Manipuri cinema has come of age

IMPHAL, March 23: Since the slapping of a ban on Hindi movies and songs in the State, people in Manipur have been flooded with a new order of Manipuri cinema and songs in all corners of this trouble-torn State. Manipur's film-maker have got an opportunity to produce more Manipuri films together with new techniques to attract the audience. The age of Manipur films have indeed come. During the past twenty-four hours, two Manipuri films were screened before the press at two different cinema halls of Imphal as the 48th and 49th Manipur features films of the State. The two film are CM Film Production's Inthoklabi and DVS Film Production's Operation Sangai. The 35mm colour feature film Inthoklabi was screened before limited mediapersons on Friday morning at Pratap Talkies while the latter Operation Sangai was shown to a jam-packed audience at Usha Cinema Hall on Thursday evening. CM Film's first ever production, Inthoklabi reflects a family drama wherein a housewife faces social stigma even from her husband and her own son till her last breath. Prominent stars like Diya, Bhavani, Lakshman Geetanjali, Aaiso are playing main roles in the film directed by N Tomba under the producership of Ch Manao Sharma. Noted singer Sagolsem Tijendra composed the music with lyrics from Boro, Ramo and Nabakumar while the cinematographer K Bimolchandra edited the film to steal the hearts of the cinegoers based on O Kunjo's story and dialogue. Talking to The Assam Tribune, director N Tomba said that the feature film took just about 78 days in its entire shooting, adding that the first shooting was held on June 4 last year and concluded on August 20. The film cost around Rs 9 lakh. Inthoklabi is likely to hit the State shortly. On the other hand, DVS Films Operation Sangai offers a different taste relevant to the contemporary Manipuri society. The producer, A Devan and director and noted cameraman Surjakanta Sharma have tried to show the day-to-day activities in this border State in relation to the mental unrest and the armed movement. Though the film Operation Sangai looks like a wildlife-related film, it picturises the story of an underground outfit called Social Reformers Organisation. It is indeed the time for stars like Diya and Bhavani, both of whom play the main opposite role in this film too with others like Deven, Dema, Indu, Sophiya and new faces like Ramesh Gupta and Mona.