Films spread the word on HIV

By Yumnam Rupachandra (as appeared on The Statesman)

Imphal April 8: In Manipur there has been a constant search for any available means to contribute to the global response to the HIV epidemic and this time it’s the turn of three young Manipuri directors. The trio ~ Sanju Bachaspatimayum, Bobby Wahengbam and Ronel Haobam ~ have superbly and successfully captured the lives of three people living with HIV in an effort to give courage to thousands living with the virus closeted with their own fear.
The films ~ Challenge, Singnaba in Manipuri, My Story and Roshni have as their protagonists three individuals whose lives have been challenged by the virus but have found courage to overcome self-imposed fear to become beacons of hope for others on the threshold.
The films, supported by the Melinda and Gates Foundation, trace the individual’s lives as they journey through a painful life with no hope to become an example.
Singnaba is based on the life of Kh. Pradipkumar, now famously known as the Positive Body Builder. The story of Pradip, Mr Manipur, pursuing a dream to become Mr India is heartfelt. Stigmatised and discriminated against, he went against the advice of doctors to bounce back to clinch the Mr. Manipur title before going public with his HIV status. Year 2007 was the turning point when Pradip waiting for this moment declared his HIV status soon after accepting the title for Senior Mr Manipur, stunning the jampacked audiences at the historic GM hall in Imphal.
Since then it’s been history. But the history was written painfully and Pradip today continues on his journey along the way inspiring others from passively accepting their fate.
My Story and Roshni on the other hand are stories of two women who became widows after their husbands died of AIDS. Both the husband had history of drug injection. Widowed and infected with HIV the two came back from the brink to reclaim their lives with the help of organisations formed by people living with the virus. Manipur Network of Positive, MNP+ had pivotal role in bringing back the women in to the mainstream. The two women also had different background ~ My Story is the story of Shangrin of Chandel, a hilly district bordering Myanmar while Roshni is from the plains of Manipur- an indication that the virus has not pervaded both the hills and plains of this beautiful state.
Both innocent women whose only faults were falling in love with someone affected by HIV. In a stark coincidence both Roshni’s and Shangrin’s husbands were in the government armed forces. Roshni’s husband was a BSF personnel while Shangrin’s a Assam Regiment soldier. Though the films do not get into this angle it exposed the vulnerability the personnel of various armed forces exposed to living away from home.
Shangrin was lucky enough to find love one more time with a fellow PLHA and lives a happy life while Roshni has become a successful counselor with MNP+. The films’ main aim, according to Jubita overseeing the Project OSD (Overcoming Stigma and Discrimination) was to focus on the inner strengths of these exceptional individuals to make a path for others to join the response against the epidemic.