Imagi Laman Singamdre in Bangalore (Revival) ~ Lukhendro Keisham

Photographs/Picture Credits: Sukumar Sorokhaibam

A bright sunny day after the late monsoon rain. The 17th of October, 2010 the city of Bangalore or newly Bangaluru was having its daily dose of activities with less Sunday traffic where the first screening of a Manipuri movie in the city was about to take place.With the organizers at the premier St. John's Medical College Auditorium completing their home works just right away before the event it was a great experience to see them readying to welcome the guest who long to have a glimpse of Manipuri cinema in this part of the country. A thought of unusual feeling pop up in mind that it was really happening.

As the moment approached the ticket holders with their passes roll out all of a sudden while few were already waiting two hours prior to the actual schedule. The majestic authenticated building on that side of the St. Joseph Medical Collage was so calm and clean to welcome its guest. This isn't a Forum nor Garuda Mall or those movie theatre that we usually visit to enjoy our favorite stars but just a simple silent figure of cemented structure with an ambient small garden on its gate way.

The help desk was quite useful with every details and guidelines of the event. Eigi Phurit, one of the sponsor and a partner of the event with its marketing and advertisement stall of ethnic designed T-shirts adds an extra flavor to the set ups. Walking inside the hall the white screen against the dark air and red-cushioned seating places cast an adrenalin view.

The event started with a light welcoming gift session and a short introductory speech from the director of the movie, Romi Meitei. His short but bold and straight foward speech was self appealing. Sadananda Hamom, the lone invited actor of the movie was one captivating to keep the well packed auditorium intake from the start. Special thanks to him for the few songs he sang before the start of the screening. The Manipuri tradition of "Paisa Thaba" where the audiences walk up to the stage and hands a piece of note or money to the artist as an act of making a song request or thanks giving brought forward the memories of Manipur. The roar of the crowd as he ran among them and shook hand with the fans, the cute little baby whom her parents set her up on the stage with Sadananda and the fans dancing as they see their favorite star sing in front of their eyes was spectacular.

The movie begins with the depiction of a well cultured typical Meitei family with three brothers, a sister and the mother who dreams to see her children bring back the long awaited glory and happiness of the family.

But what can life be, things never happens exactly the way we plan. The movie runs through the context of the youngest brother Lan, played by Keiku who felt victim of intoxicating substances. In order to get his daily dose of supply he took to lying and self inoculating deeds to satisfy his inhumilating high. And though he left them behind and changed himself for good the scars hunted him down to his grave.

It would be unbalancing to feel the movie without Kamala and Bala the lead actresses of the movie who fails to get their love ones though they love them the most. This is an inevitable style of storytelling that breaks into the sentiment of the individuals. The movie as a whole delivers a powerful social message of drug abuse.

The final and the closing session of the afternoon was the photo session with the crowd rushing to have a pose with Sadananda. It was all a warm ending to carry home the picture memories spent with one of the greatest movie star from their Manipur.

Spending the evening after the event Romi Meitei talks about his film making and ideologies. It was the moment for discussion and sharing of individual views. His priority to life holds with the love and passion for movie through which he wants to make his contribution to the youth and the society. With the current scenarios prevailing in his mother state he too was left with no words to give an exact explanation to what has made his Manipur less nice for the common man to survive. But if a few more people with a sense to change the system for good step up we won't be that far from now that we will see the true Manipur which we dreamt of. But Romi Boi is still a boy. He talked about his experience in a Mumbai hospital, the memories while shooting some of the scenes from Imagi Laman Singamdre and the Manipuri film industry market. It was all an amazing experience to interact and discuss movie with him face to face.

Sadananda Hamom, is a singer, an actor and a guitarist. A showmanship figure he is. The narration on his high and low experiences was a mixture of happy and witty feelings. He talked about music and movies on the line. He left for Imphal the next morning due to his tight schedules.

These days everyone is a critics and no one was never an ordinary movie goer. It would have been much better had the Manipuri movies be more ambient and least filmy. The film crews who came for the event did certainly took back their share of feedback and extra knowledge from the day's experience. It's not only the director who understand his movie the most but the viewers who come to enjoy and judge the movie.

Romi Meitei gave a healthy informative cinema to the people of Manipur. He is one of those few film makers in the state who does his home work well to the intrinsic values of his viewer. The movie not only concentrates on a certain definition but in various other aspects too. The movie starts with the depiction of a small well disciplined family and ends up with an emotionally whole hearted uneasy feeling of broken dreams and hope. It’s a scene of love and emotion between the three brothers, the sister and the old mother whose only dream is to see her kids grow and shine before her eyes.

The Manipuri film industry has now mark a place of its own to the people of Manipur with its unique cinematic character. There exist nothing call the best movie but only a view of the viewers. It is well said that we have reduced our culture since past as an epic to modernization and innovative thinking. Of love, art and culture we are heading forward unaware that we are actually going backward. Weather good or bad many a trend becomes an art or a culture in the future. The reconstruction of history with the alignment of the past may not be a perfect figure but regenerates its glory of existence. The man of experiences rightly said that if he had not listened to Oldies we cannot be blaming him for believing that the Newbies are the best. Many of us don’t know the renowned Ratan Thiyam but sure does Mary Kom. The kids of our time believes that Madhuri Dixit is more famous then Aishwarya Rai. We may not like it today but our kids may like it tomorrow.

I had a guy teasing me for showing such a great interest in promoting this event. Gathering a small crowd, teasing and laughing aloud just because this is a Manipuri movie and he too is from Manipur. But what can man be, the only person we can convince is ourselves. It may be proud to say that we Manipuris are the only North East state in the Republic of India who has its own constitutionally recognized language and script but this doesn’t explain the whole story.

A memorable experience in Bangalore from the director Romi Meitei: Stopping the entire traffic in MG Road while filming a scene of one of his movie. The place, the people and the cops really helped him that day. Always a good feeling whenever he visits Bangalore he lavished. Whoever Manipuri we are our culture and diversity will remain in our lives forever. Let’s not lose our credibility to show off who and what we are.

Name : Imagi Laman Singamdre

Cast : Sadananda, Keiku, Pritam, Bala, Kamala & Jeena.

Director and Lyricist : Romi Meitei

Producer : Menaobi Devi, Y Rupachandra

Story : Herojit Naoroibam

Cinematography : Radhamohan

Media Associates : Mayum Networks

Special Thanks : SD Films

Organized by : ManipurTalks.com

In Association with : Eigi Phurit, Go Manipur

Pass : Rs. 300/- and Donor Card holders.

Date : Sunday the 17th of Oct. 2010