By Dr. David Lalhmachhuana
Dr. Sayan Dey
Before the Arrival of Cinema
Mizo society relied heavily on oral traditions to impart knowledge, retain collective memories and convey social values across generations prior to the development of filmmaking.
Oral narratives such as songs, proverbs, folktales and legends have played a significant role in preserving cultural memory and transferring stories across generations. The transmission of knowledge, social values and collective understandings of the past were all intimately linked to oral narratives, which were more than just entertainment.
In addition to oral traditions, theatre and drama were a crucial medium for group storytelling. As Mizo drama evolved, language, acting, characterisation, staging and visual performance were incorporated into an increasingly significant cultural genre. Even though the medium of cinema had not yet gained traction, these customs created a setting where spectators were already familiar with the narrative being presented to them. Therefore, the later introduction of moving images did not happen in a cultural vacuum.
The Arrival of Cinema in Mizoram
With the introduction of cinema, a new kind of visual storytelling entered an environment of culture that was already impacted by drama, music, oral storytelling and performance.
Mizo viewers eventually had regular access to films made outside of Mizoram through the construction of movie theatres. One of the first movie theatres in Aizawl, Krishna Talkies, was crucial to this growth. Before talkies arrived, the theatre, which was run by Bomraj, a non-Mizo businessman, exhibited silent films. Later, it introduced local viewers to foreign films and movie music.
Mizo audiences, especially the younger generation, became more familiar with Hollywood movies, Hindi films, and the music and styles that go along with them.
The Growth of Moviegoing Culture
Aizawl's movie theatre amenities grew in the ensuing years. By the early 1970s, movie theatres like Zodin and Galaxy had grown to be significant locations for moviegoing and drew sizable crowds.
A variety of international and Indian films were shown in these theatres, with Hollywood westerns, Hong Kong martial arts movies and Western action pictures being especially well-liked. Local audiences also got aware with Hindi films; films like Bobby (1973) and Sholay (1975) are recalled as part of the era's cinematic experience.
The growing exposure to cinema created a context in which local filmmaking could gradually emerge. Regular access to Western and Hindi films introduced Mizo audiences to different forms of storytelling, acting, music and visual presentation. However, Mizo audiences eventually moved beyond simply watching films and began experimenting with filmmaking technologies to tell stories of their own.
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| Lala leh Puii shooting in Manipur (1974) |
Lala leh Puii (1974): An Early Mizo-Language Film
The celluloid history of Mizo cinema begins earlier than the commonly cited production of Phuba (1983). While existing accounts have generally identified Phuba as the first Mizo feature film, evidence from the early history of Mizo filmmaking points to Lala leh Puii, produced in the 1970s, as an earlier and important milestone.
Based on the well-known Mizo folktale Chhawrtuineihlala leh Tuanpuii, the film drew upon an established tradition of oral storytelling and translated it into a visual medium. Its significance therefore extends beyond its status as an early film production. It demonstrates how indigenous narratives that had previously circulated through oral and performative traditions could be reworked through the technology of cinema.
The project was initiated and executed by Rochungnunga and P. C. Lalthlamuana under the banner of Vanapa Film Private Limited.
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| Vanapa Films Company Private Limited |
The filming of Lala leh Puii began on 2 December 1973 and continued into 1974. The entire production took place in Imphal, Manipur, with technical support from The X Photo Studio, a Meitei-owned establishment in Paona Bazar. Ibohal Banca handled the cinematography, while Manipuri professionals assisted with makeup and other technical aspects of production.
The experience of making the film illustrates the difficulties faced by early Mizo filmmakers. P. C. Thachhungi, who played the leading female role, recalled:
"When we began shooting, there were no studios, no trained crew, and no equipment in Mizoram. The shooting took place in Manipur as they had the resources we lacked. Everything from the cameras to makeup came from there. I still remember how we all worked together, Mizo and Manipuri, learning as we went. It was not easy, but we felt proud because we were making something for our people, in our own language and it was a way to bring Mizo culture onto the screen."
