The KASHISH Pride Film Festival is an annual LGBTQ event that has been held in Mumbai, India, since 2010. The film festival screens gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer films from India and around the world. It is voted as one of the top five LGBT film festivals in the world.
India's LGBTQ culture has recently progressed in its cities due to the growing acceptance of the LGBTQ community in urban India in the 21st century.
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 .
Soma Laishram is an Indian actress and singer who appears in Manipuri films. She is a native of Imphal, Manipur. Nurei, Hoo Chaage, Loibataare Ta Raju, and Chanu IPS are some of her famous movies. In September 2021, Laishram joined the Republican Party of India - Athawale (RPI-A) and assumed the post of state unit president of its youth girls’ wing.
Linthoingambi Laishram(born 19 December 1985), better known as Lin Laishram, is an Indian model, actress and businesswoman. She is founder and managing director of Shamoo Sana, an Eco friendly jewellery brand. Laishram made a cameo appearance in masala film Om Shanti Om in 2007.
Amukta Ani is a 2014 Indian Meitei language film directed by Romi Meitei and produced by Jenny Khurai. It stars Bala Hijam, Roshan Pheiroijam and Sushmita Mangsatabam in the lead roles. The story of the film was written by Laishram Santosh and Thoi, and screenplay by Romi Meitei and Laishram Santosh.
Kaboklei is a 2009 Indian Meitei language film directed by Pilu Heigrujam and produced by Bandana Maisnam. It stars Manda Leima as the titular protagonist with Hamom Sadananda and Huirem Seema in the lead roles. The screenplay by Narendra Ningomba is based on Khaidem Pramodini's play Kabok Oikhrabi Kaboklei. The film was released at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal on 9 January 2009.
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.
Tomthin Shija is a 2017 Indian Meitei language film directed by Bobby Haobam, written by Binoranjan Oinam and produced by Geeta Konsam. The film features Maya Choudhury and Amar Mayanglambam in the titular roles. It was released on 23 September 2017 at MSFDS, Palace Compound, Imphal and Indrani Hall, Kakching. The movie was also premiered at Hindu College Auditorium, North Campus, University of Delhi, on 14 October 2017.
Maya Choudhury is an Indian actress who appears in Manipuri films. As of 2023, she will be seen as a protagonist in Manipur's first gay-themed movie, Oneness.
Chatledo Eidi is a 2000 Indian Meitei language 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.
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.
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.
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.
Priyakanta Laishram is an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and film editor from the Meitei ethnicity of Imphal, Manipur who predominantly works in Manipuri films, known for his socially relevant and unconventional movies. He is the first filmmaker to make the first mainstream film of Manipur, Northeast India, dealing with same-sex relationships, Oneness (film). He started making children's films at the age of 9 by using a Nokia N70 mobile phone, for which he won several titles including The Youngest Filmmaker 2009 from Nokia and Manipur's Rising Star 2011 from Asian News International.
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".
The Foul Truth is a 2019 Manipuri film written, produced and directed by Priyakanta Laishram under the production banner, Priyakanta Productions. It is the first film from Northeast India to tackle the issue of male rape. The film tells the story of a boy named Thoithoiba, who is a survivor of child sexual abuse and male rape. The film stars Priyakanta Laishram, Harry Tourangbam and Rojesh Saikhom. The film was released on 2 June 2019. The film was screened at 33 international film festivals and won several awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Film on Other Social Issues, and Best Screenplay awards.
Who Said Boys Can't Wear Makeup? is a 2018 English-Manipuri film written, produced and directed by Priyakanta Laishram under the banner, Priyakanta Productions. It is the first Indian film to discuss the subject of men's makeup and gender-neutral fashion. The film stars Laishram, Inder Bajwa, Thounaojam Strela Luwang, Nimrit Kaur Ahluwahlia and Bala Hijam. At the Lifestyle Young Influencer Awards 2018, the film won the Best Multimedia Influencer Award. The film was premiered at St. Regis, Mumbai on 7 April 2018.
It's Not My Choice is a 2015 Manipuri film written and directed by Priyakanta Laishram and produced by Harendra Laishram under the banner of Priyakanta Productions. Starring Bishesh Huirem, Ithoi Oinam, and Chakpram Idhou, the film tells the story of a young transgender Sanathoi who is deprived of her basic rights. The film was released on September 1, 2015, in Imphal at the Regional Institute Of Medical Sciences and screened at 25 film festivals. The film is the first Indian short film to be adapted in Thai and the first short film from Northeast India to surpass 1 lakh views and 1 million views on YouTube.
