Priyakanta Laishram Begins Filming INTERLUDE — A Human Story Shot Amid Manipur’s Conflict
Priyakanta Laishram, the acclaimed Manipuri filmmaker, has started principal photography on his new live-action short film INTERLUDE. The shoot went on floors on 8 August 2025 in Manipur and the production is currently in progress. The film stars Narmada Shougaijam and Baggee Tonjam (with child actor Thingnam Parihanba and a strong ensemble cast), is produced under Priyakanta Productions and is described as a contemplative, human-centred story set against the backdrop of Manipur’s ongoing unrest — exploring lives altered by conflict and displacement.
The essentials are straightforward and quick to confirm: production began on August 8, 2025, and the film is currently in principal photography in Manipur. The leads are Narmada Shougaijam and Baggee Tonjam, supported by child actor Thingnam Parihanba and a talented local ensemble. Priyakanta Laishram, who rose to wider attention with films like Oneness, is returning behind the camera solely as a director for this project — stepping away from acting to focus on storytelling. The project is produced by Roushil Singla and Laishram under Priyakanta Productions. Those are the production facts; everything else — the choices, the tone, the stakes — follows from them.
What INTERLUDE promises to be — more empathy than politics (but with political weight)
Priyakanta Laishram’s own description of the project is revealing: INTERLUDE “subtly echoes the emotional and psychological landscapes shaped by present tensions in the region,” while choosing not to take a direct political stance, instead focusing on fractured human connections and layered perceptions of ‘the other’. In plain English: the film wants to inhabit how ordinary people see, fear, and misread each other when violence and displacement change the rhythm of daily life. That’s a deliberate choice — not to be polemical, but to make viewers sit with discomfort, ambiguity, and the slow erosion of empathy that conflict causes. If you think of cinema as a mirror, INTERLUDE is aiming for the tiny, private mirror inside a room, not a megaphone outside a stadium.
Casting and crew — local talent, local hands, regional resonance
This project is firmly anchored in Manipuri talent. Narmada Shougaijam — a recent Manipur State Film Award winner and Prag Cine Awards Northeast Best Actress — headlines the film, while Baggee Tonjam makes his live-action short debut. The supporting cast includes local names like Rajkumari Sorojini, Ramva Leishangthem, Atom Ramesh, Sushma Kshetrimayum, Biswajit Saikia, and Harendra Laishram. On the technical side, INTERLUDE brings together regional practitioners: Wangkhem Tarun as director of photography, Caroline Laishram on costumes, Punil Hiyang on location sound, and a crew that includes Jessica Laishram and Keisham Brigesh in assistant roles. This matters: stories about local trauma told by outsiders risk flattening nuance; stories produced and shot with local artists are more likely to carry texture, dialect, and small human truth.
Five Unique FAQs
1) When did filming for INTERLUDE start and where is it being shot?
Production went on floors on 8 August 2025 and principal photography is being shot in Manipur.
2) Who are the lead actors and key crew members involved?
The film stars Narmada Shougaijam and Baggee Tonjam, with child actor Thingnam Parihanba and a supporting ensemble. The director of photography is Wangkhem Tarun, costume design by Caroline Laishram, and sound recorded by Punil Hiyang. The project is produced by Roushil Singla and Priyakanta Laishram under Priyakanta Productions
3) Is INTERLUDE a political film that takes a side in the Manipur conflict?
According to Laishram’s own description, the film intentionally avoids an overt political stance; instead it examines human perception, empathy, and fractured connections shaped by the conflict — offering a sensitive, human-centred view rather than a polemic.
4) Why is Priyakanta Laishram not acting in this film?
INTERLUDE marks a creative pivot: Laishram has chosen to return solely as a director, stepping away from acting to focus entirely on crafting the film’s narrative and vision.
5) Where might INTERLUDE be screened after completion?
While release plans haven’t been announced publicly, films like this typically aim for regional and national film festivals first, with potential international festival circuits for films that resonate broadly on human rights and conflict themes. Laishram’s previous festival recognition improves the likelihood of festival runs.
