Oken Amakcham is an Indian

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

music director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the d ...

and

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

who works in

Manipuri films The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but all the films made in different languages of the different communities in Manipur. The Manipuri film industry was born when ' ...

. He started his career in theatre and performing arts. He is a recipient of the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri for the movie ''

Mayophygee Macha ''Mayophygee Macha'' (English: ''Mayophy's Son''; also written as ''Mayophy Gee Macha'') is a 1994 Indian Meitei language film written by M. K. Binodini Devi and directed by Oken Amakcham. R.S. Joycee and Makhonmani Mongsaba were cast in the l ...

'' at the

42nd National Film Awards The 42nd National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 1994. Ceremony took place in 199 ...

. In 2002, he directed ''

Lammei ''Lammei'' (English: ''Wildfire'') is a 2002 Manipuri film directed by Oken Amakcham and produced by Premjit Naoroibam and Anita Naoroibam, under the banner of Kangla Films. Denny Likmabam and Prameshwori played lead roles in the movie. The mo ...

'' which marked the beginning of a digital era in

Manipuri cinema The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but all the films made in different languages of the different communities in Manipur. The Manipuri film industry was born when ' ...

. He took the role of music director in many of his movies. ''

Cheina ''Cheina'' (English: ''The Agony'') is a 2003 Indian Meitei language film directed by Oken Amakcham and produced by Shanti Thokchom. It stars Gurumayum Kalpana, Lingjelthoibi, Wahengbam Somoraj and Thingom Pritam in the lead roles. The story an ...

'', ''Tellanga Mamei'', ''Nungshithel'' are some of his notable films. He had been a jury member of 58th National Film Awards. His movie ''Nungshithel'' (English: ''Abode of Love'') was aired on Doordarshan Kendra Imphal as a four-episode teleplay. It was adapted from Arambam Samarendra's theatrical play of the same tite.

Career

Amakcham embarked on a journey into the world of performing arts, right after his graduation in 1981 from Dhanamanjuri College,

Imphal Imphal ( Meitei pronunciation: /im.pʰal/; English pronunciation: ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (also known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the fo ...

. In 1981, he joined theatre and received guidance from renowned theatre personalities like G.C. Tongbra, Birjit Ngangomba, Kangabam Birbabu, Sanakhya Ibotombi and

Heisnam Kanhailal Heisnam Kanhailal (17 January 1941 – 6 October 2016) was an Indian art theatre personality. For his work, he was awarded the Padma Shri Indian honours system, civilian award in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan civilian award in 2016 by the Governme ...

. Driven by his passionate love for music, he admitted himself into the Government Music College, Manipur. In addition to this, he learned ''Hindustani Shastriya Sangeet'' from his ''gurus'' Laishram Ibopishak and Sanasam Ibopishak. He completed Visharad from Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeeth,

Lucknow Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...

. His career in movies started with Sanakhya Ibotombi's 1986 film ''Iche Sakhi'', where he got a chance to act in a role. Amakcham's first celluloid film as a director is ''Khonthang'', a 1992 movie. Before this, he had directed video films ''Urit Naapangbee'' and ''Laidhi Lubaak'', produced by Thoungamba and Thouyangba for P.K. Films. His movie ''

'' was released in 1994 and stars

Makhonmani Mongsaba Makhonmani Mongsaba (born 1 March 1959) is an Indian author, actor, producer and director from Imphal, Manipur. He got his doctorate degree in Manipuri from Manipur University. In 2013, he won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for his book ...

and R.S. Joycee in the lead roles. He directed two more celluloid movies ''Aroiba Bidai'' and ''Cheina''. His 2002 directorial venture ''

'' is the first Manipuri video film to have a commercial screening at a theatre. It was shot by a digital camera. The movie also marked the beginning of a digital era in

. ''Tellanga Mamei'' and ''Thajabagee Wangmada'' were among the movies screened at the First Festival of Manipuri Cinema 2007 organised by Film Forum Manipur. His association with Dashu Films are marked by films ''

'', ''Thajabagee Wangmada'', ''Nangtana Helli'' and ''Tellanga Mamei''. He has given music direction for many of his feature films. The non-feature films made by Amakcham were mostly biographical documentations of well-known theatre personalities like

and

Ratan Thiyam Ratan Thiyam (born 20 January 1948) is an Indian playwright and theatre director, and the winner of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987, one of leading figures of the "''theatre of roots''" movement in Indian theatre, which started in the 1970s ...

. In 2019, he directed a non-feature film ''Raseswari Pala''. As of 2021, his movie ''

'' was among the feature films screened in the inaugural week of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Manipuri Cinema (1972-2022), organised from 9–18 April 2021 at MSFDS Imphal.

Accolades

Oken Amakcham's ''Khonthang'' was selected for Indian Panorama of the

International Film Festival of India The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually, currently in the state of Goa, on the western coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common pla ...

(IFFI),

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...

in 1993. It was invited to Singapore International Film Festival 1994 and Festival of SPARROW, Mumbai, 2008. His 1994 movie ''

'' won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the

held in 1995. It was scripted by

M. K. Binodini Devi Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi (6 February 1922 - 17 January 2011) was an Indian novelist, short story writer, playwright, lyricist and member of the royal family of Manipur. She published books under the name ''Binodini''. She was best known for h ...

. Amakcham's movie ''Aroiba Bidai'' was awarded the Best Feature Film award at the 4th Manipur State Film Awards 1999. His film ''

'' won the Best Feature Film and Best Director awards at the 6th Manipur State Film Awards 2006. He won the Best Music Director award for his work in the movie ''Mamlasanu Taibangpal'' at the 11th Manipur State Film Awards 2018.

Filmography

Feature films

Non-feature films

Oken Amakcham has directed non-feature films as well. His non-feature ''The Theatre Incarnate'' is a biographical film on

. In 2007, he made ''Ratan Thiyam: The Man of Theatre'' and was selected for Indian Panorama of

(IFFI), 2008 and 11th Mumbai International Film Festival 2008. * ''The Theatre Incarnate'' (2005) * ''Ratan Thiyam: The Man of Theatre'' (2007) * ''T. Nobokumar: The Man of Folk Theatre'' * ''Panthou'' * ''Tinthrok'' (2017) * ''Raseswari Pala'' (2019)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Amakcham, Oken Living people Film directors from Manipur Indian film directors Meitei people People from Imphal East district Male actors from Manipur 1962 births