Biography

Chinglen Thiyam (1 March 1950 - 18 June 2020) was a Shumang Leela artist, comedian, lyricist and director. He had acted in over 100 plays and directed around 20 plays. Thiyam had also acted in many Manipuri films. He was popularly known as Commando Chinglen from the Shumang Leela Thawaina Punshigidamak. Not only in digital films, but he had also acted in Manipuri celluloid movies. He was conferred with the Iboyaima Shumang Leela Award in 2020 for his profound contribution in Shumang Leela. Wari Loidri, Khomlang Laman, Thawaina Punshigidamak, Sanagi Nga, Keishamthong Thoibi are some of the famous plays where he acted. From 1972 onwards, while studying at Imphal College, he joined theatre classes in Chorus Repertory Theatre, Aryan Theatre and Rupmahal Theatre under the guidance of renowned theatre personalities like Ratan Thiyam and Lokendra Arambam. Chinglen Thiyam started his career in Shumang Leela as a villain, but in the later phase, he became a popular comedian whom every Shumang Kumhei lovers looked up to. He was popular as Commando Chinglen for playing the role of an aggressive police in the play Thawaina Punshigidamak. He played a Maiba in the third installment of Maibido Maibado Mapuroibado and he himself directed the play. His potrayal of an orthodox Brahmin in the play Keishamthong Thoibi was well received by the audiences. Later, the play was made into a movie by Oinam Gautam Singh in 2008 and Thiyam played the same role in the film as well. Some of the Shumang Leela associations where he joined are Naharol Khongthang Artistes' Association, Sangai Artistes' Association and Iramdam Manipur Artistes' Association (IMAA). IMAA's 2020 play Nacha Lanjare Ima was his last Shumang Leela.