Born on October 30, 1949 at Pangei’s Tangngam village in Imphal East, Em Kay Jeet grew up with a strong passion to work for social upliftment. Later, he channelised his deep feeling for human values and the moorings of a traditional society through his cinema.

Em Kay Jeet started experimenting with cinema as early as 1988 on the VHS format making hits films like Ashiba Thawaigi Mami and Mee Hatpa. In 1997, his production house, Shankar Film Industry collaborated with Bright Films and produced his first celluloid feature film Kanaga Hinghouni. The film dealt with the prevailing time of Manipur, reeling under the extreme impact of drug abuse. For this touching social drama, Huirem Seema who played the main protagonist received the Best Actor (female) award and Laimayum Surjakanta Sharma received the Best Editing award at the Manipur State Film Awards, 1998, the release added.

His second celluloid production, Meichak Meichak produced in 1999, was codirected by him and his close friend Laimayum Surjakanta Sharma. In 2000-01, his third production, Aroiba Bidai, directed by Oken Amakcham, dealing with the theme of corruption, bagged the Best Feature Film award at the Manipur State Film Awards 2001. His fourth production, Nongju Ahing that peeped into the increasing divide between haves and the have-nots was a super hit at the box-office, it said.

The release further said that EM Kay Jeet had planned to start another production by September 2021 before he was admitted to the hospital on April 12, where he breathed his last.

“In the demise of EM Kay Jeet, the film community of Manipur has lost a passionate filmmaker who left an enduring mark in the journey of Manipuri Cinema. His absence would be greatly missed,” the release added.