Aideu Handique – First Assamese Actress

Aideu Handique (1915–2002) is a legend in Assamese film industry. She was the first Assamese women to act in a film. Born in a remote Golaghat village, Aideu Handique starred in Jyoti Prasad Agarwala’s Joymati – the first Assamese feature film (talkie). Joymati was released in the year 1935 and Aideu Handique played the role of main protagonist – Ahom Princess Joymoti.

Aideu Handique’s appearance before camera as an actress marked the beginning of a new era in Assamese cultural history. It was a big step for a village girl and Aideu had to pay a great price for her daring act. Her village people didn’t liked it and treated her family as unwanted in the society. In the film Joymati, Aideu Handique had to call one of her co-actor as "Bongohordeo". This word means husband in Assamese language. People around her didn’t took it lightly and nobody wanted to marry her. Aideu remain unmarried for rest of her life.

Aideu Handique passed away on December 17, 2002. She was 87. The first Assamese actress died after living a lonely, ordinary life. Aideu Handique never got proper recognition for her groundbreaking or trendsetting work in Assamese cinema industry.

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