Life history of Rani Gaidinliu captures on documentary
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, April 04 2012:
A documentary film based on the life history of Padma Bhusan Rani Gaidinliu, a freedom fighter of the Indian independence movement from Manipur was released today at Manipur Press Club by the MLA of Tamei Assembly Constituency, Z.Kikhonbou Newmai.
The documentary film is produced, directed and written by Dee.
Abonmai XL, who started the shooting of the documentary film in February, 2010 .
Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest Z.Kikhonbou Newmai said that the documentary film is a landmark in the history of the Zeliangrong community, as it depicts the life history of Rani Gaidinliu along with photographs which have never been shown earlier.
It shows the life history of a freedom fighter who stood against the mighty British empire for the freedom of her community, her state and her country.
He praised the producer, director and writer of the documentary film for his commitment and contribution by bringing out a film on the freedom fighter and urged the people of the state to give the same education to girls as to boys so that many more Rani Gaidinliu could be raised.
However, he lamented that Nunkou village where Rani Gaidinliu was born and buried is still very underdeveloped as the government has not done anything to preserve the memory of the freedom fighter as the road leading to the village is not fit for vehicles and the village still exist as it was many years ago.
The first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru had met Rani Gaidinliu while she was in Shillong jail where she spent most of her youth in a cold dark cell for standing against the British when she was still in her teens, stated K.Panmei, IAS (Retd.), and continued further that she was honoured with the title Rani for her sacrifice to the nation.
Narrating the difficulties and triumphs faced while shooting the documentary film, Dee Abonmai XL stated that he had to go to Nagaland several times to collect materials for the film as the family of Rani Gaidinliu had very little things that belonged to her.
He narrated how people connected with the life of the Rani were reluctant and suspicious at first to give out any information or material relevant to the life of Rani Gaidinliu, but later on when they realised that it was meant to preserve her memory for the future generations, the people gave their co-operation by providing him with information and rare photographs on the freedom fighter.
He appealed to the government of Manipur to take up steps to preserve the memory of the freedom fighter by creating a museum to showcase her life and to built a proper memorial site at her birth place, and added that the government of Nagaland had already sanctioned one crore rupees in addition to ten crore rupees already sanctioned by the Central Government for construction of a museum in the memory of Rani Gaidinliu in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland.
Dee Abonmai XL said that he had spent around two lakhs rupees in making documentary film but it was all for the memory of the great freedom fighter and for the sake of the future generation.