Meitei cinema

Meitei cinema, also known as Maniwood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language), widely spoken in the state of Manipur. The popular term Maniwood, is a portmanteau of "Manipuri" (official name of Meitei) and "Hollywood".

(1972) is the first Meitei-language film and also the first full-length cinema of Manipur. It won the President's Medal (Rashtriya Chalchitra Purashkar) at the 20th National Film Awards, 1972.

(1981) is the only Indian film that gets the Golden Montgolfiere at the Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes in 1982, bringing fame and honor of the Indian cinema at the international platform.

(1990) was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, and again after a gap of 33 years, it was recognized as a "World Classic" by the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Notably, it was the only film selected from India for the event in that year.

(2009) is the first animation film in Meitei language as well as in the cinema of Manipur.

Oneness (Meitei: Amata Oina) (2024) is the first film in the Meitei language and Manipuri cinema to deal with same-sex relationships.

The top three Manipuri films on IMDb as of 2023 are Ishanou, Oneness, and Eikhoigi Yum, all of which were produced in the Meitei language.

Since 2012, in Maniwood cinematic culture, there has been a general guideline regarding the dress code shown in the films as “If you wear jeans thrice on screen, you have to wear Manipuri dresses four times.” Playing a crucial role in the Meitei linguistic purism movement, Meitei cinema frequently practices the use of proper Meitei language instead of any pidgin language.

Aribam Syam Sharma, a renowned director of Meitei cinema, is of the opinion that Maniwood reflects the way of living and thinking of the Manipuri people and there is no better way to express themselves than it (Meitei cinema).

Actors

 * Oken Amakcham
 * Gokul Athokpam
 * Gurumayum Bonny
 * Shougrakpam Hemanta
 * Kaiku Rajkumar
 * Priyakanta Laishram
 * Makhonmani Mongsaba
 * Lairenjam Olen
 * Hamom Sadananda
 * Bijou Thaangjam
 * Chinglen Thiyam
 * Bonium Thokchom
 * Kangabam Tomba

Actresses

 * Maya Choudhury
 * Leishangthem Tonthoingambi
 * Abenao Elangbam
 * Bala Hijam
 * Lin Laishram
 * Soma Laishram
 * Manda Leima
 * Sushmita Mangsatabam
 * Biju Ningombam
 * Kshetrimayum Rashi
 * Yengkhom Roma
 * Kamala Saikhom
 * Huirem Seema
 * Tara

Directors

 * Oken Amakcham
 * Homen D' Wai
 * Oinam Gautam Singh
 * Romi Meitei
 * Makhonmani Mongsaba
 * Haobam Paban Kumar
 * Aribam Syam Sharma
 * Bobby Wahengbam
 * Priyakanta Laishram

Bilingualism
Many Meitei language films have been made with other languages simultaneously.