The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but also productions in the various languages spoken by Manipur's different communities. The Manipuri film industry was born with the release of Matamgi Manipur by Debkumar Bose on 9 April 1972. From Aribam Syam Sharma's Imagi Ningthem and Ishanou, Oken Amakcham's Lammei, Haobam Paban Kumar's Loktak Lairembee, to Priyakanta Laishram's Oneness, and Lakshmipriya Devi's Boong, Manipuri cinema has evolved in terms of both form and cultural expression.
Prior to Matamgi Manipur, several attempts were made to produce films in the state, the most significant being Mainu Pemcha in 1948, which was left incomplete. Aribam Syam Sharma's Ishanou, screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, was the only Indian film to be considered under the Cannes Classic section at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. In 2002, the Revolutionary People's Front banned Hindi-language films from being shown in the state, leading to increased interest in Manipuri-language cinema and decreased attendance in local theatres. In 2026, the film Boong became the first Indian film to receive a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award, representing a development for Manipuri cinema in an international context.
Notable feature films: 1972-2022 This section covers notable Manipuri feature films released between 9 April 1972 and 9 April 2022. Notable films, in this context, include those films which have participated or won awards in national and international film festivals, and the films which have made history (for example, first full-length film, first filmmaker, first color film, longest movie).
Year of release Film Notes Director1972Matamgi ManipurThe first Manipuri feature film. Won Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 20th National Film Awards. Debkumar Bose1973Brojendragee LuhongbaManipuri movie made by the first filmmaker of Manipur Sapam Nodia Chand. S.N. Chand1976SaaphabeeThe first Manipuri folk movie. Won Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 24th National Film Awards.Aribam Syam Sharma1980Olangthagee WangmadasooWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 27th National Film Awards.Aribam Syam Sharma1981Imagi NingthemWon the Golden Montgolfiere at the Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes, in 1982, becoming the first Indian film to win a grand prix award. Won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist (Master Leikhendra) and National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 29th National Film Awards.Aribam Syam Sharma1983SanakeithelWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 31st National Film Awards.M. A. SinghPaokhum AmaThe first Manipuri colour (short) feature film (runtime: 54 minutes). Screened at the Tyneside International Film Festival, U.K.Aribam Syam Sharma1984Langlen ThadoiThe first Manipuri colour full-length feature film. First film to be produced by a woman, Kh. Sakhi Devi.M. A. Singh1986NongleiThe first VHS feature film in the Meiteilon language.Ramchandra 1990IshanouScreened at the Un Certain Regard section of the 1991 Cannes International Film Festival. Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri and Special Mention (Anoubam Kiranmala) Award at the 38th National Film Awards.
The restored version was selected for world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Classic section of the Cannes Film Festival 2023.Aribam Syam Sharma1992KhonthangSelected for Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India, New Delhi, in 1993. Invited to Singapore International Film Festival 1994 and Festival of SPARROW, Mumbai, 2008.Oken Amakcham1993Sambal WangmaWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 41st National Film Awards. Selected for Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India 1994.K. Ibohal SharmaMadhabeeMovie with the longest running time (197 minutes) in the history of Manipuri cinema. It is based on the first Manipuri novel of the same title by Dr. Lamabam Kamal.L. Banka Sharma1994Mayophy Gee MachaWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 42nd National Film Awards.Oken Amakcham1995SanabiWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 43rd National Film Awards. Screened at the International Film Festival of India and Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt.Aribam Syam Sharma1997Khamba ThoibiBased on the Mahakavya (epic) Khamba Thoibi written by Hijam Anganghal.Moirangthem Nilamani Singh2000Chatledo EidiWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 48th National Film Awards. Selected for Indian Panorama of the 32nd International Film Festival of India 2001.Makhonmani MongsabaPaariThe first Manipuri children's film.Aribam Syam Sharma2002LammeiThe first Manipuri video film to have a commercial screening at a theatre. It marked the beginning of a digital era in Manipuri cinema.Oken Amakcham2007Yenning Amadi LiklaEntered into the feature film section of the Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India 2007.Makhonmani Mongsaba2009NobapOpening film at the 2nd Guwahati Film Festival 2009.Heisnam TombaKeibu KeioibaOfficial selection in the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2010; first animated feature film in Manipuri.Bhumenjoy Konsam2011Phijigee ManiReceived award for Best Supporting Actress (Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi) and the regional award for National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 59th National Film Awards. Selected for Indian Panorama 2011.Oinam Gautam SinghFried Fish, Chicken Soup and a Premiere ShowNational Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film at the 59th National Film Awards.Mamta Murthy2012LeipakleiSelected for 14th Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea 2012, 18th Kolkata International Film Festival and 5th Guwahati Film Festival. Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 60th National Film Awards.Aribam Syam Sharma2013Nangna Kappa PakchadeReceived Special Jury Award with the title Epic Mirror of the Century in the Kinshasa International Film Festival 2017. Screened at Ladakh International Film Festival 2014 in the Indian Feature section.Makhonmani Mongsaba2014PallepfamScreened in the 10th Habitat Film Festival in May 2015. Opened the 2nd edition of Fragrances from the Northeast, a 3-day festival of cinema from the northeast. Official selection in the 46th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2015 under the section New Horizon from the North East.Wanglen Khundongbam2015Eibusu YaohanbiyuWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 63rd National Film Awards.Maipaksana Haorongbam2016Loktak LairembeeParticipated in around 16 International Film Festivals across the globe and won several awards. Won Best Film on Environment/Conservation/Preservation at the 64th National Film Awards.Haobam Paban Kumar2018Magi MatambaktaSelected for Bengaluru International Film Festival 2018, Third Eye Asian Film Festival, Mumbai 2020 and Delhi International Film Festival 2020. Won the Best Manipuri Film in the 2nd Jharkhand International Film Festival Awards (JIFFA) 2019.Makhonmani Mongsaba2019Nongphadok Lakpa AtithiPremiered at the 3rd Guwahati International Film Festival as the Opening Film of the Indian Section. Official selection at 5th North-East Film Festival 2020, Pune. Opening Film at 12th International Guwahati Film Festival 2020.Aribam Syam SharmaPandam AmadaWorld premiered at the Dhaka International Film Festival 2020. Oinam Gautam SinghEigi KonaWon the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 67th National Film Awards. Selected for the 51st International Film Festival of India (Indian Panorama) in the feature section. Official selections at the Indica Film Utsav 2020, 4th Ottawa Indian Film Festival Awards (OIFFA) 2021 and Thrissur International Film Festival 2021.Bobby Wahengbam and Maipaksana Haorongbam2020Nine Hills One ValleySpecial Mention Award in the Film Bazaar Recommends Section of the Film Bazaar 2020. Official selection at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2021, Indonesia. Entered into the India Gold section of the 22nd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2022.Haobam Paban KumarNakamh-RiangsuanneicWorld premiered at the International Folklore Film Festival of Kerala 2021. A Rongmei film.Kachangthai Gonmei2021Eikhoigi YumOfficial selections at the 22nd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2022 and 27th International Film Festival of Kerala 2022. Won Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 69th National Film Awards.Romi MeiteiApaiba LeichilOfficial selections at the 18th International Film Festival of Thrissur 2023, Kerala and Kashish International Queer Film Festival 2023, Mumbai.Bobby Wahengbam
Notable non-feature films: 1972-2022 This section covers notable Manipuri non-feature films released between 9 April 1972 and 9 April 2022, with Maipak: Son of Manipur being the exception in the categorization (released in 1971). Notable films, in this context, include those films which have participated in or won awards in national and international film festivals, and the films which have made history (for example, first full-length film, first filmmaker, first color film, longest movie).
Year of release Film Notes Director1971Maipak: Son of ManipurThe first Manipuri documentary film to be screened publicly. Debkumar Bose1984PebetBest Short Fiction Film in the International Short Film Festival, Kolkata 1985. Selected for Panorama Section of the International Film Festival of India, New Delhi 1985.Arambam Lokendra1989The Deer on the LakeWon the National Film Award for Best Environment/Conservation/Preservation Film at the 37th National Film Awards.Aribam Syam Sharma1991Meitei PungWon the Special Mention Award at the 39th National Film Awards.Aribam Syam SharmaLai HaraobaOfficial selection in the Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), 1992.Aribam Syam Sharma1993Orchids of ManipurWon the Best Environment/Conservation/Preservation Film at the 41st National Film Awards. Screened at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2019, Japan.Aribam Syam Sharma1995Yelhou JagoiWon the National Film Award for Best Anthropological/Ethnographic Film at the 43rd National Film Awards.