Bobby Wahengbam

Bobby Wahengbam
Wahengbam receiving the Swarna Kamal Award from the President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind at the 65th National Film Awards
Born	Wahengbam Khemananda Singh
Nationality	Indian
Education	M.A. (History), University of Bombay
Occupation(s)	Director, Producer, Writer, Film Critic
Awards	National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema (2017) National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri (2019)

Bobby Wahengbam is an Indian filmmaker, producer, writer and film critic known for his works in Manipuri films. ^[1] He has written for newspapers including Poknapham, the Sangai Express, Imphal Free Press, Hueiyen Lanpao, and was a regular contributor for The People's Chronicle. ^[2]

Wahengbam is the founder of the production house Third Eye, which produced the film Apaiba Leichil . ^[3] In 2018, his book Matamgi Manipur: The First Manipuri Feature Film won Best Book on Cinema at the 65th National Film Awards. ^{[4] [5]} The next year, his film Eigi Kona was released; it won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 67th awards. ^[6]

Education

Wahengbam attended Imphal College where he studied PU Sc (Science).^{[ citation needed ]} He did postgraduate studies at the University of Bombay and received a diploma in Film & TV Production from Xavier's Institute of Communication. ^[2]

Accolades

• Writing on Film

Award	Category	Work	Ref.
10th Manipur State Film Awards 2016	Best Book on Cinema	Manipuri Cinema: A World of Its Own	[7]
	Best Critic Award
65th National Film Awards	Swarna Kamal for Best Book on Cinema	Matamgi Manipur: The First Manipuri Feature Film	[8] [9]

• Film & TV Production/Direction

Award	Category	Film	Ref.
7th Manipur State Film Festival 2010	Best Film on Social Issues	Roshni	[10]
9th Manipur State Film Awards 2014	Best Film on Social Issue and Jury's Award	Soft Target	[11]
67th National Film Awards	Rajat Kamal for Best Feature Film in Manipuri	Eigi Kona	[12]
13th Manipur State Film Awards 2020	Jury Special Mention		[13]
14th Manipur State Film Awards 2022	Special Mention	Apaiba Leichil	[14] [15]
15th Manipur State Film Awards 2023	Special Jury Award	Padma Shri Wareppa Naba: Rituals to Mainstream	[16] [17]

Bibliography

Year	Title	Publisher
2015	Manipuri Cinema: A World of Its Own	Yaibiren Publication, Imphal
2017	Matamgi Manipur: The First Manipuri Feature Film	Angomningthou Preservation & Documentation, Imphal

Filmography

Year	Title	Category	Studio	Notes
1988	Emmasu Emmani	Telefilm	DDK Imphal
1999	Emma Keithel	Documentary
	Yubi Lakpi
2000	Post & Telecommunication in Manipur
2001	Tatkhraba Punshi Leipul	Telefilm
	Crafts Society, Manipur	Documentary
2002	This-abled man
2003	Costume of the Kabuis		PPC-NE
2004	Achievers
	Orphanage to Olympics		PSBT, New Delhi & Films Division, Mumbai	Participated in 1st North East Film Festival 2005 Shillong, Road Show of North East Documentary Film Festival 2005 Aizawl, Manipur State Film Festivals organised by Film Forum (2007) and MFDC (2010). [18] [19]
2006	Two Immortal Love Stories	Serial	Doordarshan-NE
2007	Joseph Ki Macha	Short Fiction	DDK Imphal	Participated in 10 MIFF 2008 Mumbai, Kathmandu Mountain Film Festival 2008, 3rd VIBGYOR International Film Festival Trichur 2008, 14th Kolkata Film Festival 2008, Twilight New Delhi 2008, Sign Film Festival 2009 Thiruvananthapuram and North East Film Festival 2009. [20]
2008	Blank Frame	Serial	Doordarshan, PPC-NE
	Operation Theatre	Short on HIV/AIDS	OSD, Melinda Gates Foundation & Melbourne University
2009	Roshni	Documentary on HIV/AIDS		Got selection in the competition section of the 11th Mumbai International Film Festival 2010. [21] Participated in Kerala International Film Festival 2010.
2010	Rhythm	Short, 35mm cinemascope	Films Division, Mumbai
2011	Three Women	Documentary
	Fenced People		PSBT, New Delhi & Films Division, Mumbai
2013	Soft Target		Films Division, Mumbai	Participated in Sign Film Festival 2016, Kerala and Films North East 2016, Itanagar.
2019	Speak Up	Documentary	TOM TV, Imphal
	Kaona Yen
	Eigi Kona	Feature	Luwang Apokpa Mamikol Productions	Official selections at the Indian Panorama (51st IFFI 2020), Indica Film Utsav 2020, Thrissur International Film Festival 2021 and 4th OIFFA Canada 2021. [22] [23]
2021	Apaiba Leichil		Third Eye Productions	Official selections at the 18th International Film Festival of Thrissur 2023, Kerala and Kashish International Queer Film Festival 2023, Mumbai. [24]
2022	Padma Shri Wareppa Naba: Rituals to Mainstream	Documentary	Films Division, Mumbai	Official selections at the North East Film Festival 2023, Mumbai and 29th Kolkata International Film Festival. [25] [26] [27]

