Imphal: Oken Amakcham died on 19 July 2026. He was 64. The veteran artist succumbed to a series of strokes after a long struggle with his health. Manipur lost a pillar of its creative community. He was a filmmaker, actor, playwright, music director, and mentor.
Amakcham was born in 1962. Over three decades, he directed 29 feature films and composed music for 22 others. He also wrote more than 90 Manipuri film songs. He founded The Juvenile Theatre to train young artists. His debut, Khonthang, reached the Indian Panorama in 1993. His 1995 film Mayophigee Macha won a National Film Award. He also directed a documentary on Ratan Thiyam.
He saved a dying industry. Following a 2000 ban on Hindi films, local theaters went dark and funding dried up. Amakcham turned to digital technology. In 2002, his film Lammei became the first digital Manipuri feature released in theaters. That move sparked a industry-wide revival. It proved that, "storytelling did not depend upon expensive celluloid but upon courage, imagination and an unwavering belief in one's own culture."
Amakcham served as an Executive Board Member of the Manipur State Film Development Society until his death. He was working on a documentary about Sapam Nodiya Chand, the father of Manipuri cinema. His death highlights the lack of support for cultural icons in their final years. He leaves behind a legacy of resilience and artistic pride.
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