Aribam Syam Sharma is an Indian filmmaker and composer from Manipur. He debuted in the first Manipuri film Matamgi Manipur as an actor. In 1974, he directed his first movie Lamja Parshuram. It became the first Manipuri film to run for 100 days in the box office. His 1979 film Olangthagee Wangmadasoo was the first ever and the only Manipuri film to run for 32 weeks. It also broke the local box office records of Sholay.
Surja Bala Hijam, better known as Bala Hijam is an Indian actress, who predominantly appears in Manipuri films. She is known for her lead role in Malayalam road film, titled Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi.
The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but all the films made in different languages of the different communities in Manipur. The Manipuri film industry was born when Matamgi Manipur by Debkumar Bose was released on 9 April 1972. From Aribam Syam Sharma's Paokhum Ama and M.A. Singh's Langlen Thadoi to Oken Amakcham's Lammei and Haobam Paban Kumar's Loktak Lairembee and many others, Manipuri cinema, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, has grown in both its form and culture.
Romi Meitei is an Indian film director, screenwriter and lyricist who works in Manipuri films. He is a recipient of several awards at film festivals organized in India and abroad, including a National Film Award.
Pandam Amada is a 2019 Manipuri film directed by O. Gautam and produced by Sarokons. It stars Bonney Takhelmayum and Archana Konsam in the lead roles. The film was premiered at MSFDS on 8 September 2019. It was world premiered at the 18th International Dhaka Film Festival held at Dhaka, Bangladesh from 11 to 19 January 2020. Pandam Amada was selected among 15 films screened in the Children's Film Section of the festival.
Eigi Kona is a 2019 Manipuri film directed by Bobby Wahengbam and Maipaksana Haorongbam and produced by Dr. K. Sushila Leima, under the banner of Luwang Apokpa Mamikol Productions. The film was premiered at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Palace Compound in 2019. Eigi Kona was selected for Indian Panorama of the 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2020. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 67th National Film Awards.
Chatledo Eidi is a 2000 Indian Manipuri film directed and produced by Makhonmani Mongsaba under the banner of Sangai Films. It is based on the famous radio play Chatledo Eidi Meigee Ching Puduna by Moirangthem Inao. The film was selected for Indian Panorama of the 32nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2001. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 48th National Film Awards.
Sanakeithel is a 1983 Manipuri film directed by Maibam Amuthoi Singh and produced by Thoudam Doren, under the banner of ATB Films International. The movie stars A. Memi and Master Tony in the lead roles. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 31st National Film Awards.
Oinam Gautam Singh is an Indian film director and editor who works in Manipuri films. He started his career in Manipuri cinema as an editor and later took up direction since more than a decade. One of the successful filmmakers in Manipuri Cinema, he is the recipient of many awards, including a National Film Award for his 2011 movie Phijigee Mani. Gautam has worked under eminent film personalities like Aribam Syam Sharma and Oken Amakcham. He had been a Jury Member of Indian Panorama for 45th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2014.
Homen D' Wai was an Indian film director, scriptwriter and lyricist from Imphal, Manipur. Dr. Yaima, Mittrang Keithel, Yaiskulgee Pakhang Angaoba, Dr. Hemogee Heloi and VDF Thasana were some of the famous movies he directed.
Pabung Syam is a 2021 Manipuri documentary film directed by Haobam Paban Kumar. It is produced by Films Division of India. The film was selected in the non-feature section of the Indian Panorama at the 52nd International Film Festival of India 2021. It won the Best Biographical Film award at the 68th National Film Awards.
Khwairakpam Bishwamittra is an Indian film director, actor and script writer who works in theatre and Manipuri films. He first appeared on silver screen in the 1996 hit film Kanaga Hinghouni, where he co-directed with Chan Heisnam. Some of the famous films he directed include Kaorage, Torei and Sur Da Ngaojabee. He is also a renowned playwright of Manipuri Shumang Leelas and stage plays produced by AIR Imphal and Doordarshan DDK Imphal. As of 2022, his non-feature Eewai got official selection at the 4th Nepal Cultural International Film Festival 2022. Eewai was screened at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival in Short and Documentary Panorama section on 19 and 21 December 2022 at Nandan-III and Sichir Mancha, Kolkata.
The Meitei language, or Manipuri language, is a minority language in Bangladesh. It is spoken by around 15,000 ethnic Manipuris, mainly concentrated in the Sylhet Division. The Meitei language is also a second language for Bishnupriyas in Bangladesh.
Andro Dreams is a 2023 non-feature Manipuri documentary film directed by Meena Longjam. The film is produced by Airameen Media and Jani Viswanath. It was the opening film in the Indian Panorama Non-Feature Film section at the 54th International Film Festival of India 2023.
Basantagee Nongallamdai is a 2006 Manipuri film directed by Tej Kshetri and produced by Kshetrimayum Muhindro, under the banner of TV 10 and presented by Salam Dwijamani. It stars Kaiku Rajkumar and Maya Choudhury in the lead roles. The film was premiered at Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre (BOAT), Imphal in 2006. The movie was later released at Shankar Talkies, Lamphel and screened at the theatre for more than 50 days. Its second and third installments, respectively titled as Ujaningba Saktam and Achumba Paokhum were released in 2007 and 2009.
Ima Sabitri is a 2016 Manipuri documentary film directed by Bobo Khuraijam and produced by Gurumayum Ranita and Khuraijam Ibeton under the banner of Masek Mangal Film. It was the opening film in the non-feature section of the Indian Panorama at the 47th International Film Festival of India 2016.
Bloody Phanek is a 2017 Manipuri documentary film produced and directed by Sonia Nepram. It is produced under the banner of Yelhoumee Pictures with support of DMZ Docs Fund and DocEdge Kolkata. The film was screened at various film festivals, which include 9th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival 2017, South Korea; South Asian Short Film Festival 2017, Kolkata; Kathmandu Mountain International Film Festival 2018; 5th Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival 2019, Greece; People’s Film Collective 2019, Kolkata; Vizantrop Festival 2019, Serbia; Days of Ethnographic Cinema 2020, Moscow; Film South Asia Festival 2020, Kathmandu and Ethnografilm Paris Film Festival, France.
Beyond Blast is a 2021 Manipuri documentary film produced by Konjengbam Sushila Leima and directed by Saikhom Ratan, under the banner of Luwang Apokpa Mamikol. The film was selected in the non-feature section of the Indian Panorama at the 53rd International Film Festival of India 2022. It won the Best Biographical Film award at the 69th National Film Awards. The film got official selection at the 13th Festival of South Asian Documentaries 2022, Kathmandu.
Motsillaba Mingsel is a 2019 Manipuri film written and directed by Romi Meitei and produced by Sheetal Chingsu. It got official selections at the Lift-Off Global Network Sessions 2021 and the 12th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2021. The film explores the repercussions of wrongful actions once they leave an impression upon children, whose hearts are like mirrors that reflect their surroundings.
