In the saturated landscape of our cinema where social issues are often resolved with oversimplified, feel-good endings, SPACED OUT – Panthung Di Kadaaida!, a 2021 Manipuri non-feature fiction film, offers a radical departure. Written, directed, and edited by Priyakanta Laishram, the film does not aim to preach or console. Instead, it quietly yet powerfully exposes the raw psyche of a teenage drug abuser trapped in a loop of grief, guilt, and regret. This is not just a narrative—it’s an emotional excavation of a mind slowly breaking down.
Rather than treating drug abuse as a plot device, the film explores the internal loop of dependency. The protagonist, Panthoi Sagolsem (played with striking restraint by Laishram), isn’t framed as a delinquent or victim but as a haunted soul unraveling from within. His addiction is portrayed not merely through substance use, but through his disintegrating relationship with time, memory, and self-worth.
Moving fluidly between present and past, the film’s non-linear structure reflects Panthoi’s mental disarray—where time collapses, blurs, and circles in on itself. Much of the first half is carried by Panthoi’s voiceover, offering an intimate window into his fractured consciousness. It’s a structural choice that deepens the psychological engagement rather than relying on expository shortcuts.
Where many films on addiction race toward redemption arcs—rehab, reconciliation, or reinvention—this film resists such cinematic conveniences. It offers no miraculous recovery or grand transformation. Instead, it concludes in silence, ambiguity, and emotional residue—true to how addiction often lingers in real life. This refusal to provide neat resolutions is one of the film’s boldest strengths. It respects the viewer’s intelligence and acknowledges the irreversible nature of certain traumas.
Among the most tragic catalysts in Panthoi’s descent is Ngaanba (played by Sachinker Sagolsem), the person who introduces him to drugs. Their bond is not built on trust, but on a shared void—a dangerous kinship that spirals quickly. Ngaanba’s eventual death from an overdose delivers a seismic blow to Panthoi’s fragile emotional core. The guilt is never melodramatic, but it hangs over him like unspoken thunder.
While Panthoi’s inner world anchors the film, SPACED OUT — Panthung Di Kadaaida! doesn’t neglect those around him. Laaija (Ithoi Oinam) walks away not out of anger, but out of self-respect—a rare depiction of love with boundaries. His sister Leima (Bhani Khamnam) remains a quiet witness to his disintegration, her sorrow etched not in words but in silences. And then there’s Lanchenba (Biswajit Saikia), the friend Panthoi once pushed away, who reappears when Panthoi reaches out again. His return is not theatrical but still, kind, and powerful—a gentle reminder that compassion sometimes waits even when it’s been bruised.
The film’s emotional depth is heightened by Jackson Naoroibam’s cinematography, which uses muted tones and lingering frames to reflect the characters’ inner turmoil without overstatement.
Equally striking is the music, one of the film’s greatest strengths. The haunting “Maibemma” by Sorri Senjam, used during Panthoi’s withdrawal, amplifies the rawness of his agony without sentimentalising it. The title track “Panthung Di Kadaaida!”, sung by Laishram himself, plays over the film’s climax—not as a resolution, but as a lament. It feels like a desperate cry into the void of destiny, questioning whether broken lives can still find their way back.
Produced by Caroline Laishram under Priyakanta Productions, SPACED OUT – Panthung Di Kadaaida! is clearly a labour of conviction and unflinching honesty. It doesn’t serve as an anti-drug PSA, nor does it offer sweeping answers. Instead, it dares to simply observe—to hold space for discomfort, grief, and the slow erosion of a young life.
Its relevance is underscored by the 2019 national survey by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which found that over 3.1 crore individuals in India use cannabis or opioids, with a disturbing percentage aged between 15 and 24. The Northeast, particularly Manipur, is alarmingly vulnerable due to socio-political instability, limited mental health access, and cross-border trafficking. In such a context, SPACED OUT — Panthung Di Kadaaida! feels less like fiction and more like a reflection—one that refuses to look away.
SPACED OUT – Panthung Di Kadaaida! is a poetic, tragic, and necessary film that understands teen addiction not as a criminal deviation but as a human crisis rooted in pain, erasure, and emotional collapse. It does not seek to resolve Panthoi’s story, but to feel it, honour it, and leave you quietly devastated.
Sometimes, the greatest tragedy isn’t death—but the slow vanishing of someone who’s still alive. That is what makes this film not just important, but unforgettable.
The writer holds a Master’s degree in Journalism, where he developed a strong interest in cinema and media studies. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Film Studies, with a research focus on regional cinema and visual storytelling.
