Two Manipuri films named best films in 69th National Film Awards 2021
ART & CULTURE
Imphal: Mayanglambam Romi Meitei’s ‘Eikhoigi Yum’ and Saikhom Ratan’s biographical film - ‘Beyond Blast’ bagged the best Meiteilon films on regional feature and non-feature categories as Union minister Anuraj Thakur on Thursday announced the winners of the 69th National Film Awards 2021 at the National Media Centre, New Delhi on Thursday .
The ceremony, to be held later, will award the best Indian films produced across languages in the calendar year 2021. Feature and non-feature films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, were eligible for the competition.
The award ceremonies have been delayed by two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 68th National Film Awards, held in 2022, honoured the best Indian films released in the calendar year 2020.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was awarded Best Film. While Srishti Lakhera’s Ek Tha Gaon won the best non-feature film award, Allu Arjun won the best actor award for Pushpa (The Rise Part 1). Kriti’s Mimi co-star Pankaj Tripathi won Best Supporting Actor and Pallavi Joshi won Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Kashmir Files which also won the Best Film on National Integration. Both Pankaj Tripathi and Pallavi Joshi have won special awards before.
The National Awards will be handed out by President Droupadi Murmu in a ceremony later in the year.
Eikhoigi Yum
The 86-min feature film - Eikhoigi Yum (Our Home) by Romi Meitei is a narrative on the impact of globalisation on a small remote village which causes the residents to move away in an attempt to eke out a livelihood.
Belonging to an isolated fishing community of the Loktak lake, Chaoren makes the best use of his exclusive existence by excelling in school. When the canoe he uses every day to attend school has to be sold off because of his father’s illness, his spirit is not dampened. He beats the long distance from his shanty floating hut to his school by swimming his way through. But when the Government issues an eviction notice demanding Chaoren’s family to leave their home, his dreams are left with an angst of a displaced person.
Romi Meitei is a prolific filmmaker who has given several box-office hits. Besides notching up commercial successes, his films have been screened in prestigious film festivals, including IFFI, MAMI, MIFF, IFFK etc. A recipient of the prestigious FIPRESCI and NETPAC awards, Romi has also received several Manipur State Film Awards. He is the Chairman of Mami Thawan Foundation which aims to render services for the welfare of Manipur.
In his first non-commercial flick, Romi Meitei said, “Globalisation cannot be interrupted by anyone and is renewing itself everyday. For a developing nation like ours, this is necessary. But advancement and growth in the name of globalisation does raise a concern in our minds if this is harming mother nature and affecting our habitats ? Development induced displacement has impacted many levels of community based society like ours.”
Beyond Blast
The film is based on the life of Konthoujam Maikel Meitei, an artist who lost both legs in a bomb blast in Imphal. On December 16, 2007, a powerful IED explosion occurred at Pourabi, a small village in Imphal East that claimed seven lives with more than 30 sustained injuries. The film depicts the sufferings of Maikel and how he wanted to swipe away the dark and fearful psychosis of the people through his painting.
Saikhom Ratan:
A veteran of 25 years in the film industry, Saikhom Ratan aka Bungobi from Sagolband Salam Leikai, Imphal West, has been known for his ‘documentary films’ that have highlighted the beauty and plight of Manipur.
Awarded ‘Best Video Journalist’ by NE TV in 2005, Ratan has edited over 50 documentary films so far.