger initiative, The Bidesia Project, which aims to document folk music and marginalised voices in northern India. Bhagat's inspiration for the film emerged from a visit to a Bhojpuri-speaking village in Uttar Pradesh, where he encountered a community of musicians deeply entrenched in folk traditions[2]. Fascinated by this underrepresented genre of Indian folk music, Bhagat embarked on a journey to explore its roots and the stories behind it.
The production of In Search of Bidesia involved Bhagat’s two-week motorcycle journey in 2017 across the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar region, where he met with local artists, recorded their songs, and documented their stories[3]. Many of the recordings were spontaneous and took place in natural settings such as temples, fields, and riversides. Bhagat also visited the National Archives in London to research the history of indentured labour, sourcing original photos and meeting the descendants of these workers[4]. To better understand the meaning and capture the essence of these folk songs, Bhagat assembled a small team of volunteers, translators, and poets.
Content
editThe documentary centres on the concept of the "Bidesia," which refers to someone who migrates to a distant place, often for economic reasons[5]. Migration has long been a defining feature of the social and economic fabric of the Bhojpuri-speaking region, especially during the colonial era when large numbers of indentured labourers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were sent to British colonies such as the Caribbean, Fiji, and Mauritius[6].
Bhagat begins his journey in Delhupur, Uttar Pradesh, where he meets Kailash Mishra, a Bhojpuri folk singer. The film captures the emotional depth of these folk songs, which express the heartache and longing of families separated by migration. The narrative continues with interviews and performances by other folk artists such as Saraswati Devi and Gopal Maurya, who share their experiences of migration through their music. These songs highlight themes of separation, longing, and the hardships faced by migrant labourers and their families[7]. At 92 years old, Saraswati Devi, with her strong voice and memory, sings Jatsaar songs, typically sung by women during grain grinding[3].
The film also traces the legacy of Mahendra Mishra, a folk musician from rural Bihar who contributed to India's fight for independence by printing fake currency to fund revolutionaries[8]. He is known for popularising the Poorvi genre, folk music inspired by Radha-Krishna mythology. Bhagat visits Mishrauliya, Chhapra, where Ajay Mishra, Mahendra Mishra's grandson, narrates the family’s historical contributions and performs folk songs that reflect the cultural identity of the region.
Through these interviews, performances, and field recordings, In Search of Bidesia captures the intersection of art, migration, and history in the Bhojpuri-speaking regions of India.
The Bidesia Project
editThe Bidesia Project, led by Simit Bhagat, is an initiative dedicated to preserving and promoting Bhojpuri folk music. It aims to archive and highlight the rich musical traditions of the region while challenging stereotypes that associate Bhojpuri music with vulgarity[9]. The project seeks to provide visibility to folk artists and create sustainable livelihoods for them.
As part of the project, The Bidesia Music Archive produces music videos and showcases the work of Bhojpuri folk musicians, offering them a platform to reach a wider audience[9].
Critical Reception
editIn Search of Bidesia received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. It was praised for its sensitive portrayal of a largely overlooked cultural tradition and its insightful exploration of the links between art and social history. The film’s cinematography and music were also highly regarded, particularly for their evocative quality.
The documentary holds a rating of 7.5 out of 10 on MUBI, based on 127 reviews[10]. According to Firstpost, "In Search of Bidesia" is "a poignant narrative of longing, pain, and separation."[11] The film was lauded as “the most outstanding film about music/sound in the world” at the RAI Film Festival in the UK in 2021, as noted by The Hindu[6].
The film was screened at various film festivals in India and abroad. A 10-minute excerpt was showcased at the panel discussion Lest We Forget: Descendants of Indenture at the Bangalore Literature Festival in 2018, which focused on the journey of indentured labourers, their descendants, and the challenge of lost identities and histories[12]. It also played a role in bringing attention to the marginalised Bhojpuri language and culture in mainstream Indian media.
An article published by Taylor and Francis highlighted that while the term ‘Bidesia’ remains marginal in academic and aesthetic discourses, it continues to hold strong prevalence in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, regions that remain significant suppliers of manual labour across India[13]
Significance
editThe documentary is notable for its efforts to preserve Bhojpuri folk traditions, particularly at a time when these traditions face cultural erosion. In Search of Bidesia offers a poignant commentary on the resilience of marginalised communities and the enduring power of music as a form of resistance and identity[14]. Its exploration of themes such as displacement, identity, and belonging holds broader relevance in the context of global migration patterns.
Achievements
edit- Best Music Documentary Award, Royal Anthropological Institute Film Festival, UK, 2021[15]
- Official Selection at the 18th Dhaka International Film Festival, 2020[16]
- Official Selection at the Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival, 2020[17]
- Official Selection at the Golden Tree International Documentary Festival, 2020[9]
- Official Selection at Intimalente/Intimatelens Film Festival, 2019[9]
References
edit- ^ ""In Search of Bidesia"".
- ^ "Simit Bhagat's In Search of Bidesia is a poignant narrative of longing, pain and separation". Firstpost. 2018-11-20. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ a b "In search of Birha". Mintlounge. 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Iyengar, Shriram. "In Search Of Bidesia traces the roots and traditions of Bhojpuri music of migration". Cinestaan. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "IIAS Newsletter 30 Spring 2003 | IIAS". www.iias.asia. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ a b Mukherjee, Anusua (2021-07-17). "Several archives now seek to preserve folk music that connects people to their past". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Foundation, Thomson Reuters. "India's colonial slave songs remembered in digital archive". news.trust.org. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
{{cite web}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ Desai, Shail. "Indian folk icon who also printed fake notes to fight the British". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ a b c d "Bhojpuri Folk Music: Preserving and Promoting a Rich Heritage". Simit Bhagat Studios. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ In Search of Bidesia (2019) | MUBI. Retrieved 2024-10-04 – via mubi.com.
- ^ "Simit Bhagat's In Search of Bidesia is a poignant narrative of longing, pain and separation". Firstpost. 2018-11-20. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "Lest We Forget – Descendants of Indenture - BLF 2018 Reports - Bangalore Literature Festival (BLF)". bangaloreliteraturefestival.org. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ Prakash, Brahma (2023-01-02). "In search of Bidesia: Documentary, directed by Simit Bhagat, 2019". Ethnomusicology Forum. 32 (1): 155–158. doi:10.1080/17411912.2023.2193827. ISSN 1741-1912.
- ^ Foundation, Thomson Reuters. "India's colonial slave songs remembered in digital archive". news.trust.org. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
{{cite web}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ "Ethnomusicology Film Award". Royal Anthropological Institute. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "Indian docu portraying songs of separation at Dhaka fest". The Times of India. 2020-01-12. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "OFFICIAL SELECTIONS | Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival". nhriff.hrfilms.org. Retrieved 2024-10-04.