Nyi Pu

Nyi Pu was a Burmese actor and filmmaker widely regarded as the first star of Burmese cinema. His screen career began with the 1920 silent film Love and Liquor.

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Love and Liquor: A 1920 Burmese silent film directed by Ohn Maung, commonly regarded as the first Burmese feature film. Nyi Pu starred in this landmark film, whose release established his place in Burmese cinema.
Burmese theatre: The performance traditions of Burma, including dance-drama, music, and spoken theatre. Theatrical conventions shaped the performance culture in which Nyi Pu became a film actor.
Burmese cinema history: The development of filmmaking, film culture, and the film industry in Burma and Myanmar. Nyi Pu's career is a foundational episode in this history.
Thukha: A prominent Burmese filmmaker, writer, and actor whose career spanned several decades. His later prominence shows how Burmese cinema developed beyond Nyi Pu's pioneering era.
Ohn Maung: A Burmese filmmaker associated with the production and direction of early Burmese films. He directed Love and Liquor, the film that launched Nyi Pu's screen career.
Film acting: The craft of performing for motion-picture cameras, shaped by framing, editing, and recorded sound. Nyi Pu's work helped establish what screen performance could look like in Burmese cinema.
Burmese film stars: Actors whose screen popularity made them prominent public figures in Burmese cinema. His reputation as the first Burmese film star helped establish this category.
May Than Nu: A Burmese actress known for her work in Burmese cinema. Her career belongs to the later screen culture that grew from early stars such as Nyi Pu.
British Burma: The territory in Southeast Asia governed by Britain as part of British India and, later, as a separate colony. Nyi Pu's career began under colonial rule, when Burmese filmmaking was emerging.
Burmese film industry: The production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Burma and Myanmar. His acting and filmmaking took place as this industry was taking shape.