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| Lala leh Puii (1974) |
The collaboration with Manipuri technicians was not merely a matter of technical convenience. It also demonstrates the interconnected character of early filmmaking in Northeast India. The absence of film infrastructure in Mizoram did not prevent Mizo filmmakers from entering the medium; instead, production depended upon regional networks through which equipment, technical knowledge and human resources could be accessed.
Thachhungi further recalled the contribution of the Manipuri filmmakers:
"The Manipuri filmmakers helped us a lot. They taught us how to face the camera, how to act naturally, how to express emotion. For most of us, this was our first time acting in front of a camera."
The production also demonstrates the close relationship between cinema and Mizo cultural memory. Lala leh Puii was not simply an adaptation of a familiar story for entertainment. The film incorporated representations of everyday Mizo life, including clothing, domestic activities, houses and traditional practices.
Thachhungi explained:
"We wanted to show how we live, our dress, our homes, the way we talk and behave. It was not just a love story; it was our life on screen."
Its first screening reportedly took place at Thangzama Cinema Hall in Churachandpur, Manipur, before the film was subsequently shown in Khatla, Mizoram, through an 8 mm film reel.
The movement of the film between Manipur and Mizoram is itself significant. Although the production was undertaken outside Mizoram, the film was created in the Mizo language and addressed Mizo cultural experiences and audiences. Its history therefore challenges a strictly territorial understanding of the origins of Mizo cinema.
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| A scene from Phuba(1983) |
Phuba (1983): The Emergence of Filmmaking in Mizoram
Lala leh Puii (1974) demonstrates the emergence of Mizo-language filmmaking outside Mizoram, while Phuba marks a different and equally important stage: the development of feature filmmaking within Mizoram itself.
Produced in 1983 by Young Star Films, the film was written by Biakthansanga, with F. Hrangmuana, C. Rosanga, H. K. Muankima, and others involved in its production. The film was shot in Mizoram using an 8 mm celluloid camera and therefore represents an important milestone in the emergence of a locally based filmmaking practice.
Young Star Films was co-founded by Biakthansanga and F. Hrangmuana, a drama instructor employed by the Government of Mizoram. C. Rosanga served as chairman, while H. K. Muankima was involved as the cameraman.
Recalling the formation of the group and the collective effort behind the production, Biakthansanga stated:
"I co-founded Young Star Films with F. Hrangmuana, a drama instructor employed by the Government of Mizoram. Other key collaborators were C. Rosanga as chairman and H.K. Muankima as cameraman. Together, we pooled our limited resources to make the film a reality."
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| Cast and crew of Phuba (1983) |
Making a Film with Limited Resources
The production of Phuba was characterised by severe limitations in equipment, finance, training and technical infrastructure. Access to cameras and film stock was particularly difficult and the production depended largely on personal contributions and institutional assistance.
Biakthansanga recalled:
"Our resources were extremely limited. I had dreamed of having a camera for years, but my father could barely afford it. A generous friend, Chalngura Zahau, purchased a Super 8mm camera from Belgium specifically for me, which enabled us to begin our filmmaking work, while C. Remtluanga and Lalhmangaiha Rokhum provided additional financial support. H.K. Muankima also donated his 8mm camera for the shooting and The Tribal Research Institute financed us with some money and we used it to buy the film reels and the Mizoram Tourism Department lent us a minibus to transport cast and crew to Champhai for shooting. Even with all this, we had no backup script and had to rely on ingenuity for audio recording, using the camera's microphone."
This account illustrates that the emergence of filmmaking in Mizoram depended heavily on collective effort. Cameras and film stock were expensive and difficult to obtain, while formal training and specialised production facilities were largely unavailable. The filmmakers consequently relied on personal networks, donated equipment, institutional assistance and their own willingness to learn through practice.
