DASDHUNGA : A historical book. (review)
Film Graduate
College of film studies.
Now this is a complete surprise. And an extremely pleasant surprise, must add. Newer stories are slowly finding their way into plexes of Nepal. Two and Three Fridays ago, FIRST LOVE and KOHI MERO spoke about the power of love, and hidden love in friendship. Both FIRST LOVE and KOHI MERO did boast of A-list actors to lure the audiences in hordes, but the films let the LOUSY content do the sleeping tablet magic.
It's a change equation now. This Friday in succession witnesses the release of DAS DHUNGA. And mark my words, it's the most powerful and thought provoking film to come out of Nepal in 2010.
Most promos mislead the viewer no end. They promise the moon, the viewer is hooked and very often, they fail to meet the expectations. In this case, the promos are just the tip of the iceberg. This movie has so much to offer than a few vital glimpses highlighted in the promos.
Here's another point that needs to be clarified. DAS DHUNGA is not about MADAN BHANDARI, nor is it a bio-pic on the leader.. Sure,MADAN BHANDARI is the central conflict here, but DAS DHUNGA talks about the most controversial and almost forgettable road accident, which caused the mysterious end of comrade MADAN BHANDARI and JEEVRAJ ASHRIT's life. It's a history back in cinema; in fact a historical book written in cinematic experience.
DAS DHUNGA works like magic because of its gripping plotline. The journey, right from start to end on a fateful DAS DHUNGA journey, keeps you on tenterhooks. And the culmination to this complex tale is what takes this film to dizzy heights.
In short, DAS DHUNGA is amongst the finest -- and bravest -- films to come out in 2010 Just one word to describe it: Remarkable!
DAS DHUNGA tells the story of cruel road accident that unfold on a JESTHA 3RD, 2050 B.S.. Accident that do exist in our mind, because we lost our two powerful leaders MADAN BHANDARI and JEEVRAJ ASHRIT. That accident still do hunt our mind because that was the prime time of their rising.
Flashback: AMAR LAMA [Dayahang Rai], the only living prosecute of the accident, goes on numerous interrogation on how, why and what caused the DASDHUNGA acident and how come he alive if the investigation points to another thing . The investigation officer in equation is KIRAN KUNWAR (Anup Baral). At first, KIRAN suspects it to be a confused road accident, but his doubts are dispelled once he actually finds himself planted in situations that leads him to believe, that DAS DHUNGA dilemma is nothing but a conspiracy.
KIRAN KUNWAR is not the type to give up easily. He gets a team of his best men together and chases all his resources. He even meets evil (SAUGAT MALLA) that works for foreign interest. Time passes by, but no concrete results are evident. Eventually, KIRAN, torn in family and investigation, becomes a patient of schizophrenia .
Expect the unexpected in DAS DHUNGA. From the writing point of view to the execution of the written material, writer-director Manoj Pandit never takes the been-there-seen-that route even once. It does take time to settle down, but once you do get the hang of things,DAS DHUNGA offers you twist after twist, throws challenge after challenge in those 2.10hours . No sub-plots, no iteam songs, no unwanted masala, no unnecessary tracks-- DAS DHUNGA has a story to tell and it tells most effectively.
On the execution front, the camera movement [Jimmy Jib], during Anup Baral's portions specifically, demands your attention. Cinematographer Purushottam Pradhan's output is top class even when he captures a chase [Dayahang Rai] on a crowdy Kirtipur street. The editor [Niemesh Shrestha] deserves lavish praises for giving shape to this thriller. During the pre finale specifically -- Anup Baral is driving towards the location to get Dayahang escape from a planned murder, while Dayahang is actually dyeing-- the parallel scenes are juxtaposed brilliantly. The dialogue [Kumar Bhattarai] deserves a brownie point for writing such realistic yet tactful dialogues. The background score [Kichaa M. Chitrakar] is stirring.
When your film has two of the finest talents sharing screen space, it only heightens the curiosity. Anup Baral has delivered several remarkable performances over the decades and the one in DASDHUNGA easily makes its way into his best of works when you recall his body of work. His outburst in the interval point -- when he talks about the nationality -- is astounding. The entire audi, one is confident, would break into a deafening applause at this master sequence.
Dayahang Rai is equally dynamic. Watch the cold look or catch him face-to-face with Anup Baral in those post interval interrogation , if there's one actor who could stand up to a giant of an actor, it's Rai. An outstanding performance indeed!
Every performance in DASDHUNGA is charged. Saugat Malla is first-rate as a volatile conspirator . It's about time film-makers take a note of this talented actor. Again, this actor has never got his due in his work. It's our loss, not his! B.S Rana plays his part confidently. Sanchita Luitel, as Anup's mistress, is effective. Ditto for the actor who plays the sharpshooter- Biras Babu Sahi.
On the whole, Das Dhunga is cinema at its best. It may not be a Kinng-sized entertainer to lure the audiences in hordes and set the box-office afire, but Das Dhunga does pack in king-sized punch. Do yourself a favour: Watch Das Dhunga .
