Posted by 
In the heart of Manipur’s vibrant courtyard theatre, Shumang Leela, the Nupi Shabi—male actors who embody female roles—carry the heavy emotional core of a centuries-old storytelling tradition. “My Father is Heroine” is an intimate documentary that captures the life of Hiramoti Thongram, one of the art form’s most revered leading Nupi Shabi.
What makes this film profoundly unique is its narrative lens: the story is told entirely through the observant, fiercely protective perspective of Hiramoti’s young son. By anchoring the documentary in a child’s voice, the film bypasses the usual societal discourse around gender-bending performance. Instead, it reframes Hiramoti’s profession as the ultimate act of paternal devotion. To his son, a father’s willingness to surrender his masculinity, don a silk Inaphi (Shawl) and weep before thousands is not a point of confusion, but a heroic, heartbreaking sacrifice made to provide for his family.
Stylistically, the film breaks from traditional regional documentaries by leaning into striking audiovisual dualities. It contrasts the gritty, working-class reality of Hiramoti’s daytime responsibilities in Imphal—scored to an unexpected, gritty fusion of the traditional Pena and urban boom-bap rhythms—with the cinematic grandeur and sweeping live acoustics of his 360-degree stage performances at night.
Ultimately, “My Father is Heroine” moves beyond the cultural spectacle of the Nupi Shabi to deliver a deeply human portrait of duality. It challenges conventional expectations of masculinity and fatherhood, asking what it truly means to be a protector when the world demands you be a heroine.
Directed by Hrishikesh Angom (India)