Aribam Syam Sharma

Aribam Syam Sharma

Birth : 1936-03-21, Imphal, Manipur, India

History

Aribam Syam Sharma is an Indian film director and composer from Manipur in India. He debuted in the first Manipuri film Matamgi Manipur as an actor. In 1974, he directed his first movie Lamja Parshuram. Lamja Parshuram became the first Manipuri film to run for 100 days in the box office. His 1980 film Olangthagee Wangmadasoo was the first ever and the only Manipuri film to run for 32 weeks. It also broke the local box office records of Sholay. His fourth film as a director, Imagi Ningthem (My Son, My precious) brought him international recognition when the film received the Montgolfiere d' Or at the Festival of Three Continents, Nantes in 1982. His 1990 film Ishanou (The Chosen One) was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival. He was honoured with the Padmashri in 2006. But, he returned the award in February 2019 to protest against the Indian Government's decision to enact the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019. In recognition of his contribution in the Indian documentary cinema, Government of India conferred him Dr. V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award in the 10th Mumbai International Film Festival, 2008 organised by the Films Division. Syam Sharma was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 7th Manipur State Film Festival 2010. He was also conferred with the Jewel of Manipuri Cinema award on 14 May 2015 by the Film Forum Manipur and the Manipur State Film Development Society.

