RK Bidur : Honouring a legacy

Kamal *

RK Bidur :: Pix - MSFDS Manipur

It is always difficult to write about someone who has just passed away, especially if that person was very close to you and meant a lot. Perhaps that’s why it took me almost four years to bring myself to write about one of my most inspiring and influential gurus, RK Bidur.

Although I didn’t know him for long, his kind and affable personality made the ten years I knew him incredibly precious. Even though I had heard of him before – having read his articles on cinema and also especially when he received the prestigious Best Critic Award at the 56th National Film Awards in 2008 – I met him personally for the first time in 2011. At that time, I had just started my PhD, and since my area of research was film studies, our paths crossed inevitably.

The first time I visited his house in Nongmeibung, he was working in his small kitchen garden with his wife. When I explained the purpose of my visit, his response was a mixture of humility and a hint of sarcasm, though not directed at me. Apparently, some of his writings had displeased certain groups of people, mostly for ‘political’ or even personal reasons.

RK Bidur was not concerned with politics; he was deeply committed to his love for the art of cinema. Nevertheless, as he met a young researcher like me for the first time, he remained diplomatic. “Why would you want my help ? I know nothing about cinema. There are others who are more knowledgeable than I am.” He was clearly trying not to offend anyone.

However, my persistence eventually broke down his reluctance, and he became quite helpful to me. Once he realized my genuine interest in cinema, he opened up and would talk to me for hours whenever he had the time.

He showed me his works, his writings, and his collections of books and other materials (mostly related to cinema), and shared stories about how he came to love cinema and later on became involved in the film society movement in Manipur.

He also told me about the founding of the Imphal Cine Club in 1979, which he established with K Ibohal Sharma, the renowned cinematographer and filmmaker. He reminisced about the time he personally carried the reels of the film Imagi Ningthem in trunks on his head to be screened at a film festival.

Once I came under his tutelage, I tried to meet him as often as possible. His affection for cinema was deep, and he saw cinema from a unique perspective of his own. He was a true film critic, but before that he was a true lover of cinema.

During the Bhagyachandra Dance Festival in November 2011, held at the historic Shri Shri Govindaji Temple Complex in Kangla, I happened to meet him. It was a memorable day–the sun was about to set, and the art-loving audience had begun to gather as the program was about to start. It was a moment of sheer joy and pride for me when he introduced me as his sebok (disciple) to his friends and others present.

When he published his first book, Wakahal Machu Machu, Shaktam Makhal Makhal, on December 30, 2011, at a solemn ceremony at Shri Shri Govindaji Temple in the Palace Compound, I was so very happy to be invited.

B Jayantakumar Sharma released the book, which later became a seminal work in the history of film criticism in the Manipuri language. Although the book was a collection of previously published articles, seeing it in one single volume was a major contribution.

The book contains forty-six articles, categorized into two sections. Thirty-one of these articles were selected and translated into English by BS Rajkumar and published in 2017 as Array of Colourful Thoughts, Medley of Images.

RK Bidur was also not someone to shy away from pointing out mistakes when he had a reasonable ground to do so. He questioned why the Manipur Film Development Council, when established in 1980, was placed under the Department of Art and Culture, rather than under DIPR, which he felt was the more appropriate department.

He also questioned the celebration of Manipuri Film Day based on the release of Matamgi Manipur, a film directed, scripted, and edited by people from outside Manipur, and primarily shot in Calcutta (now Kolkata), rather than focusing on films made by Manipuri filmmakers within Manipur.

He had strong opposition to the increasing number of ‘substandard’ films being made in Manipur in the early 21st century, citing the ease and affordability of filmmaking due to digital technology. He firmly believed that film is an art form – a product of creativity and imagination – using technology, and should never be taken lightly.

He could be considered a traditionalist, though he was open to diverse ideologies. His approach to film as an art was influenced by classical film theory, particularly the works of André Bazin, and he had great admiration for the films of the classical director Ingmar Bergman. He frequently referred to these two figures in his writings.

I probably shared a similar passion for the arts in general and films in particular as he did which drew me to him from the very beginning. When he passed away on June 9, 2021, it was a huge shock, especially since I had only spoken to him on the phone a few days earlier.

I had asked my brother-in-law to collect copies of the English translation of his book for other film scholars who wanted to read it. That same day, he called me and seemed surprised that I had even paid for the books. He was more than happy to share them, as long as someone was interested in reading and appreciating them. We had a lovely conversation that day, but it turned out to be our last.

One always wishes for the things that are lost; what else we could have learned from him if he had not been swept away by the merciless wave that affected the world. He was a worshipper of the art and aesthetic of cinema, always advocating for the creation of ‘good cinema.’