It won't be wrong to say that ban on Hindi movie turns out to be a bane. Manipuri artists are not professional as witnessed in recent years. Films and albums becomes the matrimonial source for many young girls and boys, who call themselves as artists of the land.

A single album will earn name and fame for an artist to tie the wedlock. Alarming rate of en-mass eloping and inter-marriage among the artists is happening, which is not a good gesture to morale of our coming generations. This has become a trend today, hurting the true talents and professionalism of some great artists.

Nevertheless, ban on Hindi movies pave the golden road for new artists and directors in this little state. It's a good sign that we could now stand ourselves in this field. Within 5 years of banning Hindi movies, Manipuri albums and video are produces in such a manner to conquer the south Asian film market. Now every village/localities has an actor, actress, singer, choreographer or director.

But I am doubtful of this rising, menacing new industry. I used to hear that Hindi movies were banned due to its degrading culture and dresses that are against the watchdog of Manipuri society, the revolutionaries. They had justified that movies made outside will erodes the Manipuri society.

Or was it something related with language issue? Still confused why they banned Hindi movie. If first reason was correct, I can say it was atrocious blunder on their part. Banning and barring a couple of films can't develop our cultures. For the later reason, depriving to learn a foreign language is our own loses and limiting from personal development.

In old good days, manipuri films were produced in very few quantities, yet great quality and extraordinary. Social issues and own culture were main ingredients, winning laurels and recommendations among world cinemas. Today, films are produced in a month's time. Neither competition, nor experimentation! We could see the volume of manipuri cinema growing mainly during vacations. What does it mean?

Can we assume that our video and movies (current trends) are the brainchild of few modern and fame dying youths who returns back to the state for summer or winter vacations stay in Manipur! There is no point in arguing that mostly students and filmy bugs are making such albums and films in their month long stay at home. Others produce albums in fond memory of their valentines or heart crushes.

Most of these new movies are love story, romantic and that old version of Hindi cinemas. What will be the quality of our cinemas if this is the main factor of film renaissance in Manipur?

Are we going to recopy Hindi stuffs time and again? Even singers are depending on Hindi or other regional tunes like Nepali and south Indian. Where is the originality in our own songs? Customs is one major issue we must ponder upon. Anti-Indian critic frequently barks that our girls are influenced by dresses they saw in the Hindi movies.

If our so-called artists are so quick in imitating those Hindi actors and actresses, time will arrive soon when it crosses all limits and boundaries. The trends wannabes will not stop midway. In future, it is commonplace to see groups of leggy teenage girls showing a sexy navel peeping over their hipsters. So Beware!

Now our own dress designers and producers are choosing Indian outfits, which were once a taboo to them. If imitating the outside world is just what these rationalists waiting for, why does they blame other movies.

Looking after a couple of new Manipuri films I can say there is no point in banning Hindi movies if we practices and follow the same formula in our films too? Be original!

What is the originality in our video and films? Dresses we borrow from Indian culture, the tune, acting, choreograph, story lines and even locations like Delhi, Jaipur and Bangalore. What is our unique identity then? Well, we only changed the face of actors and actresses instead of Hindi film artists.

Despite all such faults in today's industry, I must thank them. Today we inherited a new profession in film industry. Now the task of changing the society hugely depends on film industry.

Our movie and films will play a leading role in our struggle. As we move towards a new world of our dream, we must ensure that our cinema is able to cross over all historically created divisions as a profound, entertaining and liberating medium of mass communication.

Recent films seldom attempted to explore our cultural psyche. As such, they were a closed form, made by some entertainers with little or no attention to their potential to say something important about their society to an international audience. The type of realism that could have analysed our culture in a critical manner was avoided.

Instead use was made of folk stereotypes that showed the Manipuri as romantic, heart broken and lovable in a comedy tradition, or as beset by emotional problems that had little to do with society, but much to do with the mainsprings of Indian melodrama about mismatched lovers overcoming obstacles on the path to true love. These films ignored the socio-political turmoil, as well as the realities experienced by our people at present situations.

A further indication that Manipuris view globalisation generally positively, in spite of the sociological problems linked to it by many people, came from the results of a survey in different segments of manipuri staying worldwide.

Fifty five percent of those polled said outside culture posed no threat to Manipuri culture, whereas 33 percent said that it did. Fifty eight percent supported lifting of ban on Hindi movies, while only 29 percent were opposed to it.

Cinema serves as a vehicle for people to articulate their different social affiliations and define their respective historic cultures, traditions, social and political experiences. If cinema is only used to entertain and not to educate, then the chances of transforming our society are slim.

If we want to promote ourselves, our culture, traditions and exotic destinations, we need to explore within the states. What is the point in spending money to shoot in other states? Film and video can be effectively used in intensive educative and informative campaigns in respect of political tolerance and the workings of democracy, as well as health issues.