The sound of weeps echoed, with an air of heartbreak, in the Chorus Repertory Theatre in Imphal, as Manipur bid the last adieu to theatre maestro and visionary Ratan Thiyam—the man who reimagined Manipuri theatre and placed it firmly and highly on the world map.
Condolences poured in with the demise. Manipur’s renowned filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma called Thiyam’s passing “the end of an era,” while former CM Okram Ibobi Singh described him as “a cultural torchbearer who gave Manipur a voice that resonated globally.” Artists, theatre lovers, and dignitaries stood shoulder to shoulder, many with dewy eyes, as they paid final homage to the legend.
Thiyam’s groundbreaking style—merging Manipuri traditions with bold modern storytelling—not only earned him international acclaim but also turned theatre into a mirror reflecting society’s deepest truths. His loss, many say, is like a curtain falling on a stage that may never feel the same again. Even in death, his influence lingers—in every artist he inspired, every stage he transformed, and every audience he moved to tears and thought.
Ratan Thiyam, born on January 20, 1948, was an Indian playwright and theatre director, and the winner of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987. He was one of the leading figures of the “theatre of roots” movement in Indian theatre, which started in the 1970s.
A former painter, and proficient in direction, design, script, and music, Thiyam was often considered one of the leading contemporary theatre gurus.
He worked as Chairperson of the prestigious National School of Drama from 2013 to 2017. He had also served as Vice-Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi before joining NSD. He also worked as Director of the National School of Drama from 1987 to 1989 and was the founder-director of Chorus Repertory Theatre.
