• NET Web Desk

In order to promote cinema as social force, queer films have always believed in exhibiting narratives with outstanding treatment of human psychology through exquisite cinematic terms with an aura of brevity, artistic brilliance, and queer societal challenges.

Similarly, Manipur’s first gay movie “Oneness” based on the alleged honour killing of a gay Manipuri youth in 2013; aims to depict such forbidden subjects.

Directed by the prominent award-winning Manipuri filmmaker and actor – Priyakanta Laishram, the trailer of this full-length feature film was launched last week. Besides, the film is expected to release later this year.

According to Laishram, he learned about the tragedy through a YouTube discussion show he started in 2020, when he returned to Imphal from a Chandigarh-based college, during the first pandemic lockdown.

“The victim’s cousin contacted me after listening my show on the radio. She informed me that her brother, who is from a tribal group, was dating a Meitei boy. He was 18 years old at the time, and his Meitei boyfriend was 21. When the couple were apprehended in a hotel room during a police raid, the victim’s relatives learned of his sexuality. While his mother and sister were supportive, his father and oldest brother were devout Christians.” – informed Laishram.

According to Laishram, the two boys’ families forced them to undergo conversion treatment. The youngster was exposed to exorcisms and dunked in water, in an attempt to re-baptize him. While, the victim preserved a comprehensive account of what transpired in a journal, which the film is based on.

Laishram further added that the two lovers reconnected after several months. “The victim’s older brother, who was keeping a tight eye on him, tracked him down to a rendezvous. His brother added bleaching powder and ammonia in his milk later that night, after the victim had returned home; resulting to the death of the boy. However, a case was never registered and the death was ruled a suicide.” – he explained.

“In any case, tribal law predominates in tribal communities, therefore the police have limited options in such instances,” Laishram said.

Laishram claims that when he first announced the film, he received threats from the victim’s neighbourhood. “I modified the character’s name and chose Martin as his surname…very carefully, following research, so as not to offend any communities. Martin isn’t a well-known name,” he remarked.

This was not the first time Laishram has been threatened because of his profession. A short film on male sexuality and child sexual assault was released by the independent filmmaker in 2018. “I received threats from four separate insurgent groups,” further mentioned Laishram.

It was ‘very challenging’ according to Laishram. “I searched for an actor to portray the lead part for eight months. Because it was a gay man’s role, every performer declined. While I hired an actor to play the boyfriend, I had to play the victim’s character myself,” explained Laishram, who also wrote, produced, and directed the film.

“Manipuri society doesn’t understand homosexuality. That’s why this movie is so important,” he said.