# Bobo Khuraijam

Bobo Khuraijam, also known as Senate, is an Indian film director and journalist from Imphal, Manipur. He honed his filmmaking skill not from a film school. He considers Manipuri film legend, Aribam Syam Sharma as his film school. Under the maestro's tutelage, Khuraijam has worked as assistant director, script writer and actor. As a journalist, he has worked with the Imphal Free Press, a leading English local daily. He is also with the Editorial Collective of www.yendai.org, an e-journal. He is best known for his 2016 documentary Ima Sabitri.

## Early childhood and education

Born in Imphal, at Sagolband Tera Sayang, he was raised in an extended family, youngest among five siblings of two brothers and sisters. But grew up with much love and care among a good number of cousins. Had his early education at Manipur Public School, Koirengei and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyala, Khumbong, Imphal. He had his creative potentials explored at the JNV Khumbong, a residential school, Bobo took active part in sports and extracurricular activities. He take proactive role in the functioning of the alumni of his alma mater.

## Writing

His love for writing took him into filmmaking. Though he do not deny that he has been a movie buff since his early childhood. But it was through writing that he got landed himself into the film world. He was the student editor of college magazine during his undergraduate days at the Elphinstone College. Leipung Musings, a satirical fortnightly column of the Imphal Free Press, was a popular Sunday piece.
It was review of the semi-autobiographical book, The Living Shadows, written by filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma that hooked him into cinema and its practice.

## Career in filmmaking

Since 2006, Bobo Khuraijam has worked under the celebrated filmmaker of Manipur Aribam Syam Sharma as an actor, script writer and assistant director in films like Crossroads, Manipuri Pony, Miraang, Leipaklei, Dasha and Raas Leelas of Manipur. He also worked as an associate director and as lyricist in the 2011 movie Phijigee Mani. He penned down the title song of the film. The title song of Angomcha Bimol Akoijam's movie Karigi Kiruni Nungsiradi was also written by him.
Life After is his debut film as a director and is produced by Films Division of India in 2013. In 2016, he directed the non-feature Ima Sabitri, a documentary on the theatre icon Sabitri Heisnam. It has participated in many film festivals and won accolades. The film also opened the Indian Panorama non-feature section of the 47th International Film Festival of India 2016. Khuraijam's non-feature Re-INKarnation is a film based on indigenous tattoo, which is currently under production. It won the DocEdge New Zealand Award in the Dhaka Doc Lab 2022, which qualifies the filmmaker to pitch his documentary project at the prestigious Doc Edge International Film Festival 2023.

## Accolades

| Award | Category | Work |
| 15th Mumbai International Film Festival 2018 | Best Documentary Film (Silver Conch) | Ima Sabitri |
| 1st South Asian Short Film Festival 2018 | Satyajit Ray Golden Award for Best Documentary Film | Ima Sabitri |
| 4th International Film Festival of Shimla 2018 | Best Documentary Film | Ima Sabitri |
| 10th Manipur State Film Awards 2017 | Best Non-Feature Film | Ima Sabitri |
| Dhaka Doc Lab 2022 | DocEdge New Zealand Award | Re-INKarnation |

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Type | Role |
| 2008 | Crossroads | Feature | Actor, assistant director |
| 2008 | Mr. Manipur | Non-feature | Assistant director |
| 2009 | Sankirtan of Manipur | Non-feature | Assistant director |
| 2011 | Phijigee Mani | Feature | Associate director, lyricist |
| 2011 | Miraang | Feature | Assistant director |
| 2012 | Leipaklei | Feature | Actor, assistant director |
| 2012 | Manipuri Pony | Non-feature | Assistant director |
| 2013 | Dasha | Feature | Actor, assistant director |
| 2013 | Life After | Non-feature | Director |
| 2016 | Ima Sabitri | Non-feature | Director |
| 2018 | Raas Leelas of Manipur | Non-feature | Assistant director |
| 2022 | Lockdown Diorama | Short film | Director |
| 2022 | Khumanthem Prakash Singh | Non-feature | Chief assistant director |
| Under Production | Re-INKarnation | Non-feature | Director |