A moment from Mee Marakshida. Telegraph picture

Shumang Leela (courtyard theatre) is a popular art form in Manipur that portrays the contemporary mood and mirrors society.

With Holi, the festival of spring, drawing near, the Shumang Leela Council is organising its annual festival at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Imphal city. It began on February 2 and will continue till February 23.

The best plays will be staged during Holi.

The first play was Mee Marakshida (Among Humans) of Naharol Khongthang Artistes Association.

Written by Dinesh Tongbram and directed by Chinglen Thiyam, the play is all about an insurgent’s freedom and love.

It shows how the outfits exercise power without responsibility and also takes pot shots at indisciplined state actors.

The play, however, opposes yearning for a separate land.

A balance between love and patriotism is its mainstay. Social malaise, including extortion, kidnap, extra-judicial killings have been depicted.

For the freedom of Kangleipak (Manipur), revolutionary leaders pin their hopes on educated Mangal, who grows up to be a pilot.

Mangal and airhostess Thoi love each other.

The outfit’s leader Ngamba instructs Mangal to hijack a Chennai-bound flight to pressure the central authorities to yield to their demands.

Mangal reveals the plan to Thoi but she opposes it.

He then fires from his gun to get rid of her. Thoi turnsblind after the attack.

Ngamba and his men, who wage an armed movement for freedom, kidnap many people and even kill those who cannot meet their demands. People view them as extortionists and find their misdeeds deplorable.

Thoi, who values her boyfriend Mangal more than her motherland, finally shoots him dead.

E. Romesh as Mangal, Y. Ingocha as Ngamba and O. Arun as Thoi are in the lead roles. Insertion of a polygamous husband as a comedian is distracting. Director Chinglen, however, is successful in conveying the message to the audience.