The Meitei people, Meetei, Manipuri people is an ethnic group native to Manipur. They form the largest and dominant ethnic group of Manipur in Northeast India. They speak the Meitei language, one of the 22 official languages of the Republic of India and the sole official language of Government of Manipur. The Meiteis primarily settled in the Imphal Valley region in modern-day Manipur, though a sizeable population has settled in the other Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. There is also a notable presence of Meitei people in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
Tadinada Varaprasad popularly known as Nutan Prasad was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He was a native of Kaikaluru, Andhra Pradesh, India. He started his film acting career in the early 1970s, and has received four state Nandi Awards. He died due to prolonged illness at the age of 65.
Phijigee Mani is a 2011 Manipuri film directed by O. Gautam, co-written and produced by Takhelchangbam Ongbi Medha Sharmi, under the banner of Radha Govind Films. It stars an ensemble cast including Gurumayum Bonny, Abenao Elangbam and Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri and Best Supporting Actress awards at the 59th National Film Awards. Phijigee Mani was also selected for Indian Panorama of 42nd International Film Festival of India 2011.
Surja Bala Hijam, better known as Bala Hijam is an Indian actress, who predominantly appears in Manipuri films. She is best 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, 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 Manipuri 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.
Mr. Khadang: Animals are Human is a 2017 Manipuri film directed by Chou En Lai and produced by Laishram Premila, under the banner of Anouba Maikei Productions. It stars Gurumayum Bonny in the title role. Mr. Khadang won the Best Feature Film Award at the 7th SSS MANIFA 2018. It was released at Range Ground, Yaiskul on 1 October 2017. It was also premiered at Shankar Lal Auditorium, North Campus, University of Delhi, on 20 August 2017.
Arjun Sarja is an Indian actor, producer and director who works predominantly in Tamil cinema and he also established his career in Telugu and Kannada cinema apart from a few Hindi and Malayalam films. He debuted as a child actor in the film Simhada Mari Sainya in the year 1981. Sarja had acted in more than 160 movies. He has directed 12 films and also produced and distributed a number of films. After starring in numerous Kannada films with minor roles, he starred in his first movie as an independent actor in Male Bantu Male. In 1984, Sarja made his Tamil debut in Rama Narayanan's film Nandri. During the subsequent years he acted in many Telugu and Kannada films portraying lead and supporting roles in Trimurtulu (1987), Premagni (1989), Prathap (1990) and Shivanaga (1992).
Paokhum Ama is a 1983 Indian Meitei language film and also the first colour cinema of Manipur. The film is directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and written by M. K. Binodini Devi. It stars Kangabam Tomba and Yengkhom Roma in the lead roles. The movie was premiered at the Tyneside International Film Festival, United Kingdom.
Sanabi is a 1995 Manipuri film written by M. K. Binodini Devi and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. The movie stars Haorongbam Deben and R.K. Sushila in the lead roles. It is jointly produced by Doordarshan and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 43rd National Film Awards. Sanabi got selection at the International Film Festival of India, 1996 and Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt, 1996.
Saaphabee is a 1976 Indian Meitei language film written by Sarangthem Bormani, produced by G. Narayan Sharma and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. The film features Kangabam Tomba and Ngangom (O) Subadani in the lead roles. It was released at Usha Cinema, Paona Bazar on 13 July 1976. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 24th National Film Awards. It is based on the famous Manipuri folk play Haorang Leishang Saaphabee. It is the first Manipuri folk film.
Sanakeithel is a 1983 Indian Meitei language 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.
Lamja Parshuram is a 1974 Indian Meitei language film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and produced by G. Narayan Sharma for N.S. Films. The script was written by Elangbam Dinamani Singh and story by G.C. Tongbra. The movie features Kangabam Tomba in the title role, and Wahengbam Bedamani as the lead female protagonist. It was released on 24 April 1974 at Pratap Talkies, Paona Bazar. The film ran for more than 100 days and became the first Manipuri hit feature film.
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.
Bobby Wahengbam is an Indian filmmaker, producer, writer and film critic known for his works in Manipuri films. He is the recipient of several accolades, including two National Film Awards. As a film critic, he contributed regularly for local and national newspapers for the last two decades, where some of his writings have been translated into other languages as well. Now, he regularly writes as a cinema critic for The People's Chronicle, a local English daily, every Sunday for the last four years.
Brojendragee Luhongba is a 1973 black and white Manipuri film produced and directed by S.N. Chand, the first filmmaker of Manipur. It stars S.N. Chand and Y. Ramola Devi in lead roles. It is based on Lamabam Kamal's short story of the same title. S.N. Chand underwent cosmetic surgery for the film. Principal photography began in 1971 and the film got CBFC certification on 30 December 1972. The movie was released at Usha Cinema, Paona Bazar on 26 January 1973. The digitalised version (4K) of the film was screened at MSFDS, Imphal on 29 April 2022 as a part of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Manipuri Cinema.
Sambal Wangma is a 1993 Indian Meitei language film directed by K. Ibohal Sharma and produced by Ph. Sobita Devi. The story of the film was written by Ph. Sobita Devi and screenplay by K. Ibohal Sharma. It stars Khun Joykumar, Parvati and Star Kamei in the lead roles. A. Bimola and Khun Joykumar are playback singers of the songs in the movie. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 41st National Film Awards. It was also selected for Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India 1994.
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.
