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) to Oken Amakcham's Lammei, the first Manipuri digital film (2002), Manipuri cinema, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, has grown in both its form and culture.
Yengkhom Roma is an Indian actress who predominantly appeared in Manipuri films. She is a resident of Imphal, Manipur, where she was born in 1945 to Yengkhom Birendra and Yengkhom Ongbi Mani. Besides acting, she has also directed a documentary film titled Jagoida Katthoklabi Suryamukhi Devi. She also worked as an assistant director in the film Ashangba Nongjabi.
Gurumayum Bonny Sharma is an Indian actor and singer who predominantly appears in Manipuri films. He is famous for movies 'Yaiskul Pakhang Angaoba', 'Beragee Bomb', 'Mr Khadang'. He is a resident of Keishamthong Maning Longjam Leikai, Imphal, Manipur. He has also worked in the Shumang Kumheis including Kunti series, Nongallamdaisida, Opium War, and Pizza.
Hamom Sadananda is an Indian actor and singer who predominantly appears in Manipuri films. He is a resident of Sega Road, Thouda Bhabok Leikai, Imphal, Manipur. He has acted in more than 100 Manipuri films. Besides acting and singing in films, he also performs Manipuri Sankirtana on various Manipur occasions.
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.
Makhonmani Mongsaba is an Indian author, actor, producer and director from Imphal, Manipur. He got his doctorate degree in Manipuri from Manipur University. In 2013, he won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for his book Chinglon Amadagi Amada, a travelogue. He published the book Matamgi Manipur:The First Manipuri Feature Film by Bobby Wahengbam under the name Angomningthou Preservation and Documentation. It won the Best Book on Cinema at the 65th National Film Awards 2018 and both the writer and the publisher received the Swarna Kamal award.
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.
Aronba Wari is a 2020 Manipuri film directed by OC Meira and produced by Rajkumari Nalini Devi, under the banner of Seuti Films. It stars Shilheiba Ningthoujam, Suraj Ngashepam, Bala Hijam and Sushmita Mangsatabam in the lead roles. The movie is based on Sarungbam Binodini Devi's novel Minoktugi Marumda. It was initially slated to be released on 21 March 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was premiered on 11 October 2020 at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Imphal.
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.
Bangladeshki Sana Tampha is a 2020 multi-starrer Manipuri film directed by OC Meira and produced by Rakesh Naorem and Ibungohal Shyamal, under the banner of Ipak Films. Portraying the lifestyle of Meiteis in Bangladesh, the film stars Gurumayum Bonny, Abenao Elangbam, Bala Tensubam, Narmada Sougaijam, Gepelina Mayanglambam and Ashok Seleibam in the lead roles. The movie was released at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) on 25 January 2020.
Eikhoigi Yum is a 2021 Manipuri film directed by Romi Meitei. It is jointly produced by Sheetal Chingsu and Romi Meitei under the banner of Thangarakpa Living Frames. The film got official selection at the 22nd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2022. It was the opening film at the 1st Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2022. The film was certified by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2021. The film won National Film Award For Best Film In Meiteilon at the 69th National Film Awards.
Apaiba Leichil is a 2021 Manipuri film directed by Bobby Wahengbam. It is jointly produced by Wahengbam Tomba, Hanjabam Sobhananda (Bung) Sharma and Bobby Wahengbam under the banner of Third Eye Productions. The film is based on the short story Nungshibagi Saklon (Nungsitombi) by Rajmani Ayekpam. It stars Bishesh Huirem and Arun Yumnam in the lead roles. The film won three awards at the 14th Manipur State Film Awards 2022. It got official selections at the 18th International Film Festival of Thrissur 2023, Kerala Kashish International Queer Film Festival 2023, Mumbai.
Larei Lathup is a 2021 Manipuri film written and directed by Ojitbabu Ningthoujam. It stars Shilheiba Ningthoujam and Ithoi Oinam in the lead roles. The film was premiered at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) on 13 November 2021. It was the opening film (fiction) at the Festival of Cinemas of Manipur 2022, a 15-day long multi-lingual film festival organised by MSFDS in April 2022.
Bishesh Huirem is an Indian actress and model from the Meitei ethnicity of Manipur. She is best known for being the first Indian to represent India at the Miss International Queen for Transgender 2016 organised in Pattaya, Thailand. She is the first Indian transgender to be appointed as a state icon for the parliamentary polls in the Lok Sabha elections. She is the first transgender to win the "Best Actor Award" in the 14th Manipur State Film Awards, 2022. It's Not My Choice directed by Priyakanta Laishram and Apaiba Leichil directed by Bobby Wahengbam are some of her notable films.
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.
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".
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.
