By Our Special Correspondent
Shillong: Manik Raitong, the first Khasi film which also launched Meghalaya into the world of film making is set to be revived in VCD format for an all India release. Manik Raitong will now be accessible to audiences interested in Khasi legends. 3ME Entertainment and Pine Tree Pictures will be jointly marketing the film.
M Lyngdoh, Managing Director of 3ME Entertainment says, “We wanted to bring this movie back and make it more personal by packaging it in VCD format. We are currently looking at buying the marketing rights of a few other contemporary films and to take the Khasi-Jaintia films to a wider platform so that people outside Meghalaya can also view them.”
The film, directed by Ardhendu Bhattacharya with lyrics and composition by late Skendrowell Syiemlieh and Webster Davies Jyrwa and dialogues by Humphrey Blah has as its cast (Late) William Rynjah as Manik and Sheba Diengdoh as Liengmakaw the wife of the Khasi chieftain played by (Late) Gilbert Synnah.
Produced by Rishan Rapsang this movie is the first venture into commercial film making by a local businessman. Manik Raitong represented the Indian panorama at the Tokyo Film Festival. When it was first screened in 1984 the film created quite a stir being as it is the first real Khasi film based on one of the several legends of the Khasis.
Debojyoti Chattopadhyay, CEO, Pine Tree Pictures is grateful to Rapsang for agreeing to revive Manik Raitong and making it open for an all-India release. “We hope that more films based on the rich legends of Meghalaya and the North East are viewed by people across the country. This will help the rest of India understand the North East better,” Chattopadhyay said.
Repackaged as “The Story of Misery in Love,” the film is about a secret romance between Liengmakaw the beautiful wife of a Khasi chieftain (Syiem)and Manik (fondly called ‘Raitong’ meaning an orphan). Legend has it that the chieftain apparently had to leave his home to fight a battle in some distant land. He did not return for two long years. The restless and lonely Liengmakaw was one day drawn by the sound of a flute from a distance. She traced the sound and found Manik Raitong in a hut playing melodious tunes on his flute. Liengmakaw fell in love with the handsome Manik. Love between the two blossomed and Liengmakaw became pregnant with Manik’s child. When the beautiful Liengmakaw delivered a baby boy in the absence of the Syiem, the entire community was shocked. When the Syiem returned he was as shocked as his ministers at the scandal. The Syiem told his ministers to summon all the men of the village to a Dorbar (meeting). They were asked to bring a banana each and offer it to the child. Any man that the child accepts the banana from would be taken to be the boy’s father. Each man offered a banana to the child but he did not even look at them. The Syiem was baffled. Manik Raitong being a social outcast had not heard of the summons and so he did not attend. Now, the Syiem sent for him as he was the only man left out. Manik came with a banana, and, lo and behold, the baby immediately went to him gurgling with glee. The Syiem and his dorbar ruled that Manik had to be burnt alive on a pyre as a punishment.
Meanwhile the distraught Liengmakaw who was a prisoner in her house, broke open the door and ran towards the hillock where the pyre was set up. Manik went round the fire dressed in finery and playing his flute for the last time. He jumped into the raging flames but before that he planted his flute into the earth. Liengmakaw arrived breathless at the horrific scene. She too jumped into the flames. Both were consumed by the fire.
Khasis believe that Manik’s flute is what gave birth to the bamboo plant and they say that the reason why the bamboo bends down is because of its sorrow at the tragedy that befell Manik Raitong and Liengmakaw.
This is just one of the several Khasi legends that had been picturised but the film was not available for public viewing. The repackaged version of Manik Raitong might inspire other film makers to picturise the other Khasi legends.