Mollywood - Manipur’s best answer to Hollywood and Bollywood - has finally made a major breakthrough in commercialisation in a different style - screening Manipuri feature film through video CD format. Releasing of the Kangla Film’s 2nd but latest Manipuri feature film - Lanmei - on Sunday at the Friends’ Talkies is an ample example for revival of the sick Manipuri film industries.

The film is a CD format. It cost around Rs 80,000, says Premjit Naoroibam, the co-producer of this film said. In the backdrop of Manipuri film producers’ facing several problems -
(1) Financial problems
(2) social problems
(3) technical problems
(4) lack of screening hall,
the new CD formatted video film has answered the revival of the film industries. Besides, the state needs to have a separate film financing agency which can give loan to film makers, film exhibitors, film distributors and any other concerns/films.

Interestingly, there is no scheme of film financing under Minipur Film Development Corporation Ltd. or the state Government. However, the central government entrusts such activities to the NFDC, Films Division, DD and some other banks. The young co-producer said that his first video film - Ichelshida - had also cost similar amount. The film made in CD format has so far made a good earning. He said he is preparing for another video film which would be followed by celluloid films soon. “Lanmei” is a tragic love triangle, rape, corruption, bloodshed, revenge and smouldering love.

The two hour long saga spiced with five song and dance sequences rejuvenated the sagging image of the sick Manipuri film industries. The latest film with weird mixture of mirth and morbidity of nerve-wracking experience would attract film enthuastics especially the die hards. What would be called for the success of the Lanmei came out at a time when the Manipur government is preparing for announcement of the Cultural policy which will have separate provisions for the development of Manipuri films.

The Cine Artistes and Technician Association (CATA) and Manipur Film Journalist and Critics Association were informed that the policy would be constituted by May this year. The Film Forum, Manipur urging the Governor Ved Marwah to declare the film sector as an industry in the State stated that film is giving both direct and indirect employment. Manipuri film industry has been dying due to lack of parental guidance from the State Government.

In a memorandum, the forum said that the fate of the 6000 employees engaged in the production, exhibition and distribution sector has become uncertain. The State film sector has been striving against the absence of film studio, film laboratory and post production equipment. Around 6-7 films are produced annually. The lack of support from the Government has resulted in the decrease in the quality of films. Most of the state's 58 cinema halls have become defunct now and some of them have been used as shopping complex.

Imposition of ban on screening of Hindi films in the cinema houses and cable networks by a particular underground outfit is also one of the factors which leads to poor response to the die hard film viewers. There are inter related of the Mollywood, Bollywood and Hollywood for pace of development of films. Manipur has completed three decades of its film annals with 57 feature films and 35 documentary/non feature films. “Matamgi Manipur” is the first Manipuri feature film. During this period of thirty years film industries in Manipur bring 9 international awards and 10 national awards.

Compared with the multi crore films in Mumbai and elsewhere in the country, the average investment for a film in Manipuri would be around Rs 15 lac. However, the people of the region should feel proud of the quality of Manipuri films of low budget evident from bagging several international and national awards.

In 1982 Imagi Ningthem (My precious son) bagged the Grand prix awards for best feature film in the festival Des Three Continents at Nanes in France and Best Child Actor award of National film festival - 1982. Another Manipuri Feature film - Ishanou won a special mention award for the Main actress - Selection officially in the Cannes international film festival, France, in the section Uncertain Reard 1991.

This film also won the National award in 1991. Manipuri short film Pebet begged the Best Short Film (Non Fiction) in the international short film festival held in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1985. The non feature film Sangai, the dancing deer of Manipur, bagged 5 awards for (1) Artistic Excellence in choreograph (2) Interpretation of an Animal's Spirit (3) delicate depiction of wildlife (4) Fostering cultural perspective of conservation (5) Inter relationship between animals and human being in the 12th International wildlife film festival of 1989 held at Montana.

In the same festival, the Deer on the Lake, 16 mm documentary film won another merit award. The need of film production, acute shortage of equipment and trained hands have been obstacles in the way of production of quality films in Manipur though several feature films were selected in the Indian Panorama (non feature film category).

Manipuris give more stress on production of good films thematically and aesthetically. There is glimmer of hope for revival of the Manipuri film with the different style. Mollywood’s Lanmei is a new hope for sick film industries in the state