Yairipok Thambalnu is a 1984 Manipuri celluloid film directed by Laimayum Banka Sharma and produced by Huidrom Gehendra under the banner of Liberty Films. R.K. Hemabati and Kangabam Birbabu star as the leads. A digital version of the film was screened at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), Palace Compound on 8 January 2023, 38 years after its release. The digitisation was done under the world's largest film preservation exercise called the National Film Heritage Mission of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and executed by the National Film Archive of India as the implementing agency.
Plot.
The film tells the tragic tale of Thambalnu from Yairipok. She has a love affair with Mohon. Pranam Singh plots to break their relationship. During the time, a large scale flood occurs in Manipur, bringing despair to the people of the region. To stop the heavy rains, a Meitei royal shaman declares that a lady with name ending with "nu" should be sacrificed to God Wangbren. Thambalnu is chosen for it, which costs her life.
Production.
Principal photography of the film began in 1976. The film took around eight years to complete. A rigorous four month long workshop was done before the shooting of the movie commenced.
Soundtrack.
Nongmaithem Pahari composed the soundtrack and B. Jayantakumar Sharma wrote the lyrics. Nongmaithem Pahari, Chongtham Kamala, Nongmaithem Jyotiprakash and Nongmaithem Geeta are the playback singers.