A still from Tillaikhombi

To talk about Manipur now is to speak about insurgency. Bishwamitra, in his film Tillaikhombi (Caterpillar), talks about that and much more: corrupt contractors, their nexus with politicians, militants and bureaucrats.

Three educated unemployed friends ponder on how to earn a living. Two of them, Keirenjao, and Lemba, decide to be contractors. The third, Yaiphaba, takes to farming.

But Keirenjao, corrupt to the bone, kills two birds — Lemba and competition — with one stone. Yaiphaba takes Lemba’s son, Nungshiba, under his wing and adopts him.

To add to everybody’s woes, Keirenjao’s daughter Memthoi falls for Nungshiba.

Keirenjao has an inkling that Yaiphaba is aware that he had a hand in Lemba’s killing and sets about eliminating the lone witness.

On the way to becoming a millionaire, Keirenjao befriends ministers, insurgents, police and engineers. He acts as a police informer, points out militants’ hideouts but uses policemen too to do his bidding. Finally, the militants gun him down.

On the other hand, Yaiphaba, the green revolutionary, raises a farm in his village and produces foodgrains, vegetables and fruits. He soon becomes a prosperous and wealthy farmer, endearing himself to the villagers by helping the poor and running an orphanage.

People egg him on to become their leader but he refuses to be a politician.

Bishwamitra tries hard to bring some vestiges of realism into the film. He even makes young Nillachandra, who takes on the role of Nungshiba, shave his head while performing the last rites of his godfather Yaiphaba. Nillachandra shows a great deal of promise with his acting abilities.

Raju Nong, the local Nana Patekar, is loved by the audience for his rough and tough roles. He does not disappoint.

Prafullo, essentially a theatre actor, does an excellent job as contractor and villain Keirenjao. Soniya as Memthoi is also impressive.

The film, produced by Jiri Budha under the banner of Ningshing Mami Production, was screened to the press on April 9 at Cinema Paradise, Imphal.

The story and screenplay are by Ranjit Ningthouja.