The material limitations of celluloid also shaped the filmmakers' approach to production. Unlike later forms of filmmaking in which repeated takes could be made relatively easily, the scarcity and expense of film reels made every shot consequential.
Biakthansanga recalled:
"Film reels were so scarce that every shot had to be perfect. Retakes were almost impossible because each reel was expensive and we simply didn't have enough resources to waste. Filmmaking in Mizoram back then wasn't popular or prestigious. People would openly ridicule us and making money from films was nearly impossible. Most of us had no formal training in cinema and didn't really know the industry-standard roles, so titles like 'director' or 'producer' were often honorary more than functional."
The difficulties Biakthansanga describes went beyond a lack of money or equipment. Filmmaking was not yet an established profession in Mizoram. There were no training programmes, no fixed production roles and no institutions to support the work. As a result, people took on several jobs at once, learning as they worked rather than through any formal preparation.
The Making and Screening of Phuba
The shooting of Phuba began on 26 May 1983 at the residence of F. Malsawma in Zarkawt. Subsequent scenes were filmed at locations including Pachhunga University College, the College Veng cemetery and parts of Champhai. The cinematography was handled by Isaac L. Hnamte.
Biakthansanga played the central character and also wrote the screenplay, while Varhuthangi Varte played the leading female role.
The film's narrative centred on a young man whose parents are killed and who subsequently seeks revenge, while incorporating a romantic storyline. As Biakthansanga explained:
"I played the main character and also wrote the script, while Varhuthangi Varte acted as the leading actress. The story revolves around a young boy whose parents are killed. He grows up seeking revenge, eventually killing those responsible but the film also includes a love story, showing a human dimension beyond vengeance. Phuba drew inspiration from Hollywood action and revenge films but we localized it with Mizo storytelling and cultural values."
The narrative shows an early effort to blend outside influences with local storytelling. Hollywood action and revenge films clearly shaped the story, but Biakthansanga and his collaborators did not simply copy these conventions. They reshaped them to fit a Mizo setting.
The film was initially screened privately at Lalawia's home in Tuikhuahtlang among members of the film crew and selected cast members. It was subsequently screened in places including Aizawl, Vairengte and Kawnpui, generating local interest. These screenings marked an important movement from a small-scale filmmaking experiment towards a wider public engagement with locally produced cinema.
Two Films, Two Stages of Mizo Cinema
What makes Phuba significant is not just its place in existing film histories, but what its production shows about filmmaking inside Mizoram. Lala leh Puii demonstrates that Mizo filmmakers had already tried feature filmmaking outside the territory. Phuba demonstrates that it was also possible to make a film within Mizoram, even without proper film infrastructure.
The two films should not be seen as rival claims to being the "first Mizo film." They mark different stages in how Mizo cinema came to be.
Taken together, Lala leh Puii (1974) and Phuba (1983) reveal that the celluloid beginnings of Mizo cinema were shaped by movement, collaboration, technological scarcity and cultural adaptation.
Lala leh Puii shows how Mizo filmmakers drew upon indigenous narratives and regional networks to produce a film outside Mizoram, while Phuba illustrates the subsequent emergence of locally based filmmaking within the state.
Despite the limited resources available at the time, early Mizo films drew on local culture, familiar social practices and stories rooted in Mizo life. Lala leh Puii turned an existing oral tale, along with details of everyday Mizo life, into visual form. Phuba borrowed a story structure from Hollywood action and revenge films but reshaped it around Mizo concerns of family and duty.
This is also why recovering this period cannot rely on institutional archives or surviving prints alone, since so little of either has survived. It depends heavily on testimony, such as that given by Thachhungi and Biakthansanga, about the conditions of production, the networks that supported it and how these early films were received.
Bringing Lala leh Puii (1974) back into the historical record alongside Phuba (1983) is one step toward a fuller account of the celluloid beginnings of Mizo cinema, an account defined not by a single studio or a single date, but by a pattern of borrowed resources, cross-regional collaboration and sustained effort to put Mizo life on screen.
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