Exclusive | Seema Biswas on Manipur violence: ‘I conducted a workshop in Imphal days before the crisis began; don’t know if my students are safe now’

The acclaimed actress was recently at the Manipur State Film and Television Institute in Imphal to train aspiring artistes

Seema Biswas with her Manipuri students in Imphal

Just recently, acclaimed Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma’s iconic 1991 film Ishanou made India proud when a restored version of the cinematic gem was screened at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, under the coveted ‘Classic’ section. Known for its rich heritage and culture, many now fear that it’ll take decades for the northeastern state to recover from the deadly violence that’s unfolded there over the past couple of months.

Last week a chilling video of attack and sexual assault on two women sent shockwaves through the nation, renewing attention on the ethnic conflict that has engulfed Manipur. Political thinkers and celebrities, among others, have taken to social media to condemn the deaths and loss of property in the state.

Also read: From Bandit Queen to The Family Man 2, Manoj Bajpayee and Seema Biswas ace the 25-year challenge

Now, in an exclusive interview with OTTplay National Award-winning actress Seema Biswas has shared her recent experience in Manipur. Just days before the clashes erupted, she had conducted an acting workshop at the Manipur State Film and Television Institute in Imphal for about 30 young aspiring actors.

The veteran actress - who will next be seen in the Vijay Varma and Shweta Tripathi starrer crime drama series Kaalkoot, releasing on JioCinema in July 27 - has said that she is “genuinely very upset” about what’s happened in Manipur. Excerpts from the conversation.

Also read: Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani and more condemn Manipur’s horrific incident; demand ‘severe punishment’ for culprits

‘I share a deep bond with Manipur’

Ten years ago, I had done an acting workshop at the Manipur State Film and Television Institute. And for the past year, they had been inviting me to come over for another workshop. Some of the students whom I had trained during my last visit to the state have now become noted actors in Manipuri cinema and theatre, while the others, they say, have turned more thoughtful and can now better articulate themselves even in public, as to what kind of roles they want to pick. So, they wanted me to conduct training sessions for the newer lot of students.

‘Youngsters travel long distances to attend my sessions’

I have had a very beautiful and fulfilling experience amid those youngsters in Imphal. In fact, sometimes, I am scared to do workshops in Guwahati [her hometown], because I am not sure if I’ll get the same atmosphere there. In Imphal though, some of the students used to cover a distance of 40kms-50kms just to attend these workshops. Some would come riding on their bicycles, while there are others whose parents will drop them at the venue. But nobody made excuses to remain absent from these sessions. Interestingly, this was in stark contrast to my experience in Assam - during the workshops I conducted for filmmaker Bhaskar Hazarika’s Kothanodi and Aamis [both streaming on SonyLIV] and even otherwise.

‘They are disciplined and very keen on learning acting’

The institute had given me the 10am-5pm slot to conduct the workshop, which I had refused to do, because I don’t usually like to limit these sessions within a specific timeframe. So, I would instead start at 8am and continue for as long as we could manage. The youngsters there are so disciplined, obedient, sensitive and dedicated toward learning the craft that they wouldn’t even mention going back home.

Also read: Manipur violence: Bollywood is ‘shaken and disgusted’ over the ‘shameful’ incidents

Earlier for lunch, they used to get me two chapatis and some sabji. But I noticed that nothing was arranged for the students. When asked about their lunch break, they would say, “No ma’am, it’s okay. We had our meal in the morning.” There were days when I would eat one roti and give one to them, which they would share among themselves. Later, I requested the authorities to at least provide some refreshments for the kids, as these long acting classes can be exhausting and strenuous for them.

In 2013, the workshop was carried out in the corridor, as portions of the building were still under construction. But this time when I went, there was a separate stage and special rooms for these sessions, while they also arranged for cooks to prepare simple meals for the students. The new director, Biren Singh, had taken care of these requirements. I was happy to sit and eat with all of them every day.

‘Somehow managed to escape the violence’

I had suffered a hairline fracture in my arm before I left for the Manipur trip this year. But because I had already made a commitment, I didn’t postpone it. My return was scheduled on May 3, and the time when we were leaving for the airport, somebody suggested that we take a different route, as there was a rally coming up that evening. And if you look at the timeline, the violence erupted from that very day. Another teacher, who had come all the way from Los Angeles, was supposed to conduct a workshop in the following days. But later, she somehow managed to fly out of the state, before things went out of hand.

‘My former students are now well-established actors’

Just a day before I left, my former students (those who were part of the 2013 workshop) had gathered at the institute to meet me. They came with gifts and a lovely cake. Some of them even got a little emotional, and looking at them, the younger ones from the new batch also started hugging me and crying. They would say things like, “You’re not just our teacher, but also our second mother.” It was a very touchy moment for me. Most of them are well-established, professional actors now. It breaks my heart to see the crisis that has unfolded in the state now.

Also read: Is Seema Biswas’ The Family Man 2 character inspired by Mamata Banerjee? She responds

‘There were plans to organise a film festival in Imphal soon’

During my stay in Imphal, we were put up at a hotel near the institute, and there were days when instead of taking the car that was provided for us, we would simply walk back to the hotel. Those malls, churches and other properties that have now apparently been damaged were all there in front of our eyes just a few weeks ago. During one of our conversations, the director had also revealed plans to organise a film festival at a huge building located nearby, as it houses nearly three-four auditoriums inside. Now, look at Manipur. It will take a very long time to recover from what just happened in the state.

‘I don’t know if my students are dead or alive’

Just a handful of negative elements have destroyed it all. And it’s not just the story of Manipur. It’s happening in the rest of India too and even globally. It’s wrong! And the perpetrators of such crimes should be strictly brought to justice. It doesn’t matter what political party you belong to or what religion you follow. What’s more important is to be human first.

For days together, I have been worried and disturbed about those 30 students that I trained just weeks before. Amid such a crisis and with no internet to communicate with anyone, just imagine their condition. I don’t even know if they are safe or not. I’m not a political person at all, but it should be a priority to do justice and then think about the election.

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