Bobby Wahengbam (born 2 February 1971) is an Indian filmmaker, producer, writer and film critic known for his works in Manipuri films.[1][2] He is the recipient of several accolades, including two National Film Awards.[3][4][5] As a film critic, he contributed regularly for local and national newspapers for the last two decades, where some of his writings have been translated into other languages as well.[6] Now, he regularly writes as a cinema critic for The People's Chronicle, a local English daily, every Sunday for the last four years.
Bobby Wahengbam | |
|---|---|
,_at_the_65th_National_Film_Awards_Function,_in_New_Delhi.JPG) Wahengbam receiving the Swarna Kamal Award from the President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind at the 65th National Film Awards | |
| Born | Wahengbam Khemananda Singh 2 February 1971 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | M.A. (History), University of Bombay, 1994 |
| Occupation(s) | Director, Producer, Writer, Film Critic |
| Spouse | Manorama Meinam |
| Parent(s) | Wahengbam Sharat Lamabam Kananbala |
| Awards | National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema (2017) National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri (2019) |
Wahengbam is the founder of the production house Third Eye. Under it, his film Apaiba Leichil was produced.[7] All the documentaries under his production/direction are scripted by him. He also gave lectures, talks and classes on various occasions like Ritwich Film Festival 2013, Karimganj; North East Film Festival 2019, Pune and Article 19 - Communication Festival 2019 at Manipal School of Communications, Karnataka.[8][9]
Education
Wahengbam attended Imphal College where he studied PU Sc (Science). He enrolled at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai to pursue a bachelor's degree in History and later earned a master's degree from the University of Bombay in 1994. He received diploma in Film & TV Production from Xavier's Institute of Communication, Mumbai in 1993.[citation needed]
Accolades
- Writing on Film
| Award | Category | Work | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Manipur State Film Awards 2016 | Best Book on Cinema | Manipuri Cinema: A World of Its Own | [10] |
| Best Critic Award | |||
| 65th National Film Awards | Swarna Kamal for Best Book on Cinema | Matamgi Manipur: The First Manipuri Feature Film | [11][12] |
- Film & TV Production/Direction
| Award | Category | Film | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7th Manipur State Film Awards 2010 | Best Film on Social Issues | Roshni | |
| 9th Manipur State Film Awards 2014 | Best Film on Social Issue and Jury's Award | Soft Target | [13] |
| 67th National Film Awards | Rajat Kamal for Best Feature Film in Manipuri | Eigi Kona | [14] |
| 13th Manipur State Film Awards 2020 | Jury Special Mention | [15] | |
| 14th Manipur State Film Awards 2022 | Special Mention | Apaiba Leichil | [16][17] |
| 15th Manipur State Film Awards 2023 | Special Jury Award | Padma Shri Wareppa Naba: Rituals to Mainstream | [18][19] |
Bibliography
| Year | Title | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Manipuri Cinema: A World of Its Own | Yaibiren Publication, Imphal |
| 2017 | Matamgi Manipur: The First Manipuri Feature Film | Angomningthou Preservation & Documentation, Imphal |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Category | Studio | _______________Notes_______________ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Emmasu Emmani | Telefilm | DDK Imphal | |
| 1999 | Emma Keithel | Documentary | ||
| Yubi Lakpi | ||||
| 2000 | Post & Telecommunication in Manipur | |||
| 2001 | Tatkhraba Punshi Leipul | Telefilm | ||
| Crafts Society, Manipur | Documentary | |||
| 2002 | This-abled man | |||
| 2003 | Costume of the Kabuis | PPC-NE | ||
| 2004 | Achievers | |||
| Orphanage to Olympics | PSBT, New Delhi & Films Division, Mumbai | Participated in 1st North East Film Festival 2005 Shillong, Road Show of North East Documentary Film Festival 2005 Aizawl, Manipur State Film Festivals organised by Film Forum (2007) and MFDC (2010).[20][21] | ||
| 2006 | Two Immortal Love Stories | Serial | Doordarshan-NE | |
| 2007 | Joseph Ki Macha | Short Fiction | DDK Imphal | Participated in 10 MIFF 2008 Mumbai, Kathmandu Mountain Film Festival 2008, 3rd VIBGYOR International Film Festival Trichur 2008, 14th Kolkata Film Festival 2008, Twilight New Delhi 2008, Sign Film Festival 2009 Thiruvananthapuram and North East Film Festival 2009.[22] |
| 2008 | Blank Frame | Serial | Doordarshan, PPC-NE | |
| Operation Theatre | Short on HIV/AIDS | OSD, Melinda Gates Foundation & Melbourne University | ||
| 2009 | Roshni | Documentary on HIV/AIDS | Got selection in the competition section of the 11th Mumbai International Film Festival 2010.[23] Participated in Kerala International Film Festival 2010. | |
| 2010 | Rhythm | Short, 35mm cinemascope | Films Division, Mumbai | |
| 2011 | Three Women | Documentary | ||
| Fenced People | PSBT, New Delhi & Films Division, Mumbai | |||
| 2013 | Soft Target | Films Division, Mumbai | Participated in Sign Film Festival 2016, Kerala and Films North East 2016, Itanagar. | |
| 2019 | Speak Up | Documentary | TOM TV, Imphal | |
| Kaona Yen | ||||
| Eigi Kona | Feature | Luwang Apokpa Mamikol Productions | Official selections at the Indian Panorama (51st IFFI 2020), Indica Film Utsav 2020, Thrissur International Film Festival 2021 and 4th OIFFA Canada 2021.[24][25] | |
| 2021 | Apaiba Leichil | Third Eye Productions | ||
| 2023 | Padma Shri Wareppa Naba: Rituals to Mainstream | Documentary | Official selection at the North East Film Festival 2023, Mumbai. |