Poster to celebrate 50 years of Syam Sharma's cinematic odyssey unveiled

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 18: The official poster in comme- moration of 50 years of Aribam Syam Sharma's journey as a film director of Manipuri Cinema (1974-2024) was unveiled at Tan- thapolis Cinema, Lamphel today.
Kangabam Tomba and Yengkhom Roma--the first superstar-duo of Manipuri cinema; Sunzu Bachaspa-timayum, secretary, Manpur State Film Development Society (MSFDS); Chongtham Kama, singer and Arambam ongbi Memchoubi, Sahitya Akademi Award winning poet formally unveiled the commemoration poster in presence of Aribam Syam Shama.
Organised by Aribam Syam Sharma Foundation (ARSYSAF) in collaboration with Tanthapolis Cine- ma, the poster unveiling was followed by screenings of two films, "Leipaklei" and "Guru Laimayum Tham-balngoubi Devi".
"Leipaklei" won the Best Manipuri Film at the 60th National Film Awards, 2013 and was officially selected for the 14th Jeonju International Film Festival 2013.
"Guru Laimayum Thambalngoubi Devi" won the Best Biographical Film at the 54th National Film Awards, 2008; and was the official selection for the Indian Panorama, 37th International Film Festival of India.
At the programme today, Managing Trustee of ARSYSAF, Aribam Gautam Sharma said that Aribam Syam Sharma's journey as a film director of Manipuri Cinema began in 1974 with his debut films "Lamja Parshuram" (fiction) and Sana Leibak Manipur (documentary) and continues till this day.
Currently, Aribam Syam Sharma is working on two documentaries--one on Lai Haraoba and another on the life and works of the iconic poet, Thangjam Ibopishak, he said. Till date, Aribam Syam Sharma has directed 15 fiction films and 31 documentaries.
Sharma's cinematic odyssey marked the golden jubilee milestone in 2024. However, owing to the law and order situation in 2024, the  commemoration could not proceed last year, Gautam added.
In collaboration with Tanthapolis Cinema, Gautam said, the foundation is planning a yearlong commemoration to celebrate 50 years of Aribam Syam Sharma's cinematic odyssey by organising monthly screenings of select works of the filmmaker.
Most of the films made by Aribam Syam Sharma post Imagi Ningthem (1981) with few exceptions, have not been exhibited to the public. This was because he had stopped making films for private producers after Imagi Ningthem. His later films were produced by Government departments or undertakings only.
Gautam then exuded confidence that the monthly screenings of the films would help in familiarizing the younger generation and general public with the works of the filmmaker.