'Oneness' becomes Manipur's first film to address homosexuality, societal discrimination
Oneness is an upcoming Manipuri film that talks about the alleged honor killing of a gay youth in 2013. It was termed as a suicide and a case never got registered. Directed by Priyakanta Laishram, Oneness is also the first Manipuri movie to talk about sexual identity and the backlash one faces. In a recent interview, Laishram told what went into making the film.
Why does this story matter?
Laishram is a filmmaker, actor, producer, writer and an LGBTQIA+ activist, who mainly works in Manipuri cinema. He has worked on films like It's Not My Choice, Who Said Boys Can't Wear Makeup, The Foul Truth and others, all of which were praised by critics. "Manipuri society doesn't understand homosexuality. That's why this movie (Oneness) is so important," Laishram, a gay himself, said.
The real story behind 'Oneness'
In 2020, Laishram launched his talk show titled Up Close with Priyakanta Laishram on YouTube. In there, he touched upon various societal issues including LGBTQIA+. And soon, he was contacted by the victim's (18) cousin who told him that her deceased brother belonged to a tribal group and was in a relationship with a Meitei boy (21). A hotel raid exposed their affair.
The boys were subjected to 'treatment'
"While he had support from his mother and sister, his father and older brother were very religious," Laishram said. The boys then faced conversion treatment. Apart from this, to re-baptize him, the victim was also subjected to exorcisms and other cure like remaining submerged in water. After the painful ordeal, the two got in touch after months, with the victim's elder brother tailing them.
How did the victim die?
That night, the victim's brother mixed ammonia and bleaching powder in his milk, eventually killing him. No case was registered as "In tribal areas, it's tribal law that holds prevalence, so there is little that the police can do in such situations,'' Laishram pointed out.
Filmmaker's plight in searching for lead
When Laishram had announced Oneness, he received threats "from four different insurgent groups." He had to change the character's name to Martin and "spent eight months just looking for an actor to play the lead role. Every actor said no because it was the role of a gay man." When he finally found someone to portray the boyfriend, Laishram decided to play the victim.
Know more about the film
Laishram's (24) upcoming movie is set to release sometime this year. Its trailer was dropped last week that elicited mostly positive response. Apart from Laishram as Ivan Martin, Oneness also stars Sachinker Sagolsem, Suraj Ngashepam as Pamheiba Hijam, Maya Choudhury, and Harendra Laishram, among others.
