Back in 2018, a bunch of us boarded a train from Guwahati to Delhi — wide-eyed, full of energy, and a little uncertain of what was waiting on the other side. We were heading to the National Youth Festival, representing Assam, with hearts full of excitement and a suitcase full of dreams.

The trip feels like a lifetime ago now, but recently, while digging through old drives, I found the raw clips we had filmed during that journey. The files had been gathering digital dust all these years. So, Rishab and I finally sat down, stitched the pieces together, and shaped it into a short AfterMovie — something to freeze that fleeting moment in time.

The Faces & the Journey

We were a small group — Italy Borah, Rishab Bayan, Chintu Nick and a few others whose laughter still echoes in my memory.

We landed in Delhi right during Bihu, and as much as we tried to soak in the vibrant festival vibes, a quiet homesickness lingered. But that feeling quickly gave way to shared laughter, stories, and the buzz of the youth festival. Delegates from every corner of the country had gathered — all representing their own states, cultures, and traditions.

We made new friends, danced to rhythms we hadn’t heard before, and shared gossip over chai. It was a rare, beautiful mosaic of cultures, brought together by youth and energy.

Through Rishab’s Lens

Rishab spent most of his time capturing moments — not just of us, but of strangers with stories written on their faces, and of the architecture that whispered tales of old Delhi.

From busy corners of Chandni Chowk to the calm majesty of Qutub Minar, his lens caught it all.

Post-Festival Wandering

Once the festival wrapped, the real exploration began.

We lost ourselves in Old Delhi, got drenched in its chaos, hopped into auto rickshaws, and navigated the city through endless Delhi Metro rides. And then, Agra called — we stood in awe before the Taj Mahal, watching the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky in surreal hues.

The AfterMovie

All these years later, revisiting the clips brought it all rushing back. And so, this AfterMovie was born — not just as a travel film, but as a memory capsule. A reminder of a time when we were a little younger, a little freer, and a lot more curious.

I hope it brings a smile to your face, the way it did to ours. Until the next memory resurfaces,

Watch the AfterMovie here