Thukha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thukha
သုခ |
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| Born |
Thein Maung
14 January 1910 Sarphyuzu village, Kyaiklat Township, Ayeyawady Division
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| Died | 7 December 2005 (aged 95) Yangon, Yangon Division, Myanmar
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| Years active | 1938 – 2005 |
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Notable work
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Bawa Thanthayar |
| Parent(s) | San Khaing Daw Myin |
| Awards | Alinkar Kyawswar |
Thukha (Burmese: သုခ 14 January 1910 – 7 December 2005) was a very famous person from Myanmar. He was a talented film director, writer, songwriter, and even an actor. He won the Myanmar Academy Award six times!
Thukha also owned a film company called Thukha Films Company. This company won the "Best Picture Award" twice. Thukha directed 33 movies in his career. Many people think he was the most successful film director in Myanmar's history.
Contents
The Life of Thukha
Early Life and Talents
Thukha was born as Thein Maung on January 14, 1910. He grew up in a place called the Irrawaddy delta in what was then British Burma. From a young age, he loved writing. He started writing poems when he was still in middle school.
His grandfather was a harpist, which is someone who plays the harp. Because of his grandfather, Thukha learned about classical Burmese music very early in his life. He went to school at Kyaiklat and Pyapon National Schools.
Becoming a Writer
Thukha began his writing career when he was 19 years old. His first short story was called "Zabe Pwint," which means "Jasmine Petal." It was published in Kawi Myetmhan magazine. He used the pen name Sein Thein Dan back then.
Later, he started using the pen name Thukha, which means "pleasure." He used this name when he wrote stories for Shwin-Pyaw-Pyaw magazine. Two of his most popular novels were Gon-Ye-Matu-Lo-La and Di-Saung-Hayman. He also wrote many books about Buddhism, including important texts like Loka Niti and Mangala Sutta. Thukha wrote over 100 novels and 200 short stories in total!
A Star Director
Thukha started working in films in 1938. He wrote the script for a movie called Chitthamya (As Much As I Love). This script became very famous and earned him a lot of respect in the film world. The Myanmar Writers’ Association even gave him an award for his first time directing a movie.
Throughout his career, Thukha directed 33 films. Six of these films won the "Best Director" award from the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization. This shows how talented he was as a director.
Songs with Meaning
Thukha was also a very gifted songwriter. Two of his most well-known songs were "Bawa Thanthaya" and "Gon."
The song "Bawa Thanthaya" talks about how people are like travelers on a train. They get on and off at different stations, which is a way to explain the idea of Samsara (the cycle of life, death, and rebirth). His song "Gon" made fun of people who cared too much about money and their social status.
His Buddhist Beliefs
Thukha was a very religious Buddhist. He made sure to include Buddhist lessons and ideas in all his movies and books. He even directed three documentaries about Buddhism for television in Myanmar.
Helping Others
Thukha was known for being a very kind and generous person. He cared a lot about helping others. He started an organization called the Free Funeral Service Society. This group provides funeral services for free to any family, no matter their background, religion, or how much money they have.
He also worked hard to change the name of the full moon day of Pyatho to Mothers' Day. This day usually happens in January. He also encouraged younger people to show more respect to their mothers.
Special Recognition
On October 26, 2000, Yangon University gave Thukha a special award. It was a Doctor of Letters degree, which is a very high honor. They gave it to him because of his amazing contributions and talents.
Partial Filmography
Here are some of the films Thukha directed:
- Chitthamya (As Much As I Love) (1938)
- Chit Anumyu (Love Atom) (1948)
- Aw Meinma (Oh Woman) (1954)
- Bawa Thanthayar (Life's Samsara) (1956)
- Zagar Pyaw Thaw Athe Hnalone (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)
