A lake and a boat, a floating home and a boy belonging to a fishing community whose dreams go beyond the reach of his family are the subjects of Manipuri filmmaker Romi Meitei’s new film Eikhoigi Yum (Our Home). Selected for the prestigious 27th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) to be held from December 9, 2022, at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, the film tells the story of Chaoren and his family who reside in the floating biomass of the Loktak Lake called phumshang. They face great adversity from certain situational and political developments threatening their existence.
The boat has to be sold off to treat his father’s persisting illness, leaving Chaoren with no choice but to swim through the waters to reach in time for his school. Further, a government eviction notice asking the family and the many alike, residing in and around the largest freshwater lake in North East India, to clear off their homes makes them hostages to a situation which seeks to uproot them from their way of life and livelihood. The rationale behind the eviction is the lake’s pollution, which the government attributes to the fishermen folk.
“The process of globalisation is inevitable, and the issue of displacement is inextricably linked to the agenda of development which goes on to have a significant impact on small and indigenous communities. It also threatens the coexistence of nature and human life. Therefore, all forms of development should protect the sensibilities of the communities. The world is our home, and the natural habitats must be preserved”, explained writer-director Romi Meitei, when asked about the broader themes of the movie.
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“People and their livelihood are also an important theme of the movie. If it is about the question of survival then the traditional and cultural practices of small communities will also be challenged”, he added.
A place traditionally inhabited by the fishermen community, the Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006 is posing as a major hindrance to their life and livelihood because the state government has been clearing many phumdis for the conservation of the lake and developing the area for tourism.
“The film is not exactly a critique of the government policies. I am also trying to give in a solution. As a filmmaker, I cannot take sides. So I have to be very balanced and objective. I have just tried to show the situation and how lives are impacted as a result of it”, said the director.
Shot by Kangabam Bikram and Johni Meitei, the cinematography features some challenging tracking shots filmed in the waters with great care. The camera follows the boat, and sometimes it is mounted on the boat or placed on the landmass, or sometimes it gets in the water itself.
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The most difficult technical issues, according to Meitei, involved working on shoots involving water are stability and the presence of water itself. Highlighting the major concerns of the water shoot, director Romi Meitei stated, “The location where we shot our film had no electricity. To complete the shoot, we only had our battery supply. The boat ride to the location and back took about an hour. And we had to be very careful and mindful of our surroundings, taking all necessary precautions to avoid getting our belongings wet.”
“But it was our location sound recorder and designer Debajit Gayan who had the psychological fear of getting into the water but he too did well”, shared the director candidly, reflecting on the days of the film’s shoot.
Produced by Sheetal Chingsu, Eikhoigi Yum (Our Home) was not an easy film to be made. “It took eleven years for this film to be completed. I began working on the script in 2010 when the government issued eviction notices to the fishermen folk. The script was then chosen for Green Screen Lab in 2012 where it was further developed. But then we had difficulty finding producers. Finally, by the grace of God, we made it after ten years.
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The Loktak Lake of Manipur has been the subject of many films from the state with filmmakers like Haobam Paban Kumar previously making feature and documentary films on it. In his documentary Phum Shang (2014), Kumar captured the woes of the fishermen when the Indian government began forced evictions in the fishing villages. He then went on to present a fictionalises re-telling of the events, highlighting again the apathetic stand of the government against the plight of the community through Loktak Lairembee (2016).
“Yes, the Loktak Lake is an integral part of the social, cultural and economic life of the people in Manipur. The lake provides a source of sustenance for the fishermen living on phumdis. It is also considered a symbol of reproduction. And it is a popularly held belief that if the lake dies, then it would be difficult for people in Manipur to survive”, said Romi Meitei highlighting the importance of the lake which was bestowed the Ramsar Site of International Importance in 1990.
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With the current generation of Manipuri filmmakers like Haobam Paban Kumar, Bobby Wahengbam and Romi Meitei bringing national and international recognition to the cinema of the state, the future of filmmaking in Manipur seems bright and full of prospects. As Manipuri cinema turns 50 this year, efforts are also being made to put the Manipur State Cine Policy 2020 into effect with recommendations ranging from organizing international film festivals and establishing a film studio to various academic activities.
“To be honest, Manipuri cinema continues to witness some challenging circumstances. Many old cinema halls have shut down and a few filmmakers are trying to make films on their own, but again, there is no policy support from the government till now. The film policy was adopted but it has not yet been implemented. So, like me, now many filmmakers have to fund their projects out of their own pockets. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the resurrection of cinema in Manipur”, said Meitei.
In the recently-concluded 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), the Manipur State Film Development Society, in their pavilion, also tried to highlight various incentives to attract filmmakers from other states to come and shoot in Manipur. So, once implemented the new film policy can certainly offer cinema in Manipur a new leash of life. It will not only empower the current filmmakers but will also inspire the young to utilise the popular medium to tell stories about their region, nature and their cultural values.
In a recent video interview with film critic Baradwaj Rangan, Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is seen and heard saying that the young generation of Manipur consumes a lot of Korean cinema, so seven to eight years down the line, they can surely become Korean cinema influenced dark action filmmakers of the state, and he is very excited to see that.
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When asked about what he thinks of Kashyap’s comment, director Romi Meitei said, “There is nothing serious about it since it’s only comment. I don’t want to take it any other way. Anurag Kashyap is a great filmmaker, and he has just stated it based on his observations. We cannot deny the impact of a Korean wave. BTS is very popular among the local girls and boys here and they would also occasionally adhere to their dress code and wear make-up. Some of them can also speak Korean. But it’s all fun and nothing like what Kashyap has described it to be. When it comes to filmmaking, Manipuri cinema will stand for its own distinct identity.”
Eikhoigi Yum (Our Home) had its world premiere at the 22nd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival earlier this year and it was also bestowed with the Best Feature Film award at the 14th Manipur State Film Awards 2022 where it also won Best Art Direction, Best Child Artiste, Best Audiography and Best Editing award. The cast includes Master Priyojit Nganthoibi, Bhumeshwor, Sori Senjam, Bhanu Leima, Nupaton, Rajen, Kunje, and Brojen. Now, Eikhoigi Yum (Our Home) is all set to compete in the International Competition section of the 27th IFFK to be held during 9 to 16 December 2022.
You can watch the trailer of Eikhoigi Yum (Our Home) here.
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