References

1. "'Article 19' at SOC from today". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
2. "Passion and appetite win accolades for Northeast cinema, challenges remain". www.newindianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
3. "Manipur Film Awards: Bishesh Huirem becomes first transgender to win best actor award". www.justicenews.co.in. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
4. Sobhapati Samom. "Bobby Wahengbam's book wins Best Book on Cinema at National Film Awards". nenow.in. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
5. Rajkumar Sanatomba Singh. "50 years of Manipuri Cinema 1972-2022" . Retrieved 21 April 2022.
6. "Manipuri film Eigi Kona gets Rajat Kamal Award". The Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
7. "Manipur State Film awards honours film makers". easternmirrornagaland.com. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
8. The Sangai Express. "Bobby Wahengbam's book fetches National award". e-pao.net. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
9. "Bobby's Matamgi Manipur won the Best Book on Cinema". www.pothashang.in. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
10. "Nobap walks away with the lion's share at 7th film fest : 21st sep10 ~ E-Pao! Headlines".
11. "Soft Target - IndianCine". indiancine.ma. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
12. "'Eigi Kona' receives Rajat Kamal for best regional Manipuri feature film". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
13. "Manipur State Film Awards 2020 Winners". The Sangai Express. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
14. "Manipur film awards: Bishesh Huirem becomes the first transgender to win Best Actor award". The Indian Express. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
15. "14th Manipur State Film Award, 2022 Winners announced". e-pao.net. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
16. IPF Bureau. "Winners of 15th Manipur State Film Award 2023 Award declared". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
17. "'Eigi Nupi Tamnalai' wins best feature film award, 'I Hanughaoga (Let me Return)' bags best dialect film MSFDS declares winners of 15th State Film Awards". The Sangai Express. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
18. "From Orphanage to Olympics: Journey of Dingko Singh, a destiny's child". thenewsmill.com. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
19. "Manipur first Film Festival concludes". www.oneindia.com. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
20. "Filmmakers Associated With Northeast Campaign to Have MIFF 2022 Showcase Late Maipak's Works". imphalreviews.in. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
21. "List of films selected for Competition Section - MIFF 2010". pibmumbai.gov.in. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
22. "'Eigi Kona' best Manipuri feature film in 67th National Film Awards". thenortheastaffairs.com. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
23. "'Eigi Kona'". The Sangai Express. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
24. "Apaiba Leichil". The Sangai Express.
25. "NORTHEAST FILM FESTIVAL 2023 (NEFF) Day 1; Mahima Chaudhry, Padmini Kolhapure & Gulshan Grover graced the event". www.bollywoodcouch.com. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
26. "NORTHEAST FILM FESTIVAL 2023 (NEFF): Mahima Chaudhry to Randeep Hooda many B-Town celebrities graced". www.shebusinesstime.com. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
27. "Film on Wareppa Naba selected". The Sangai Express. Retrieved 18 April 2025.