Prum Manh (Khmer: ព្រហ្ម ម៉ាញ) is a Cambodian comedian and ayai singer who survived the Khmer Rouge regime and currently has one of the longest careers as an actor in Cambodia along with Dy Saveth.
Biography
editPrum Manh was born around 1950 from a family of ordinary peasants in the province of Kampong Speu. He has four male siblings with the first brother specializing in sculpture design, the second brother being a teacher and his youngest brother is a traditional Bokator boxer. Prum Manh was the only one in his family to start a career in the performing arts.[1]
He began his career as an Ayai performer during the Khmer Republic in 1970 at the age of 20.
During the Khmer Rouge terror regime, all his family members were decimated leaving him alone. He lived in Toek Chor commune on the border of Banteay Meanchey province. Prum Manh had to hide linguistic talents from the Khmer Rouge and was able to survive because he is also a skilled barber.[2] After the end of this dark regime, Prum Manh came back to the stage at the age of 30,performing in the Ayai duo, and to this day, his reputation has spread throughout Cambodia.
Prum Manh has performed abroad, in countries such as performing in France, Australia and the United States.[3]
In March 2007, Prime Minister Hun Sen referred to Prum Manh as an example of the freedom of expression and movement in Cambodia, as Prum Manh has often been seen expressing his critical opinions in politics.[4]
In 2008, Prum Manh was involved in an accident in which his motorbike was hit by a car, which he accused of being an intentional attempt of homicide..
In 2010, Prum Manh took part in the Khmer Rouge Tribunal by acting for Khmer and Cham villagers, in an effort to promote justice and heal trauma among the population.[5]
His niece, Srey Pov, is also following his career in Cambodian performing arts.[6]
Style
editPrum Manh is a traditional Cambodian singer, who also has foreign influences such as Charlie Chaplin, who in 1935 visited Cambodia where he left a lasting influence.[7] He is notorious for creating new jokes and puns while involving the audience.[2]
While he remains widely popular among both men and women, young and old,[8] some consider his humor to have aged, as in the case where he created a controversy by making fun of a speech disability in October 2022, and he presented an apology.[9]
Honors
editIn 2022, while he was suffering from arterial tension at the hospital, Prum Manh received an honorary doctorate for his long career in acting by the Royal Decree dated April 9, 2022[10] at the request of the Prime Minister of Cambodia Samdech Hun Sen.[11]
References
edit- ^ "ទម្លាយជីវប្រវត្តិសិល្បករអាយ៉ៃជើងចាស់ ព្រហ្មម៉ាញ ដ៏មានប្រជាប្រិយភាព". Popular News (in Khmer). 13 March 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ a b 10th Anniversary of Searching for the Truth (2000-2010) (PDF). Documentation Center of Cambodia. March 2010. p. 13.
- ^ Stewart, Frank; May, Sharon (2004). In the Shadow of Angkor: Contemporary Writing from Cambodia. University of Hawai'i Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-8248-2849-3.
- ^ Sen, Hun (March 2007). "Keynote Address at the National Forum's Tonle Sap Initiative" (PDF). Cambodian New Vision (110): 8.
- ^ "Prum Manh's performance to villagers". Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). 2 February 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ Chakrya, Khouth Sophak. "Army commander who slapped singer pays compensation". Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "The little tramp lives on". Southeast Asia Globe. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ Sreng, Phearon (8 August 2012). "What do you think of Khmer classical art?". Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ Channyda, Chhay; Woodside, Amelia. "Disability 'comedy' clip draws ire". Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ សុខន, លោក ញឹម (11 April 2022). "លោក ព្រហ្ម ម៉ាញ ទទួលបានគោរមងារក្រោយធ្លាក់ខ្លួនឈឺ". វីអូឌី (in Khmer). Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "លោក ព្រហ្ម ម៉ាញ ទទួលបានគោរមងារជា«កិត្តិឧទ្ទេសបណ្ឌិត»ពីប្រមុខរដ្ឋស្តីទី - សុីសុីថាមស៍". The Cambodia China Times (in Khmer). 11 April 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
See also
edit- Ayai, preferred repertoire of Prum Manh
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