Manipuri Documentary film ‘Battlefield’ embarked on a mission to bring the stories and myths of the Second World War to life

24 November 2025: 56th IFFI continues to present a diverse range of non-feature films that carry strong, meaningful messages, creating a positive impact and contributing significantly to global cinema through powerful storytelling. Among the non-features film that has drawn attention in this year’s IFFI are Hamsafar (Marathi), and Battlefield (Manipuri). At a press conference held today, the directors, producers, and actors of these films shared the stories behind their creations and expressed their hopes for the positive impact these films can bring to society.

Director Borun Thokchom shared that the film Battlefield took nearly ten years to complete. He noted that every Manipuri has grown up listening to stories of the Second World War and added that Manipur might have been one of the bloodiest battlefields in the history Second World War. As a filmmaker, he felt compelled to take up the challenge of documenting these memories, especially in the absence of proper records—whether in books or media coverage. He believed it was his responsibility to tell the story of the region’s forefathers with authenticity and respect.

Since every Manipuri carries a piece of this wartime legacy, he revisited and collected stories, myths, and war songs to bring them together and share them with the world.

Further, he expressed that the making of the film began nearly ten years ago, inspired by people like Rameshwar and Rajeshwar, who—with just simple metal detectors—had already embarked on a mission to bring the stories and myths of the Second World War to life.

The producer and co-producers of the film Battlefield, Manjoy Lourembam and Dr. Radheshyam Oinam, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the IFFI organizing committee for selecting a film with such a powerful and resonant theme. They noted that Battlefield holds a significance of its own and will play an important role in preserving and passing on these stories to future generations.

The Director of the film Hamsafar, Abhijit Arvind Dalvi shared that the story is inspired by a childhood incident from his own home. As a young boy, he once hid his grandfather’s radio transistor to observe how his grandfather would react without it, believing he had grown overly attached to the device. A few days later, his mother discovered that he was behind the mischief. He was disciplined for it, and the transistor was eventually returned. Years later, he stumbled upon the same transistor again, which sparked the idea for this film.

Dalvi explained that in the movie, all voices are heard solely through the radio—none of the protagonists speak directly—symbolizing the emotional connection and narrative significance the transistor holds within the story. He also pointed out that the significance held by Radio both as a medium and as a companion manifested once grandfather felt the loss of transistor.