An artist displayed extraordinary talent, intuition, and naturalness in a remarkable play written by a distinguished playwright who had spent years preparing this enduring masterpiece, frequently referred to as the first absurd play in Assamese literary history. Playing five different characters in the play, Runu Devi, a teenage sensation, received widespread recognition for her portrayal of the multifaceted female protagonist, which is regarded as unique in Assamese theatre history. The play was Arun Sarma’s classic Aahaar, directed by Dulal Roy, and performed at Guwahati’s Rabindra Bhawan in 1976.
Renowned playwright Arun Sarma once spoke about it in an interview years ago: “I was incredibly proud to see Runu Devi boldly establish herself in the cultural sphere, demonstrating a remarkable promise of acting talent with her extraordinary representation of a multifaceted female character in one of my plays nearly three decades ago.”
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Born on September 21, 1957, in Guwahati, Runu Devi grew up in an environment that fostered the development of a perceptive intellect. Her childhood experiences played a significant role in shaping her artistic and creative sensibilities. She gained instant popularity as a youngster for her performance in the play Sangram Lagne Aaji, for which she won the Best Child Artist award in 1967. Runu’s father was posted in Goalpara at the time. She participated in numerous singing competitions, amassing trophies and honours, which paved the way for her future career, all thanks to her innate talent for both singing and acting.
Since there were no formal acting schools at the time, Runu instead analyzed the facial expressions, body language, sitting positions, and other behaviours of the people who visited her family when she was a child. She also observed individuals in public spaces.
Though born in Guwahati, her father, Bholanath Sarma’s transferable job, led her to spend her early years in Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Tinsukia, and finally Namrup.
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Runu Devi became inextricably linked to the performing arts after arriving in Namrup and meeting several prominent cultural figures. She competed in numerous competitions, including singing, dancing, acting, and debating, receiving many prizes. She earned the Best Actress award in Assam for her performances in Sambhu Gupta’s Stabdha Bihanga and Eti Mrityur Janma in 1971, and Sendurar Rong Madhurjya in 1972. Over the next 11 years, she steadily established herself as an actress in Namrup.
Her acting career truly took off when she moved to Guwahati to attend Handique Girls’ College. Here, she had the opportunity to participate in a range of cultural events while pursuing her higher secondary and degree courses. Her spontaneous acting caught the attention of directors and playwrights, who asked her to play the lead in several groundbreaking plays. Her performance in Abaran, directed by Jadab Baruah and staged at the District Library in Guwahati in 1974, was recognized by eminent cultural personalities, including singer Jayanta Hazarika, filmmaker Indukalpa Hazarika, filmmaker Phani Talukdar, and actor-playwright Satya Prasad Baruah, among others. From that moment, she never looked back. It was an exciting period for her, as she went on to appear in plays like Sipa, Agni Pariksha, Othello, Aahaar, and Aadhe Adhure. Runu’s stage performances reflected her enthusiasm for theatre and helped her refine her acting techniques.
In 1975, while still a student at Handique Girls’ College, Runu appeared in a supporting role in her first Assamese film, Niyoti, directed by Indukalpa Hazarika.
Around the same time, Rabindra Bhawan decided to open a drama department within the Directorate of Culture under the Assam government, advertising for the selection of artistes. Runu, with plenty of free time as educational institutions were closed due to the language movement, decided to interview for the acting position.
At that time, renowned actor-composer-writer-musician Rudra Barua served as the director of Cultural Affairs. Interestingly, Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia was also on the interview panel. During the interview, Dr. Saikia posed several questions to Runu, and she even performed an improvised scene or two based on a brief provided by the filmmaker. She aced the interview and came out on top in the selection process, impressing everyone, including Dr. Saikia.
Later, Runu received word from Rudra Barua that Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia wanted to meet her for a specific reason. It was only after meeting Dr. Saikia that Runu learned he was planning a movie. Dr. Saikia had spent nearly seven years searching for the perfect actress to embody the Charu persona for Sandhyarag, based on his 1969 story Banaprastha. To his relief, he found his Charu in Runu, who looked the part perfectly. However, she could not respond to Dr. Saikia’s proposal immediately because her parents were in Namrup at the time.
To get her father’s approval, Dr. Saikia traveled all the way to Namrup. “My father gave his approval for my mother to accompany me during the shooting after Dr. Saikia explained everything,” Runu recalls.
Her confidence grew when she met the film’s cinematographer, Indukalpa Hazarika, who had directed her debut film, Niyoti. “During filming, I developed a strong psychic connection with Sir, and we understood one another completely,” she says. Runu also observed a servant girl working in Dr. Saikia’s house to prepare for her role as a young maid from a remote village in Sandhyarag. In the film, Charu moves to the city and, as she grows older, recognizes the stark contrast between urban and rural life, leading her to return to her village.
Released in 1977, Sandhyarag received the National Award for Best Regional Film in 1978 and was the first Assamese film to be showcased in the Indian Panorama that same year. Runu Devi went on to appear in more films like Anwar Hussain’s Paap Aru Praischitta, Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia’s Anirban, Jahnu Barua’s Aparoopa, Atul Bordoloi’s Megh, and others throughout the 1980s. Runu was still quite young when she portrayed the mature character of Bhagyawati, wife of schoolteacher Rajani, in Anirban. The film won the Rajat Kamal Award for Best Regional Film in 1981.
Runu was inspired to play different roles by her mother, Kiran Bala Devi. “As a young girl, I performed many older characters, and I always saw my mother as my acting instructor,” Runu recalls. She closely observed her mother’s mannerisms, expressions, and emotional states of happiness, sorrow, and anger.
Runu Devi’s career continued to flourish with roles in films like Aparoopa, which won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Assamese in 1982. Although she had limited screen time, her portrayal of Radha, a fiery village girl, was memorable. Later, she played a glamorous role in Bohagor Dupariya, a departure from her usual serious roles. The film was a huge commercial success in 1984.
In Kolahol, her third collaboration with Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Runu delivered one of her most memorable performances. Dr. Saikia used a single take for almost every shot in the film, making Runu’s raw expressions of hesitation and fear even more powerful. Kolahol won the National Award for Best Assamese Feature Film in 1988, and Runu was shortlisted for the National Film Award for Best Actress.
She continued her career with roles in films like Sipinir Sapoon, Laaz, Koina Mur Dhunia, Othello, and Kanchanjangha. Her versatility was evident, with characters ranging from a revolutionary in Othello to a glamorous figure in Bohagor Dupariya.
Runu Devi’s filmography is rich and diverse, with significant contributions to Assamese theatre, television, and radio. Her ability to portray a wide range of characters has made her one of the most respected figures in Assamese cinema and theatre.