Manipuri Cinema Icon Aribam Shantimo Sharma Dies at 90

Imphal: Aribam Shantimo Sharma died Sunday. He was 90. The veteran filmmaker, composer, and singer passed away after battling a long illness in Imphal. Sharma spent two decades at the Manipur State Film Development Society, an organization now mourning his departure as a heavy blow to local cinema.

He spent three decades in the industry. During that time, he worked as an audiographer on 19 feature films and 22 non-feature projects. He trained at the National Film Development Corporation Film Centre and the India Film Lab in Kolkata. His technical skills defined the sound of Manipuri movies for generations.

Sharma often worked in the background. His most famous collaboration was with filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma on the film Ishanou, which appeared at the 2023 Cannes Classics. He also teamed up with K. Ibohal Sharma, Oken Amakcham, Makhonmani Mongsaba, and Sunzu Bachaspatimayum. The Manipur State Film Development Society noted that his death would be deeply felt, stating, "Sharma’s contributions had left a lasting mark on Manipuri filmmaking."