Baruah was born inNagaon to Mala Baruah and Purna Baruah, a police superintendent.[citation needed] She holds a master's degree in sociology. She is currently pursuing her PhD fromGauhati University on the films of singer, musician, and filmmakerBhupen Hazarika.[2]
Since starting her career at fourteen, she has starred in over twenty-nine feature-length films, including several National Award-winning films.[citation needed]
Her documentary film,Screaming Butterflies,[5] was bestowed with Silver Conch award at the 17thMumbai International Film Festival.[6] (MIFF). She was a jury member at the 53rdInternational Film Festival of India (IFFI) as well as a member of the steering committee at the 54thInternational Film Festival of India (IFFI), held in Goa. She became the first Assamese actress to receive the "Best Actress in a Leading Role" award at the first edition of the Filmfare Awards Assamese 2024.[7]
Her latest documentary film, "Birubala: Witch to Padmashree" which chronicles a tribal woman's fight against witchcraft and witch hunting, initially in Goalpara and then throughout Assam, has been honored with the Jury's Special Mention Award at the70th National Film Awards for the year 2022.[8]
The director ofSemkhor, is currently facing legal issues. The ex-President of the All Dimasa Students' Union Mohendra Kemprai filed an FIR against her for allegedly "misrepresenting"Dimasa culture and fostering misconceptions about the tribe which portrays a barbaric image of India in front of the world.[26][27][28][29]
The organizations claimed that an 84-day-old infant died after four days following the shooting of the movieSemkhor due to extreme exposure to cold and the grave negligence of Baruah."[30][24][31]
The Assamese film fraternity believes that her career took a sharp turn upwards after her husband became a Minister in the BJPGovernment of Assam.
