SIKA TERANGPI (KAMANG)
(Actors are better known with their alias names or the role they have done, which often put their actual names and actual character behind the curtains. So is the case with Sika Terangpi, whom we lovingly know as Kamang, one of the most popular comic characters in Karbi film industry. In this short interview with her, we will learn several less known facts about her life.)
TDE: Tell us about your early life.
ST: Even though people know me as Kamang, my name in Sika Terangpi. I was born in Borsenot Ronghang Arong, Dongkamukam on 25th June 1982 (as per official document). I do not know the exact date and year of my birth, but presently I am 35 years old. My parents were Kania Terang and Kareng Ronghangpi. We are six siblings – three boys (Khorsing, Baliram and Bronson) and three girls (Moina, Sabeth and myself).
TDE: Tell us about your educational career.
ST: I come from a very poor family and did not get the proper environment to study. My parents were farmers with small agricultural land which was the only source of our livelihood. I have faced and experienced very pathetic and pitiable situations in life. When I was a kid, I have seen the roofs leaking and rain water falling inside our house. I have seen hunger and shortage of food. I regret that now when things have become better, both our parents are no more with us.
To add to the misery, my mother passed away when we siblings were still very young. This doubled the burden on the shoulders of my father who had to earn for food and also look after home and children. In order to assist my father, we had to give up schooling early.
I have read only till ninth standard. I began my studies from Dongkamukam High School and later went to Sankar Mission, Satgaon.
TDE: How did you get the chance to learn acting?
ST: I was fortunate that the Karbi Cultural Society’s opera team gave chance to interested youths to learn acting, singing, music and other art. By that time, I had already given up studies and was sitting at home with nothing to do. Luckily, the KCS leaders from Dongka invited me to join the opera troop for a six months training course at Taralangso in the year 1995. I readily complied with the invitation as I always had the desire to learn playing guitar. Once I landed in Taralangso, I sought for opportunities to stay here. Through assistance from many people I have been staying here since then.
TDE: Which was your first acting project?
ST: As far as I can remember, ‘Ahok Akanghon’ was my first video project where I did a comic scene along with Bidyasing Teron (Chakara). The producer (Jibon Teron) first chose another girl for the role, but later dropped her. Director and producer Jibon Teron has been very inspiring to me and guided me in every phase of my acting career. In fact, people love to see me doing comic roles. Even I have met people who say that if there is no comedy scene featuring me, the movie seems dull.
TDE: Why have you done only comic roles? Have you been awarded for your work?
ST: I began acting as a comedian, and it seems that I am not suited for any other roles. In more than 20 films and short movies like Ahok Akanghon, Lamsam, Kanghon Athir, Honthe and others I have only done comic roles.
In 2014, I have won the ‘Best Comedian Award’ for my role in Kanghon Athir. Apart from this, I have been felicitated in different platforms.
TDE: Would you like to do any other roles?
ST: I would be happy to do any role given to me. I do not have any preference of that sort. I would do negative as well as positive roles as supporting actress. However, I do not have the desire to do the role of lead actress singing and dancing in romantic songs.
TDE: Why are you named ‘Kamang’ in most of the roles you have done?
ST: I do not know actually why the directors gave me this name in almost all movies. Maybe they want continue the same sequence of comic atmosphere in movie after movie through the acknowledgement and love the name ‘Kamang’ had received. I must say that this name is so popular that most of the people do not know my actual name and want to call me ‘Kamang’ only.
I thanked Jibon Teron for giving me this new identity.
TDE: Tell us your experience of living in Diphu.
ST: Living in Diphu has not been easy. Four other persons who came along with me from Dongkamukam have returned, but I stayed back. The KCS central committee had helped me in every way possible, right from accommodation and also maintaining daily needs. For the KCS, I used to arrange group songs for events and also look after the office sanitation. Presently, I am doing job under the Art & Culture Department, working in a humble position.
I do not earn much from acting. The payments depend on the financial status of the producer. I used to be paid anywhere between Rs. 5000 to 10000 for my roles.
TDE: What are your future plans? When are you getting married?
ST: I want to do more acting in the days to come and live an honest life. I would request other actors and actresses also to do the work in honest and sincere way and show good example to the society.
As far as the topic of marriage is concerned, presently I do not have such plan. I have spent more time in solving the problems in life that I did not give much time thinking of it.