Chikonglei
In Dhaka’s Bengali-centric media world, struggling Manipuri actress Chikonglei must decide whether to undergo cosmetic surgery for a leading role, risking the erasure of her ethnic identity.
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Sheram ChingkheiDirector
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Sheram ChingkheiWriter
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Fazle Hasan ShishirProducerSuraiya
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Mohd Shifat HasanProducer
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Raterhood InitiativesProduction Company
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Makumang FilmsProduction Company
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Project Type:Feature
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Genres:Drama
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Runtime:1 hour 30 minutes
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Country of Origin:Bangladesh
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Country of Filming:Bangladesh
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Language:Bengali, Manipuri
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) Development 2025Rotterdam
Netherlands
Preselection
Sheram Chingkhei is a Sylhet-based filmmaker, poet, and singer-songwriter dedicated to preserving and celebrating his Manipuri heritage. Writing original Manipuri songs under the moniker Hanuba, he is set to release his debut EP, while his 2015 poetry collection Pebetki Pena reflects his deep cultural roots.
As a filmmaker, Chingkhei's work includes Imphaldagi (2020), a 14-minute diary film that screened at the 5th Hill Film Festival 2021 and Matribhasha Utsab 2023, and Fishbowl (2018), an 8-minute drama. As a producer, he worked on Pollution Mare (2024), that won Best Film in the One Minute Category at the 10th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival 2024.
His projects in development include Chikonglei, a 90-minute drama, preselected for IFFR HBF 2024, and Numit, that has been selected as a finalist in the Script in Competition category at the Global Youth Film Festival Bangladesh 2024.
As a member of the endangered Manipuri community in Bangladesh, Chingkhei uses his work as an act of resistance against cultural extinction. He also leads Jumjai Sessions, a house concert series fostering a community of young Manipuri musicians to inspire the creation of original songs.
He is currently prepping to shoot a new short while developing his debut feature.