Imphal: Veteran Manipuri audiographer, filmmaker, singer and composer Aribam Shantimo Sharma passed away on Sunday at the age of 90 following a prolonged illness.
The Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS), where Sharma served for two decades, mourned his death and described it as a significant loss for the state’s film industry.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Sharma played an important role in shaping the soundscape of Manipuri cinema. He worked as an audiographer on 19 feature films and 22 non-feature films, collaborating with filmmakers across different generations.
Among his notable collaborations was his long-standing creative association with acclaimed filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma. Sharma worked on Ishanou, which went on to receive international recognition and was screened in the Cannes Classics section in 2023.
He also collaborated with several other prominent Manipuri filmmakers, including K. Ibohal Sharma, Oken Amakcham, Makhonmani Mongsaba and Sunzu Bachaspatimayum.
A professionally trained sound engineer, Sharma received technical training at the Film Centre of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the India Film Lab in Kolkata.
Colleagues remembered him for his understated professionalism, technical expertise and commitment to sound production. Much of his work was carried out away from the spotlight, but the soundscapes he created became an integral part of Manipuri cinema and contributed to its reach beyond the region.
The MSFDS said Sharma’s contributions had left a lasting mark on Manipuri filmmaking and that his death would be deeply felt across the state’s film community.