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.
Ishanou is a 1990 Indian Meitei language film written by M. K. Binodini Devi and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. The movie stars Anoubam Kiranmala and Kangabam Tomba in the lead roles. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival. In 2023, it was recognised as a "World Classic" by the Cannes Film Festival 2023 and it was the only film selected from India for the event for that year. The movie was first aired in Doordarshan and later released in Usha Cinema, Paona Bazar on 6 July 1990.
Olangthagee Wangmadasoo is a 1980 Indian Meitei language film written by M. K. Binodini Devi, produced by G. Narayan Sharma and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. The film features Kangabam Tomba, Yengkhom Roma and Kshetrimayum Rashi in the lead roles. The movie was censored in 1979 and released at Friends Talkies, Paona Bazar on 18 January 1980. It was the first ever and the only Manipuri film to run for more than 30 weeks, till date. The film ran for 32 weeks at the box office.
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 (2023), 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.
Leipaklei is a 2012 Indian Meitei language film directed and produced by Aribam Syam Sharma. It stars Leishangthem Tonthoi in the title role. The story of the film was written by Arambam Samarendra and screenplay by Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi. Leipaklei was screened on the inaugural day of 5th Guwahati Film Festival 2012. It was also screened at the 18th Kolkata International Film Festival and Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) held at Jeonju, South Korea. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 60th National Film Awards.
Imagi Ningthem is a 1981 Indian Meitei language film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and written by M. K. Binodini Devi. It won the Golden Montgolfiere at the Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes in 1982. The film was also screened at many International Film Festivals, which include Denver International Film Festival, London Film Festival, Locarno International Film Festival, Montreal International Film Festival and International Film Festival of India. It won two awards at the 29th National Film Awards.
Nongphadok Lakpa Atithi is a 2019 Indian Meitei language film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and produced by Deepak Sarmah. It stars Ningthoujam Rina and Lairenjam Olen in the lead roles. The film was premiered at the 3rd Guwahati International Film Festival 2019 as the Opening Film of the Indian section. It is based on Lamabam Viramani's short story Atithi. It was written as a radio play by M. K. Binodini Devi under the title Nongphadok Lakpada. The adapted screenplay of the film was done by Aribam Syam Sharma. It won four awards at the 13th Manipur State Film Festival 2020.
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 Indian Meitei language 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.
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.
Yelhou Jagoi is a 1995 non-feature Indian Meitei language documentary film scripted by Rajkumar Achoubasana and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. It is conceptualized by Kapila Vatsyayan and produced by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. The film was screened at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2019, Japan.
Manipuri Pony is a 2013 non-feature Indian Meitei language film scripted by Aribam Gautam and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. It is produced by Films Division of India. The film won the National Film Award for Best Exploration / Adventure Film at the 60th National Film Awards. The movie was also selected in the Indian Panorama of the 44th International Film Festival of India 2013 and the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2014.
Paari is a 2000 Indian Meitei language film written by Aribam Gautam and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. The movie stars R.K. Surchandra in the lead role. This children film is produced by Children's Film Society, India. The movie participated at National Children's Film Festival (NCFF) 2010, Guwahati; 2nd Children's Film Festival and 4th Children's Film Festival 2013, Imphal. Paari was among the films screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2015 under the section A special retrospective on ace filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma.
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.
Rajarshi Bhagyachandra of Manipur is a 2007 Manipuri documentary film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. It is produced by Films Division of India. The film was selected in the non-feature section of the Indian Panorama at the 38th International Film Festival of India 2007.
Tales of Courage is a 1986 Manipuri documentary film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. It is produced by Films Division of India. The film was screened at the 2nd Manipur International Documentary, Short and Animation Film Festival, 2010.
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".
