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 .
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.
Nangna Kappa Pakchade is a 2013 Manipuri film directed by Makhonmani Mongsaba and produced by Thoungamba Thouyangba, under the banner of P.K. Films. The film features Leishangthem Tonthoi and Denny Likmabam in the lead roles. The story of the film was written by Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi. The film got selection at the 3rd Delhi International Film Festival 2014. The film was screened at Gorky Sadan Hall, Kolkata on 8 March 2014 on the occasion of International Women's Day. It also got selection at Ladakh International Film Festival 2014 in the Indian Feature section. The movie was screened in the competition section of the Kinshasa International Film Festival (KIFF) 2017, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Lairenjam Olen is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Manipuri films. He started as a Theatre Artist and was a member of Orient Drama Union, Imphal. His famous films include Dr. Yaima, Mittrang Keithel, Khongchat series, Radha-Rani, Lallasi Pal and Mr. Lakhipyari. He played double roles of Nganthoi and Thonba in the 2004 movie Icham Chamna.
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.
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.
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.
Nongallabasu Thaballei Manam is a 2005 Manipuri film written and directed by Moirangthem Inao and produced by Monasi, under the banner of Tondon Films. It stars Nityaibi, Laimayum Gaitri, Thingom Pritam and Manda Leima in the lead roles. It is based on the famous radio play of the same title.
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 Manipuri 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.
Moirangthem Inao is a noted Indian playwright, lyricist, producer and director from Imphal, Manipur. He has scripted around 90 plays and most of them are popular radio plays aired on All India Radio, Imphal. Inao has also directed famous Manipuri movies like Nongallabasu Thaballei Manam and Laang. The dialogues from his radio plays have a unique charm and are famous among the radio play lovers of Manipur.
Huirem Seema was an Indian actress from Imphal, Manipur. She had appeared in more than 100 Manipuri films. As a producer, she had four Manipuri digital films to her credit. She was best known for her roles in movies like Kanaga Hinghouni, Chang Shi Chang, Lakhipurgi Lakhipyari, Naoshum, Yumleima Lamleima and Thasi Thanou. Two films where she acted, namely Yenning Amadi Likla (feature) and Ngaihak Lambida (non-feature) made entries into the Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India.
Tillaikhombee is a 2010 Manipuri film directed by Khwairakpam Bishwamittra and produced by Jiri Budha under the banner of Ningshing Mami Production, Jiribam. It stars Raju Nong, Huirem Seema, Nillachandra and Sonia Hijam in the lead roles. The movie was premiered as a press show at Cinema Paradiso, Thangal Bazar on 9 April 2010. It was later released at Pratap Talkies, Paona Bazar and many other theatres of Manipur in 2010.
Tayai is a 2008 Manipuri film directed by K. Bimal Sharma and produced by Gokul Athokpam under the banner of Subhas and Sons'. It stars Gokul Athokpam, Kaiku Rajkumar, Lairenjam Olen, Huirem Seema, Prameshwori and Laishram Binata in the lead roles. The premiere show of the movie was held at Asha Cinema on 16 November 2008 and censored in 2009.
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.
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.
Lallasi Pal is a 2002 Manipuri film directed by Mayanglangbam Raghumani (Eepu) and starring Lairenjam Olen and Manda Leima. The film released in Friends Talkies theatre, Imphal in 2002 and was a blockbuster.
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".
