They are seasonal performances commanding spiritual devotions among the audience. On the other hand secular theatre is mostly confined in themes which are not religious and is performed in the secular or profane spheres. Within these are Shumang lila and Phampak lila (stage drama). Though the religious genre is loved profoundly by the audience, the torch of theatre is being held aloft by the secular ones. Among the latter also Shumang lila commands a very wide rustic popularity among the audience though the stage drama still doesn`t lack its serene and dignified position mostly because of its community based themes and styles. Etymologically Shumang lila is the combination of “Shumang” (courtyard) and “Lila” (play or performance). It is performed in an area of 13/13 ft in the centre of any open space. It is performed in a very simple styles without any raised stage or any set designing or heavy props such as curtains, background scenary, visual effects etc. but with only one table and two chairs, kept on one side of the performance space. Its claims of being the theatre of the masses can be exemplified by the way it is performed in the middle of an audience which surrounds it from all sides leaving only one passage which serves as both entrance and exit connecting the performance space with the green room. Shumang lila is performed by a touring band of 12-13 professional artists on invitation basis.

These troupes may be either exclusively female (Nupi ShumangLila) or exclusively male (Nupa Shumang lila). Though the male characters are enacted by the female artistes in the case of the former what is most intriguing is the enactment of the female roles by the male artistes or nupishabis (male actresses), in the case of the latter. They are feminine par excellence in their looks, bodily gestures and facial expressions guised in the masculine souls. Historically the actual seed of Shumang lila was sown in Phagee lila (farce), performed during the reign of Ningthourel Chandrakirti (1850-1886), though the traces of it were already present in the episode of Tangkhul-Nurabi Loutaba of Laiharaoba festival. Then it was succeeded by such plays as Ramlila, Sabha parba, Kabul lila etc. but the real Shumang lila with various rasas (sentiments) was ushered in with the epic play Harishchandra (1918). Then it was followed by others such as Meiraba charan, Thok lila etc. one of the most successful plays of this era was Moirang parba (an epic play based on the legendary lovers Khamoa and Thoibi of Moirang). On the other hand, the world of Phampak lila (stage drama) performed in the proscenium theatre is similar, in form, to the Western theatrical model and Indian Natyasastra model though its contents are indigenous. The so called modern theatre descended on Manipuri theatre culture with the performance of Pravas Milan (1902) under the enthusiastic patronage of Sir Churchand Maharaj (1891-1941).

The pace of theatrical movement was geared up with the institution of various groups such as Manipur Dramatic Union (MDU) (1930), Arian Theatre (1935), hitrangada Natya Mandir (1936), Society Theatre (1937), Rupmahal (1942), Cosmopolitan Dramatic Union (1968), The Chorus Repertory Theatre of Ratan Thiyam (1976) etc. These groups started experimenting with various types of plays apart from historical and pauranic ones. Today Manipuri theatre is well respected because of various excellent productions shown in various parts of the country and the abroad. Manipuri plays, both Shumang lila and stage lila, have been a regular feature in the annual festival of National School of Drama, New Delhi.