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.
Elam Endira Devi, is an Indian classical dancer and teacher, known for her expertise and scholarship in the classical dance form of Manipuri, especially in the genres of Lai Haraoba and Raas. The Government of India honored her, in 2014, with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for her services to the field of art and culture.
Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi was an Indian classical dancer and musician, known for her expertise in the Manipuri Dance forms of Lai Haraoba and Raas. In 2010, the Government of India awarded Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi the Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.
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, the first colour Manipuri film (1983), M.A Singh's Langlen Thadoi, the first full-length colour Manipuri film (1984), Oken Amakcham's Lammei, the first Manipuri digital film (2002), to Priyakanta Laishram's Oneness (film), the first Manipuri gay-themed film (2024), Manipuri cinema, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, has grown in both its form and culture.
Matamgi Manipur is a 1972 Indian Meitei language film and the first full-length cinema of Manipur. The movie is directed by Debkumar Bose and produced by Karam Monomohan, under the banner of K.T. Films Private Limited. The black and white film features Gurumayum Ravindra Sharma and Yengkhom Roma in the lead roles. Arambam Samarendra wrote the story and screenplay by Debkumar Bose. The film won the President's Medal at the 20th National Film Awards. It is an adaptation of Arambam Samarendra's theatrical play Tīrtha Yātrā.
Haobam Paban Kumar is an Indian filmmaker from state of Manipur. Kumar's films and documentaries have been screened in several places across the globe.
Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi was a writer from the Northeastern Indian state of Manipur. She wrote in Meiteilon under the mononym Binodini. She was best known for her 1976 historical novel Boro Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi, which won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979. Its English translation, ThePrincess and the Political Agent, was published as a Penguin Modern Classic in 2020 by Penguin Random House India.
Loktak Lairembee, also known as Lady of the Lake, is a 2016 Indian Meitei language film directed and produced by Haobam Paban Kumar. It stars Ningthoujam Sanatomba and Sagolsem Thambalsang in the lead roles. The film had participated in many international film festivals across the globe and won several awards. The film won the National Film Award for Best Film on Environment / Conservation / Preservation at the 64th National Film Awards.
Oken Amakcham is an Indian film director, music director and actor who works in Manipuri films. He started his career in theatre and performing arts. He is a recipient of the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri for the movie Mayophygee Macha at the 42nd National Film Awards. In 2002, he directed Lammei which marked the beginning of a digital era in Manipuri cinema. He took the role of music director in many of his movies. Cheina, Tellanga Mamei, Nungshithel are some of his notable films. He had been a jury member of 58th National Film Awards.
Mayophygee Macha is a 1994 Indian Meitei language film written by M. K. Binodini Devi and directed by Oken Amakcham. R.S. Joycee and Makhonmani Mongsaba were cast in the lead roles. It is produced by Thoungamba and Thouyangba for P.K. Films. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 42nd National Film Awards. It is a celluloid movie.
Irom Maipak was an Indian cinematographer from Imphal, Manipur. He was the founding president of the All Manipur Cinematographers Association. Maipak had worked for more than three decades in Films and Television industry. He received the prestigious National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Cinematography at the 49th National Film Awards.
Nine Hills One Valley is a 2021 Indian Manipuri-Tangkhul bilingual film conceptualized and directed by Haobam Paban Kumar. It is produced by Warepam Jhansirani and Haobam Paban Kumar for Oli Pictures. The movie was among 19 feature films selected for Film Bazaar Recommends (FBR) section of the Film Bazaar 2020. It was premiered at the 16th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2021, Indonesia.
Pabung Syam is a 2021 Indian Meitei language 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.
Eewai (English: The Ripple) is a 2022 non-feature Indian Meitei language film directed by Khwairakpam Bishwamittra. It is produced by Samir Thingbaijam under the banner of Nongdol Mamikol. The film stars Leishangthem Tonthoi in the lead role. It was premiered at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Imphal on 26 June 2022. The film got official selections at the 4th Nepal Cultural International Film Festival 2022, Druk International Film Festival 2022 (Bhutan), Festivus Film Fest Canada 2022, Dadashaheb Phalke International Film Festival India 2023 and Gangtok International Film Festival 2022. It was screened at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival in 'Short and Documentary Panorama section' on 19th and 21st December 2022 at Nandan-III and Sichir Mancha, Kolkata. The film was certified by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2022.Tonthoi won the Best Actor (Female) for her film Eewai at the Global Independent Film Festival of India, 2022 held on 30th November, 2022 at Rabindra Okakura Bhawan, Salt Lake, Kolkata, India and at Goa International Film Competition-GIFC and Best Actor (Female) NexGn Fest as the Finalist and Best Director Finalist Khwairakpam Bishwamittra at the NexGn Fest.
Meitei cinema, also known as Maniwood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Meitei language, widely spoken in the state of Manipur. The popular term Maniwood, is a portmanteau of "Manipuri" and "Hollywood".
Yairipok Thambalnu, originally known as Sanoujam Chanu Thambalnu or simply as Thambalnu, was a Meitei lady native to Yairipok region of Kangleipak. She was a victim of intrigues and was forced to meet a tragic death in drowning in a flooding river.
2023 in Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei architecture, Meitei cinema, Meitei cuisine, Meitei dances, Meitei festivals, Meitei language, Meitei literature, Meitei music, Meitei religion, Meitei script, etc.
The 29th Kolkata International Film Festival began on 5 December 2023 at Netaji Indoor Stadium, in Kolkata, India. A 1963 romantic comedy Bengali film Deya Neya by Sunil Bannerjee opened the festival, which screened 219 films from 39 countries. Spain and Australia were country of focus in this edition of the festival. The opening ceremony was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha, Mahesh Bhatt and cricketer Sourav Ganguly among others.
AFSPA, 1958 is a 2006 Manipuri documentary film directed by Haobam Paban Kumar in his directorial debut and produced by Bachaspa Timayun Sunzu and Haobam himself. The film won the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film at the 56th National Film Awards.