Profile

Aribam Syam Sharma

Movies

Nongphadok Lakpa Atithi
Director
Tamubi had determined not to visit her estranged husband. Not even once in their twelve years of separation. But one day, all against herself, she visits to attend her daughter’s wedding. She yielded to her daughter’s persistence. When she arrives the estranged couple did not exchange a single word. As night falls after the ceremony, Tamubi has no choice but to hold the night at her husband’s place. Reminiscence of the years gone by keep awake the separated husband and wife the whole night. The following day her husband pleads her to come back and start life anew. But Tamubi sticks to her independent conscience.
Manipuri Pony
Director
The film on Manipuri animal of character and strength, is inextricably linked with the culture, history and civilization of the land, was once treated as a family member. According to Meitei myths, it was the first animal created. Today Manipuri Pony is endangered species, but all hope for its survival is not yet lost.
Leipaklei
Producer
The film Leipaklei tells the story of Leipaklei, a woman named after a Manipuri flower. Like the flower whose habitat is the hard ground, she is surrounded by hard trials and ironies of fate: separation from the one who loved and is still loved by her, abandonment by her husband, the trials of being a single parent, the violence of the gaze of men who sees her as fair game. Not unlike the flower Leipaklei, which hibernates beneath parched grounds - dreaming for a spring past, the protagonist dreams of the return of her beloved. He returns.
Leipaklei
Music
The film Leipaklei tells the story of Leipaklei, a woman named after a Manipuri flower. Like the flower whose habitat is the hard ground, she is surrounded by hard trials and ironies of fate: separation from the one who loved and is still loved by her, abandonment by her husband, the trials of being a single parent, the violence of the gaze of men who sees her as fair game. Not unlike the flower Leipaklei, which hibernates beneath parched grounds - dreaming for a spring past, the protagonist dreams of the return of her beloved. He returns.
Leipaklei
Director
The film Leipaklei tells the story of Leipaklei, a woman named after a Manipuri flower. Like the flower whose habitat is the hard ground, she is surrounded by hard trials and ironies of fate: separation from the one who loved and is still loved by her, abandonment by her husband, the trials of being a single parent, the violence of the gaze of men who sees her as fair game. Not unlike the flower Leipaklei, which hibernates beneath parched grounds - dreaming for a spring past, the protagonist dreams of the return of her beloved. He returns.
Paari
Director
Little Paari and his friend live near a national park and love watching the animals, especially the sangai, an endangered species of deer. But when the friend moves away Paari becomes depressed and loses interest in nature.
The Grey Mare
Director
A man, irritated by his childhood friend's refusal to marry him, steals her beloved grey mare in order to force her to agree.
Ishanou
Producer
This drama opens as a happy young couple are preparing for an ear-piercing ceremony for their first child, a daughter. This is an important custom in their region of India, signifying the beginning of a responsible stage in life. Things go awry when the wife begins talking to flowers, singing odd songs, and having fits. In fact, the fits get so violent that she has to be physically restrained and tied down to prevent her from hurting herself. It eventually emerges that she has been chosen by a spirit which is special to a particular religious cult, the Meibis. Things proceed swiftly with her new, unsought, allegiance as she makes contact with the cult and its leader and prepares to leave her heartsick husband and child behind.
Ishanou
Music
This drama opens as a happy young couple are preparing for an ear-piercing ceremony for their first child, a daughter. This is an important custom in their region of India, signifying the beginning of a responsible stage in life. Things go awry when the wife begins talking to flowers, singing odd songs, and having fits. In fact, the fits get so violent that she has to be physically restrained and tied down to prevent her from hurting herself. It eventually emerges that she has been chosen by a spirit which is special to a particular religious cult, the Meibis. Things proceed swiftly with her new, unsought, allegiance as she makes contact with the cult and its leader and prepares to leave her heartsick husband and child behind.
Ishanou
Director
This drama opens as a happy young couple are preparing for an ear-piercing ceremony for their first child, a daughter. This is an important custom in their region of India, signifying the beginning of a responsible stage in life. Things go awry when the wife begins talking to flowers, singing odd songs, and having fits. In fact, the fits get so violent that she has to be physically restrained and tied down to prevent her from hurting herself. It eventually emerges that she has been chosen by a spirit which is special to a particular religious cult, the Meibis. Things proceed swiftly with her new, unsought, allegiance as she makes contact with the cult and its leader and prepares to leave her heartsick husband and child behind.
Paokhum Ama
Director
The film explores the different life styles of modern India. In urban society corruption is rife, careers advanced by bribes and influence. But there is an alternative: life in the hills, where the people face life silently and accept nature's gifts. In this ultimately optimistic film, a Manipuri youth lives through personal pain and disappointment to face with new hope and energy the struggle of his family for a different way of life.
Imagi Ningthem
Director
A teacher comes to a village and an old man asks her to tutor his sickly grandson. The teacher becomes curious about the old man and the boy. She finds out from a colleague that the boy's mother had been seduced by a man and died in child birth. Winner of the Golden Montgolfiere at the Three Continents Film Festival.
Olangthagee Wangmadasoo
Director
In this award-winning blockbuster film Olangthagee Wangmadasoo (meaning " Even Beyond the Summer Horizon" in Manipuri) by Aribam Syam Sharma, a singer Bijoy and a medical student Thadoi fall in love and decide to marry each other. But differences between their respective families bring a sequence of twists to the tale including attack on Bijoy, his grandfather's death, a pilgrimage and a kidnapping. Will their love be able to defy all these?
Saaphabee
Music
Saaphabee is a 1976 Manipuri film written by Sarangthem Bormani, produced by G. Narayan Sharma and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. The film features Kangabam Tomba and Subadani in the lead roles. It was released at Usha Cinema, Paona Bazar on 13 July 1976. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 24th National Film Awards. It is based on the famous Manipuri folk play Haorang Leishang Saaphabee. It is the first Manipuri folk film.
Saaphabee
Director
Saaphabee is a 1976 Manipuri film written by Sarangthem Bormani, produced by G. Narayan Sharma and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. The film features Kangabam Tomba and Subadani in the lead roles. It was released at Usha Cinema, Paona Bazar on 13 July 1976. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 24th National Film Awards. It is based on the famous Manipuri folk play Haorang Leishang Saaphabee. It is the first Manipuri folk film.
Lamja Parshuram
Music
Lamja Parshuram is a 1974 Manipuri film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and produced by G. Narayan Sharma for N.S. Films. The script of the film was written by Elangbam Dinamani Singh and story by G.C. Tongbra. The movie features Kangabam Tomba in the titular role, and Wahengbam Bedamani as the lead female protagonist. It was released on 24 April 1974 at Pratap Talkies, Paona Bazar. The film ran for more than 100 days and became the first Manipuri hit feature film.
Lamja Parshuram
Director
Lamja Parshuram is a 1974 Manipuri film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma and produced by G. Narayan Sharma for N.S. Films. The script of the film was written by Elangbam Dinamani Singh and story by G.C. Tongbra. The movie features Kangabam Tomba in the titular role, and Wahengbam Bedamani as the lead female protagonist. It was released on 24 April 1974 at Pratap Talkies, Paona Bazar. The film ran for more than 100 days and became the first Manipuri hit feature film.
Matamgi Manipur
Music
Matamgi Manipur is the first full-length Manipuri feature film released in the year 1972. The film narrates the story of a middle class family which has votaries of the new and old values in society. They drift in different directions pulled by their diametrically opposite attitudes.