Aribam Syam Sharma’s IMAGI NINGTHEM (1981), the first film from North-East to win an International Award and that won the Grand Prix at the Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes, France in 1982, and the National Award for the Best Manipuri Film National Award for the Best Child Actor, tells the story of a teacher who comes to a rural community and is approached by an elderly man who begs her to teach his grandson, who is frequently ill. The teacher develops an interest in learning more about the child and the elderly man. She finds out about the boy's mother's death during childbirth from a friend. The colleague tells her that the boy's mother had been deceived by a man and died during childbirth. It has been determined that the father is her cousin's husband, and her cousin is swiftly informed of this information. While her husband is away at work, her cousin develops feelings for the unlucky boy and decides to adopt him. After time has passed, the wife's husband returns to the house and protests the adoption of their son because he is unaware that the child is his own. The boy's grandfather expresses interest in taking him back, but the boy's stepmother does not pay attention to his request and ultimately decides to keep the boy.
