''Sanabi'' (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

: ''The Grey Mare'') is a 1995 Manipuri film written by M. K. Binodini Devi and directed by

Aribam Syam Sharma Aribam Syam Sharma is an Indian filmmaker and composer from Manipur. He debuted in the first Manipuri film '' Matamgi Manipur'' as an actor. In 1974, he directed his first movie '' Lamja Parshuram''. It became the first Manipuri film to run for ...

. The movie stars Haorongbam Deben and R.K. Sushila in the lead roles. It was jointly produced by

Doordarshan Doordarshan (), abbreviated as DD, is India's State-owned enterprise, state-owned public broadcasting, public television broadcaster. Established by the Government of India on 15 September 1959, it is owned by the Ministry of Information and B ...

and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). The film won the

National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri The National Film Award for Best Manipuri Feature Film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Rajat Kama ...

at the

43rd National Film Awards The 43rd National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 1995. Ceremony took place on 6 A ...

. ''Sanabi'' got selection at the

International Film Festival of India The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is an annual film festival currently held in Goa, on the western coast of India. The festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excel ...

, 1996 and Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt, 1996. ''Sanabi'' in its original form was written as a short story by M. K. Binodini Devi under the title ''Sagol Sanabi''. It was later made into a radio play named as ''Shriban Chinggi Tamnalai''.

Plot

Mangi, irritated by his childhood friend Sakhi’s refusal to marry him, steals her beloved grey mare in order to force her to agree.

Cast

* Haorongbam Deben as Mangi * R.K. Sushila as Sakhi * Takhellambam Nabakumar as Birchandra, Sakhi's father * Heisnam Ongbi Indu as Sakhi's mother * Thokchom Ongbi Jamini * Lourembam Pishak as Mangi's grandmother * Gurumayum Tomba * Y. Kumarjit * Lala * Wangkhem Lalitkumar (Cameo appearance)

Reception

Reviewing the film at the International Film Festival of India, S. R. Ashok Kumar of ''

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...

'' wrote that "This 87 minute film is neither gripping nor enjoyable. The story has many loose ends." Deborah Young of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote that "Simple as the story is, there is nothing expected about the way Sharma shoots it."

Accolades

''Sanabi'' won the

at the

. The citation for the National Award reads, "''For its apt and poetic handling of the conflict between the traditional and modern values, knitted around a pony symbolically''".

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sanabi 1995 films Films directed by Aribam Syam Sharma Meitei-language films Meitei folklore in popular culture