Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi

Tonthoingambi Leishangthem, popularly known as Tonthoi, is an Indian actress.[1] She has established a career in Manipuri films and is the recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award.[2]

Tonthoi
Tonthoi receiving the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 59th National Film Awards function
Born17 October
Chingkhu, Khundrakpam, Manipur
OccupationActress
SpouseThokchom Deepak
Parent(s)Leishangthem Ibungomacha Singh
Leishangthem Ongbi Leibaklei Devi
AwardsNational Film Award for Best Supporting Actress (2011)

Early life and education edit

 
Tonthoi and other NSD pupils with Aloy Deb Barma at NSD, Tripura

She is a B. Com graduate and has taken keen interest in performing arts since very young age.[3] Tonthoi loves sports and has actively been volunteering in social service since her childhood. She completed her master's in social work from Manipur University. As a student, she was part of the University's women football team which participated in All India Women Football tournament. She has also been trained in playing the traditional music instrument, Pena. Before joining NSD, she took a three-month acting class in the early month of 2007 under Oja Niladhaja Khuman. She has also completed her one-year residential certificate course in Theatre in Education from National School of Drama, Tripura.

Career edit

Leishangthem appeared in feature films, Doordarshan serials and ISTV serials.[4]

She has also been trained in playing the traditional music instrument Pena. She took a three-month acting class in the early month of 2007 under Oja Niladhaja Khuman.[citation needed] Her first film is Nangna Thawaini, where she was playing heroine's friend, alongside Kamala and Gung in a supporting role. After this, she has done a number of Manipuri films. Among the notable ones are Loibataare Ta Raju, Thoicha, Amamba Sayon (Resurrection), Eepaktuda the lake, Leipaklei, Nungshibee Kabaw Valley, Beragee Bomb, Pallepfam and Phijigee Mani.[citation needed]

She has also produced a Manipuri film titled Beragee Bomb under the banner of Chingkhurakpa Arts along with her brother. Her Manipuri film Pallepfam and her Assamese film Borxharanya got entries at the 10th edition of Habitat Film Festival. She also acted in an Assamese film Ishu which went on to won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Assamese 2017.

Her 2019 film Eigi Kona won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 67th National Film Awards. She played a supporting role in the film.

Accolades edit

She has won a number of awards, including a National Film Award.[5] She received the Best Supporting Actress award at the 59th National Film Awards 2011 for the film Phijigee Mani, where she played the role of Yaiphabee in the film.[citation needed] The citation for the award reads, "For the dignity and power with which L. T. Devi informs the character Yaipabhee in this tightly controlled Manipuri story."[citation needed] Her portrayal of Nungshitombi in the movie Nangna Kappa Pakchade earned her the Best Actor in a Leading Role - Female award at the 9th Manipur State Film Awards 2014.[6]

As of 2016, she bagged the Best Actor North-East Female at the Prag Cine Awards North-East 2016 for her performance in Oken Amakcham's Manipur film Patkee Tharo.[7] She also won the Best Actress Award at the Prag Cine Awards - North East 2018 for her performance in the film Iche Tampha.[8][9] She won the Special Jury Award for her film Iche Tampha at the 11th Manipuri State Film Awards 2018.[10]

In 2021, she won the Grand Jury Award for Best Actor at the Chalachitram National Film Festival 2021 for her performance in the non-feature Panthougi Liklam.

She won the Best Actor (Female) for her film Eewai at 1) Global Independent Film Festival of India, 2022 held on 30 November 2022 at Rabindra Okakura Bhawan, Salt Lake, Kolkata, India, 2) Goa International Film Competition-GIFC and 3) Niri9 International Film Festival, 2023 held on 25 and 26 March 2023 at Sangit Kala Mandir, Kolkata.

Off-screen work edit

Tonthoi was the brand ambassador of Singju Festival, which is held every year between January and February, starting from the year 2017.[11] Singju is a typical Meitei salad-type dish. The festival is held at different places, including MMRC and Unity Park, Khangabok and Lamdeng Makha Leikai Lampak.[12]

Selected filmography edit

  • Feature Films
Year Film Role Director
2007 Nangna Thawaini Thaja Chan Heisnam
2009 Shak Henba Bhoot Nur Jahan Bishwamittra
Paachaa Panthoi Bishwamittra
Paokhum Kimboi Bishwamittra
2010 Thoicha Thoicha Ningthoujam Prem
Thasi Thanou Memthoi Eepu
2011 Phijigee Mani Yaiphabee O. Gautam
Nungshibee Kabaw Valley Suche Jeetendra Ningomba
Mongpham Linthoi Lai Jiten
Eepaktuda The Lake Thoi Johnson Mayanglambam
Miraang Bimola Aribam Syam Sharma
Loibataare Ta Raju Thoi Pilu H.
2012 Leipaklei Leipaklei Aribam Syam Sharma
2013 Beragee Bomb Thoibi O. Gautam
Nangna Kappa Pakchade Nungshitombi Makhonmani Mongsaba
Amamba Sayon Memi Johnson Mayanglambam
2014 Pallepfam Lembi Wanglen Khundongbam
Ayekpa Lai Thaja Oken Amakcham
Eidee Kadaida Rohini O. Gautam
VDF Thasana Laishna Homen D' Wai
2015 Patkee Tharo Oken Amakcham
Borxharanya (The Rainforest) Diganta Mazumdar
Keishal Jaildugi Fadoksing Loya's friend Satyajit BK
2016 Octabee Natte Leibaklei Paari Luwang
Eikhoi Pabunggi Sanatombi Hemanta Khuman
Tharo Thambal Thambal Bijgupta Laishram
2017 Iche Tampha Tampha Bijgupta Laishram
Thoicha 3 Thoicha Jeetendra Ningomba
Ishu Ambika Utpal Borpujari
2018 Tomthin Sanarei Ojitbabu Ningthoujam
Chingda Satpi Engellei Pering Bobby Haobam
Won Nam Leihao Maipaksana Haorongbam
2019 Eigi Kona Nganthoi Bobby Wahengbam & Maipaksana Haorongbam
2021 Rongdaife Leinu Bobby Haobam
  • Non-Feature Films
Year Film Role Director
2012 Mei Ikpa Thambalsang Chaoba Thiyam
2015 Tanggoi Babina Salam
2017 Tinthrok Yaima's wife Oken Amakcham
2021 Panthougi Liklam Thoibi Rakesh Moirangthem
2022 Eewai Henba's mother Khwairakpam Bishwamittra

References edit

  1. ^ "Interview with Tonthoi". kanglaonline.com.
  2. ^ "Winners of Film Awards named – Manipur News". Manipur.org. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  3. ^ "My ouster from National School of Drama has been a blessing in disguise: Heisnam Kanhailal". kanglaonline.com.
  4. ^ "Golden Jubilee of Manipuri Cinema: Renowned actors share experiences and challenges". www.nenow.in.
  5. ^ "National Film Award for Manipuri Actress". www.easternpanorama.in.
  6. ^ "9th & 10th Manipur Film Awards presented". The People's Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  7. ^ Our, From (17 May 2016). "Onaatah bags three awards at Prag Cine Awards – The Shillong Times". Theshillongtimes.com. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  8. ^ MANASH PRATIM DUTTA in Guwahati (30 October 2017). "Salute to NE talents at Prag awards". Telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Prag Cine Awards - North East 2018 - Guwahati, Assam, India". Boxofficeassam.com. 28 May 2018. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  10. ^ "'Enakta Leirigei' to be awarded best feature film in 11th Manipur State Film Awards". Archived from the original on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Singju festival". Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  12. ^ "Singju festival". Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.


External links edit