As with everything else, the passage of time has effected huge changes in Manipuri Cinema. From the momentous release of the first ever feature film in 1972 to the deluge of digital films that we witness now, Manipuri Cinema has evolved significantly. Though 1972 is etched in the annals of Manipur’s history of film-making, it is worth mentioning that the first attempt at film-making happened further back in 1948. So, to better appreciate this evolution, it is important to understand the intricacies with the help of a simple classification.
Since the inception of the idea and practice of film-making, Manipur has borne different generations of film-makers.
o The First Generation: The Visionaries
Ignoring the immense odds that were against them, a group of people banded together to produce the first ever Manipuri feature film back in the late 1940s. Since such a venture was unprecedented at the time, the group had to face a lot of obstacles on the way. Unfortunately, due to unfavourable circumstances, the project had to be shelved and the realization of a dream abandoned.
o The Second Generation: The Luminaries
The second generation film-makers that emerged a couple of decades later succeeded in avoiding the mistakes that the naivety of the first generation film-makers led them to commit. They are considered in some circles as the luminaries of Manipuri Cinema.
The majestic adaptations of M.K. Binodini’s works into the form of cinema by Aribam Syam Sharma, along with the skilled and legendary cameraman (late) K. Ibohal Sharma, is rendered even more awe-inspiring when we consider how limited the resources were back then. Ironically, Imagi Ningthem, a masterpiece by the trio got a relatively silent treatment in the national arena even though it won accolades on the international level. Imagi Ningthem, which had unmistakable traces of conceptualism and Italian neo-realism, won the Golden Montgolfiere at the Nantes Three Continents Film Festival, France in 1982.
It will be safe to assume that not many people in Manipur have watched Imagi Ningthem. Personally speaking, I have seen only three of Aribam Syam Sharma’s films till now but hope to expand and enrich my cinematic experience with the rest of his creations. The task, however, is easier said than done as one always finds that it is easy to read about them but never easy to procure the actual films.
Apart from Aribam Syam Sharma, there are other directors as well who have won laurels for their excellence in the field. Sadly though, the films that once made the state proud have now disappeared to oblivion.
o The Third Generation: The Bombay-Influenced Generation
The third generation film-makers initiated a new flavour of cinema in the Manipuri context. They kicked off a new era of film-making which, unarguably, was very much inspired by Bombay Cinema. Songs metamorphosed into an integral and important part of these films.
The third generation film-makers ruled the roost till the end of the 20th century even though they had to struggle as Kodak and Fuji hiked celluloid prices. Unfortunately, a large number of their films are not available in today’s markets. This has resulted in an ignorance of their deeds among the masses.
Their films generally lacked potential and did not reach the level the second generation film-makers had attained. However, the film ‘Chatledo Eidi’ depicted a situation of unpredictability and a structure of darkness which can be likened to the French term ‘noir’ that was first used by Nino Frank in 1946 to describe the Hollywood movies of the time.
o The Fourth Generation: The Digital Generation
A hostile economic situation led to the demise of the third generation film-makers and the emergence of the fourth generation film-makers. The new school of film-makers capitalized on technical advancements and made movies in the digital video format. The relatively cheaper costs of production made it easy for the film-makers to churn out movies in large numbers. This surge of production resulted in an inevitable shortage of cinema theatres and films have had to wait long periods and queues to get released. The fact that the films are made only for local consumption makes the problem more acute.
The lure of big profits with little investments attracted the attention of a lot of people who unscrupulously took advantage of the film boom and this adversely affected quality film-making. Resultantly, many of the fourth generation films depict a blatant lack of good narrative and effective story telling.
o Is a Fifth Generation in the offing?
A change is now coming over the otherwise stagnant Manipuri cinema. Though it would be premature to speculate whether a new generation is in the offing or not, it is certainly a welcome change. Films like ‘Mami Sami’ and ‘Yenning Amadi Likla’ has brought a respite from the staple of movies that we have been fed over time.
‘Yenning Amadi Likla’, which made it to the Indian Panorama of IFFI last year, can be regarded as film noir because of its dimmed lighting and unpredictable plotline. ‘Mami Sami’ is also another form of film noir as it also makes use of dimmed lighting along with an unpredictability of plot and an added new flavour.
It is another matter whether this new crop of film-makers is actually a new generation entirely or an exception of the still prevailing fourth generation. What matters, for the time being, is that they have tried and made a strong visual description with different points of view.
Cinema is a form of art. It is not always necessary that a film should convey a message or should be morally uplifting. As a result of its diverse nature, films are classified into genres. My stint at FTII (Film and Television Institute of India), Pune completely changed my perception of film-making and acquainted me with its finer aspects. Ironically though, no one other than the faculty knew Aribam Syam Sharma.
I therefore entertain the notion that we should to take steps to promote and make the presence of Manipuri Cinema felt in the rest of the country. And it is also high time to cease churning out hollow films and start making meaningful ones. The government should also quit its stance of viewing films merely as a portrayal of art and culture and recognize the film community as a full-fledged industry.
