MSFDS mourns Dr Suresh Singh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 24 2021: Yet again, Manipuri Cinema has lost one of its members to COVID-19 yesterday.

71-year-old, film producer, Dr Thiyam Suresh Singh was the fifth victim from among the film fraternity to fall victim to the second wave of the pandemic.

A resident of Keishamthong Laisom Leirak, Dr Suresh tested positive for coronavirus on May 20 and was treated at Babina Specialty Hospital at Sajiwa before he died yesterday, May 23 .

It may be noted here that COVID-19 has already claimed the lives of four other personalities of Manipuri Cinema including National Award winning cinematographer-Irom Maipak, cinematographer-editor-Hem Athokpam, actor-Sagolsem Romio Meitei and producer-director and lyricist- Em Kay Jeet between the months of April and May.

In a virtual condolence meeting, members of Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Executive Board as well as the Celebration Committee of the Golden Jubilee of Manipuri Cinema, jointly expressed sorrow on the demise of Dr Suresh and shared the grief and pain of the bereaved family.

As a tradition, the virtual gathering appealed to the film community of the State to light candles in honour of the film producer at 6 pm today.

The main candlelight ceremony was held at the Monolith of Manipuri Cinema, erected at MSFDS Complex, Palace Gate, said a statement of the film development society.

Sunzu Bachaspatimayum, secretary MSFDS while sharing grief said Dr Thiyam Suresh Singh, whom he knew personally was also a former Director of Health Services, Government of Manipur.

He loved Manipur and never missed an opportunity to voice his concern for the State.

Even on the ongoing pandemic which claimed his life, Dr Suresh voiced his concerns on how the State was handling the pandemic since it broke out in March 2020 .

He was particularly critical of the concept of home quarantine and advocated aggressive tests to flatten the curve of infections, said Sunzu.

Dr Suresh had produced two socially relevant Manipuri feature films--"Eigi Punshi Mangla Taibungla" and "Chingda Satpi Engellei" in 2006 and 2019 respectively.

Significantly, both his films dealt with issues of discrimination and inter-community marriage in the deeply, fractured multi-ethnic society of Manipur, he added.

Filmmaker Oken Amakcham said Dr Suresh took to film production to propagate social change.

"He was an intellectual person.

Realizing the power of cinema, he stepped into producing films to tell stories of universal love and compassion to overcome perceived ethnic based discrimination in the 'identity-politics' marred society of Manipur," said Oken, acclaimed filmmaker and an executive board member of MSFDS and programming chairman of the Golden Jubilee.

Kh Biswamitra, director of "Eigi Punshi Mangla Taibungla", while sharing his grief over the demise of Dr Suresh Singh, recalled the doctor as a far-sighted personality who wanted to propagate love and understanding between the hills and valley brethren of the State through his cinema.

He said "Eigi Punshi Mangla Taibungla" was a story of a doctor who fell in love with a tribal girl during his posting at Tengnoupal.

Reflecting on his serious outlook towards cinema and its development, filmmaker, Laimayum Surjakanta Sharma said Dr Suresh instituted an award for the Best Film Journalist for the State of Manipur, carrying a cash prize of Rs 10,000 .

He wanted Manipuri cinema to grow and wanted film journalists to contribute to it, said Surjakanta.

Bobby Haobam, director of Dr Suresh's second production, "Chingda Satpi Engellei" released in 2019, said the film was a sequel to the first production.

Bobby recalled Dr Suresh as a committed film producer who knows what he wants.

"Pabung Suresh was a fantastic person to work with.

He was always clear of what he wanted.

In 2020, after the release of Chingda Satpi Engellei, Pabung confided to me that his plan is to make at least one film a year.

He committed to me that he wants to make another feature with me," said filmmaker Bobby.

On behalf of the entire film fraternity, MSFDS offered its deepest condolence and shared the grief of the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace.

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