Thukha
Encyclopedia
Thukha was a six-time Burmese Academy Award winning film director
, writer
, song writer, script writer
and film actor. Thukha directed 33 films and is considered the most successful Burmese film director.
delta in British Burma, Thukha began writing poems as a middle school student. He became familiar with classical Burmese music at an early stage, thanks to his grandfather, a harpist. Thukha studied at Kyaitlat and Pyapon
National Schools.
Thukha began his writing career at age 19 with a short fiction work Zabe Pwint (Jasmin Petal) in Kawi Myetmhan magazine under the penname Sein Thein Dan. He began using the penname Thukha – meaning “pleasure”– when he began writing fiction for the Shwin-Pyaw-Pyaw magazine. Of his novels, Gon-Ye-Matu-Lo-La (Am I Not an Equal for You?) and Di-Saung-Hayman (This Winter) were the most successful. He also wrote many books on Buddhism, including Loka Niti, Mangla Sutta, Metta Sutta
and Dhamma Rasa. Thukha wrote more than 100 novels and 200 short stories.
Thukha started his film career in 1938. His script for Chitthamya (As Much As I Love) brought widespread fame and won the respect and acknowledgment of the filmmaking community. The Myanmar Writers’ Association awarded him an honorary prize for his first directing project. During his career, he won the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization
’s best director award for his six of his 33 films.
Thukha was also a talented songwriter. Bawa Thanthaya (Pali
: Bava Samsara
; Life's Samsara) and Gon
(Status) were among his most popular songs. Bawa Thanthaya compares people to travellers on a train getting on and off at every station, illustrating the cycle of death and rebirth. Gon poked fun at people’s devotion to money and status.
Thukha was a devout Buddhist and included Buddhist morals and concepts in all his films and novels. He directed three documentaries related to Buddhism
for Burmese television.
Although he received success recognition for both his writing and directing work, Thukha's first priority was always writing. His former pupil and close colleague, director Maung Hnin Moe, said: “He preferred writing to other jobs. He always put the title Writer and Director before his name.” “Because he could not read or write in his old age,” Maung Hnin Moe said, “he was thinking all the time and it is a great loss that he could not transform his thoughts into a form of work such as a book or film.”
Thukha was profoundly respected for his altruistic attitude and works. He was the founder and president of the Yangon Division Funeral Service Association, which volunteers its funeral services to any family regardless of race, religion or social standing. He was also known for his efforts to rename the full moon day of Pyartho (which normally falls in January) as Mothers’ Day, as well as for his campaign for younger generations to pay more respect to their mothers.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, song writer, script writer
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and film actor. Thukha directed 33 films and is considered the most successful Burmese film director.
Biography
Born Thein Maung in the AyeyarwadyAyeyarwady
Ayeyarwady can mean:*Irrawaddy River, the primary river of Myanmar*Ayeyarwady Region, an administrative division of Myanmar...
delta in British Burma, Thukha began writing poems as a middle school student. He became familiar with classical Burmese music at an early stage, thanks to his grandfather, a harpist. Thukha studied at Kyaitlat and Pyapon
Pyapon
Pyapon is a town and seat of Pyapon District in the Ayeyarwady Division of Myanmar, along the Pyapon River, a tributary of the Ayeyarwady River. It is located about 15 km inland from the Andaman Sea, about 75 miles south of the capital, Yangon. It has a population of approximately 300,000 in...
National Schools.
Thukha began his writing career at age 19 with a short fiction work Zabe Pwint (Jasmin Petal) in Kawi Myetmhan magazine under the penname Sein Thein Dan. He began using the penname Thukha – meaning “pleasure”– when he began writing fiction for the Shwin-Pyaw-Pyaw magazine. Of his novels, Gon-Ye-Matu-Lo-La (Am I Not an Equal for You?) and Di-Saung-Hayman (This Winter) were the most successful. He also wrote many books on Buddhism, including Loka Niti, Mangla Sutta, Metta Sutta
Metta Sutta
The Mettā Sutta is a Buddhist discourse found in the Pali Canon's Suttanipāta and Khuddakapāṭha . Ten verses in length, the Mettā Sutta extols both the virtuous qualities and the meditative development of mettā , traditionally translated as "loving kindness" or "friendliness." It is sometimes...
and Dhamma Rasa. Thukha wrote more than 100 novels and 200 short stories.
Thukha started his film career in 1938. His script for Chitthamya (As Much As I Love) brought widespread fame and won the respect and acknowledgment of the filmmaking community. The Myanmar Writers’ Association awarded him an honorary prize for his first directing project. During his career, he won the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization
Myanmar Motion Picture Organization
Myanmar Motion Picture Organization is the official non-profit organization for the Cinema of Burma. It was established on March 8, 1946.-Patron of Myanmar Motion Picture Organization:*Bokalay U Tin Aung, Musician and Opera Professional...
’s best director award for his six of his 33 films.
Thukha was also a talented songwriter. Bawa Thanthaya (Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
: Bava Samsara
Samsara
thumb|right|200px|Traditional Tibetan painting or [[Thanka]] showing the [[wheel of life]] and realms of saṃsāraSaṅsāra or Saṃsāra , , literally meaning "continuous flow", is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation within Hinduism, Buddhism, Bön, Jainism, Sikhism, and other...
; Life's Samsara) and Gon
Gon
Gon or GON may refer to:*Government of Norway. The use of GON is seen related to the WikiLeaks Cablegate documents.*Groton-New London Airport, IATA airport code...
(Status) were among his most popular songs. Bawa Thanthaya compares people to travellers on a train getting on and off at every station, illustrating the cycle of death and rebirth. Gon poked fun at people’s devotion to money and status.
Thukha was a devout Buddhist and included Buddhist morals and concepts in all his films and novels. He directed three documentaries related to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
for Burmese television.
Although he received success recognition for both his writing and directing work, Thukha's first priority was always writing. His former pupil and close colleague, director Maung Hnin Moe, said: “He preferred writing to other jobs. He always put the title Writer and Director before his name.” “Because he could not read or write in his old age,” Maung Hnin Moe said, “he was thinking all the time and it is a great loss that he could not transform his thoughts into a form of work such as a book or film.”
Thukha was profoundly respected for his altruistic attitude and works. He was the founder and president of the Yangon Division Funeral Service Association, which volunteers its funeral services to any family regardless of race, religion or social standing. He was also known for his efforts to rename the full moon day of Pyartho (which normally falls in January) as Mothers’ Day, as well as for his campaign for younger generations to pay more respect to their mothers.
Partial filmography
- Chitthamya (As Much As I Love) (1938)
- Chit Anumyu (Love Atom) (1948)
- Aw Meinma (Oh Woman) (1954)
- Bawa Thanthaya (Life's Samsara) (1956)
- Zaga Pyaw Thaw Athè-Hnalon (Talking Heart) (1968)
- Kyama Hma Meinmatha (I'm the Girl) (1970)
- Bè-Thu-Pyaing-Lo Hla-Ba-Daw Naing (Who Can Be More Beautiful?) (1973)
- Shwe-Chi Ngwe-Chi Tan-Ba-Lo (Gold and Silver Ribbons) (1975)