Filmmaker MA Singh no more
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 10 2013 : Renowned Manipuri Filmmaker and National awardee Maibam Amuthoi Singh, popularly known as MA Singh, is no more.

He passed away at BM Birla Heart Institute, Kolkata at 8:30 pm yesterday.

He was 72 and is survived by his wife, four sons and one daughter.

MA Singh was undergoing treatment after he was diagnosed with Deep Venous Thrombosis on his left leg.

Born on October 18, 1941, MA Singh, a resident of Kwakeithel Akham Leikai, Imphal, was the first Manipuri to be technically trained in film-craft at the prestigious national Film and Television Institute of India, FTII, Pune.

In fact, he went on to earn another distinction of being a double graduate from FTII.

After completing his diploma in film-editing in 1971, he continued pursuing film studies and completed diploma in Direction in 1974 .

MA Singh was particularly known for his path breaking Manipuri feature film 'Sana Keithel', that went on to bag the prestigious National Film Award with President's Medal in the 31st National Film Festival in 1984 as the Best feature film in Manipuri.

Edited and directed by him, Sana Keithel followed the neo realistic tradition of the new wave era with MA Singh daring to shoot the entire film with real characters (non-actors) placed in real settings, a formula that produced the everlasting enigma of Sana Keithel.

Over and above numerous documentary films he made, he also directed and edited the first Manipuri Colour feature film, Langlen-Thadoi produced by KP, Films, Imphal in 1977 .

Besides his filmmaking activities, he served as a Jury member for Script Board for NFDC for three consecutive years.

He was also an approved producer and director of Prasar Broadcasting Corporation of India, he was an empanelled producer of Doordarshan Imphal Kendra and Programme Production Centre, North East.

He served as visiting lecturer of media study centres of different Institutes and also ran a full-fledged media course, entitled 'Media & Media Personalities' that produced new talents in the field of News-reading, Public Announcement, public speaking, Interviewing and Acting technology and filmmaking.

During 1975 to 76, he was associated with Publicity Department of Government of Manipur and compiled & edited 9 (nine) newsreels on news events in Manipur.

He also worked in Mumbai film industries, Mumbai Doordarshan and Satellite Project (ISRO) Ahmadabad.

Believing that a film culture is necessary of the development of Manipuri films, Shri MA Singh played catalytic role in forming and running Cine Club Imphal and the Manipur Film Council which later became the Manipur Film Development Corporation.

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