Aribam Syam Sharma’s Ishanou ('The Chosen One') is a poignant tale of love and loss steeped in the Manipuri culture of India’s far northeast. Tampha, a young mother, abandons her family to join the Maibi sect of priestesses, but devotion to the deity cannot soothe the anguish of separating from her child.
The film beautifully juxtaposes the spiritual world of the Maibis with the rhythm of ordinary life. Aribam Syam Sharma’s delicate approach, the luminous camerawork, the naturalistic performances and the use of traditional music of Manipur (composed by the filmmaker himself), give the film a spellbinding authenticity.
Ishanou is presented from the gorgeous new 4K restoration by Film Heritage Foundation which premiered at Cannes in 2023. Our region-free Blu-ray also includes a rare, newly filmed interview with director Aribam Syam Sharma, interviews with actor Kangabam Tomba and Film Heritage Foundation's Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, plus a booklet with new writing on the film by Dr Omar Ahmed, plus Syam Sharma on the film and Singh Dungarpur on the restoration.
