Manipur Group Lifts 3-Year Ban On Actor Soma Laishram Imposed Over Delhi Event

An Imphal-based outfit has lifted the three-year ban it imposed on Manipur actor Soma Laishram for attending an event in Delhi.

An Imphal-based civil rights group has lifted the three-year ban on Manipur actor Soma Laishram for attending an event in Delhi.

Guwahati: The Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL), an Imphal-based civil society body, lifted a three-year ban on popular Manipuri actor Soma Laishram. The ban was imposed on her for attending an event in Delhi.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the KKL stated that they had decided to lift the ban on Soma Laishram respecting the calls made by several civil bodies. It also admitted that the ban imposed on Soma was a misgiving.

 “I am now happy that the KKL has acknowledged my response of taking part in the event and has lifted the ban imposed on me. I am thankful to the civil bodies, especially the Film Forum Manipur, who had stood by me at a time when I had to face the ban,” Soma told the media after the ban was lifted.

Earlier on September 18, 2023, the KKL had barred Soma from acting and attending other social functions for three years for participating as a show stopper in the concluding program of the North East Students’ Festival held at New Delhi’s Talkatora Stadium on September 16 this year.

The KKL in a statement issued on September 18 alleged that Soma had participated in the event despite the group asking her not to at a time the state was hit by a crisis due to ethnic strife.
 
The Film Forum Manipur and the Cine Actors’ Guild Manipur supported Soma saying that when they were individually approached by the KKL to refrain her but it was too late to intervene as it was on the day of the show.

The 31-year-old actor Soma, who has acted in over 150 films denied the allegations saying that it was a cultural program celebrating the heritage of India’s northeastern region.  

After the ban on her, Soma said that she was shocked and disheartened when she first got the news. Soma said that when she was called to represent Manipur in the Northeast Festival as the show stopper and only went to support her state.