Imagi Ningthem

Imagi Ningthem (English: My Son, My Precious) is a 1981 Indian Meitei language film directed by Aribam Syam Sharma.[1][2] It won the Golden Montgolfiere at the Festival des 3 Continents,Nantes[3] in 1982. The film was also screened at many International Film Festivals, which include Denver International Film Festival, London Film Festival, Locarno International Film Festival, Montreal International Film Festival and International Film Festival of India.[4][5] The film won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist (Master Leikhendra) and also for the Best Feature Film in Manipuri/Meitei Language at the 29th National Film Awards.

Imagi Ningthem (My Son, My Precious)
Directed byAribam Syam Sharma
Produced byK. Ibohal Sharma
Written byM. K. Binodini Devi
Screenplay byM. K. Binodini Devi
StarringMangi
Master Leikhendra
Rashi
Jamini
Huirem Manglem
Music byKhun Joykumar
CinematographyK. Ibohal Sharma
Edited byMadhusudan Banerjee
Distributed byX-Cine
Release date
  • 1981 (1981)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageMeitei

Cast

  • Mangi as Pupu, Thoithoi's grandfather
  • Master Leikhendra as Thoithoi
  • Jamini as Dhani, Ekashini's cousin
  • Rashi as Ekashini
  • Huirem Manglem as Gandhar
  • Aribam Gayatri as Pishak
  • Sagolsem Indrakumar as Dinachandra, Ekashini's husband
  • Bhubaneshwari as Memtombi

Plot

The film opens with Dhani travelling to her new place of posting where she is transferred. Dhani is being welcomed there by Gandhar where he introduces her to the school and the students. Thoithoi and his Pupu comes to Dhani to ask her if she can tutor Thoithoi since he is relatively weak in academics as he could not attend school regularly, to which Dhani agrees. Over the course of time, Dhani starts feeling sympathy for Thoithoi and starts inquiring about his parents to Gandhar's wife and comes to know that Pupu is Thoithoi's maternal grandfather.

Gandhar narrates to Dhani that Thoithoi's grandfather was working as an attendant in the Inspection bungalow. He had a daughter Memtombi, who was of free-spirited nature. An officer posted in the Inspection bungalow seduced Memtombi, which soon got transferred. When Memtombi's dad learned that her daughter was pregnant, he went to meet the officer to inform but he didn't come. Instead, he sent a guy for Memtombi, to which she refused. Memtombi died while she gave birth to Thoithoi. Dhani is disturbed after knowing about it and asks Gandhar about the guy. She comes to know that he is Dinachandra from Elang Leikai, which happens to be Ekashini's (Dhani's cousin's) husband. She goes to meet Ekashini to tell about what all happened, to which Ekashini initially denies. At this time, Dinachandra is out of station for a training programme, and also for meeting his son who is studying in Delhi.

Ekashini goes to meet Thoithoi but it didn't happen as Thoithoi's not at home at that time. Pishak tells Thoithoi that his mother came to meet him. During the second time, he meets Ekashini, where he thinks as his own mother. She brings clothes and snacks for him. After a brief meeting, when Ekashini is about to leave, Thoithoi asks not to leave and starts crying. Ekashini leaves but feels the pain of separation with Thoithoi, who addresses her as mother. Next day, Thoithoi goes to the roadside and waits for her mother. Soon, Thoithoi falls ill. Ekashini comes to meet him. She takes Thoithoi to her residence and also consults a doctor. Pupu doesn't want his grandson to be kept there. Dhani asks Ekashini to send Thoithoi back, but instead tells her to admit Thoithoi to a nearby school. Ekashini looks Thoithoi with utmost care and the mother-son relationship grows really strong.

Meanwhile, Dinachandra returns home and starts inquiring Ekashini about Thoithoi. Ekashini does not disclose the story but only tells him that she adopted just because she likes it and there won't be any problem with it afterwards. When she tells that the child is from the village where Dhani is posted, her husband insists that he will call Dhani to send the child back. Ekashini plans to make Thoithoi play the role of Lord Krishna for a Ras Leela performance, so she takes Thoithoi to a nearby Hindu temple for learning the dance regularly. During one of these days, Pupu comes to take Thoithoi where he meets Dinachandra. Pupu clarfies to him that he has had no intention of making his grandson adopt by a person who doesn't even consider adopting his own child and that, he himself is enough for Thoithoi. Dinachandra goes to call Ekashini and Thoithoi. Pupu tells his desire to Ekashini about taking Thoithoi back to which Ekashini expresses her anger to her husband for his allowance in the decision. She takes Thoithoi back to the Hindu temple. The grandfather, on seeing the mother-son bond, cries and leaves. The film ends with Ekashini correcting a step of the Thoithoi's Krishna dance, showing her love for her son, her precious.

References

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