Reels of a lost Manipur to undergo digital revival in Italy

A collection of 15 rare reels shot on 8mm celluloid between the mid-1930s and early 1960s is believed to contain fragments of a way of life that has long since changed

Updated - August 09, 2026 05:55 am IST - GUWAHATI

Johnson Rajkumar (left), the principal film conservationist at Manipur’s SN Chand Cine Archive & Museum, with Paolo Simoni, the director of Bologna-based Home Movies Foundation, inspecting a rare 8mm reel of M.K. Priyabrata Singh shot in the 1930s. Special arrangement

In the age of fast storytelling with short vertical videos on smartphones, Manipur is rewinding to an era of elaborate reel-making less than a century ago.

A collection of 15 rare and fragile 8mm celluloid reels, believed to contain rare footage shot mostly between the mid-1930s and early 1960s, is set to undergo professional inspection, cataloguing, and preservation digitisation in Italy.

The Imphal-based S.N. Chand Cine Archive & Museum (SNCCAM) is collaborating with the Home Movies Foundation-National Family Film Archive in Bologna to digitise these reels for posterity.

These reels, each up to 10 minutes long, are believed to contain rare footage shot by Maharaj Kumar Priyabrata Singh and Kongbrailatpam Ibohal Sharma, long before Manipuri cinema found its footing. They were among 25 reels X-Cine donated to the SNCCAM.

A film production company established by K. Ibohal Sharma, X-Cine is now run by his son K. Bimol Sharma, a cinematographer, editor, and filmmaker.

“There is no facility in India to digitise such vintage reels, and digital preservation abroad involves a lot of money. So, we prioritised the digitisation of the 15 reels on Manipur’s native life, cultural traditions such as boat race, and landscapes, including Loktak Lake,” Sunzu Bachaspatimayum, the secretary of the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), told The Hindu on Saturday (August 8, 2026).

The society manages the SNCCAM.

The MSFDS established the SNCCAM in April 2021 to mark the commencement of Manipuri cinema’s golden jubilee celebrations. The idea was to build an institutional framework to preserve the State’s film heritage despite financial constraints, limited specialised manpower, and the logistical difficulties of handling ageing film materials.

The project was fast-tracked after Johnson Rajkumar, SNCCAM’s principal film conservationist, participated in the FIAF Film Restoration Summer School 2026 and the 40th Festival Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna from June 19 to July 12.

The Bologna programme, held at L’Immagine Ritrovata and associated institutions, brought together specialists and practitioners working on film preservation. Mr. Rajkumar was the only Indian selected for the training programme, enabling him to acquire practical knowledge of contemporary archival and restoration practices and establish international links.

The collaboration with the Bologna-based Home Movies Foundation was one of the first tangible outcomes of his training and new international connections.

The foundation’s director, Paolo Simoni, said the footage will be digitised in accordance with internationally accepted film-preservation standards, rather than merely converting them into access copies.

M.K. Priyabrata Singh, remembered as P.B., and K. Ibohal were two of Manipur’s earliest filmmakers to use 8mm cameras. The former began using his Bell & Howell 8mm camera in 1935.

Together, they captured a Manipur in transition, not as commercial cinema, but as a visual record of a way of life at a time when filmmaking was beyond the reach of most people.

“There’s no way of ascertaining what they shot, but we have a general idea of the subjects of each film. We believe these will be invaluable for researchers and cultural specialists who go deep into traditions, histories, and social practices,” Mr. Bachaspatimayum said.

Restoring the remaining 10 reels will depend on funds and affordability, he added.

Published - August 08, 2026 12:35 pm IST

India / Manipur / arts, culture and entertainment / entertainment (general) / arts (general)

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