Movie Review : Premgeet

Imagine Romeo as a small town love seeking boy. Juliet is a blunt-mouthed girl with full of  passion for life. Just when we opined, Shakespeare's ode to love in the time of clan wars had been dog-tired as a formula in cinema, Premgeet sets out to restructure the basics.

That could be a stamp of a USP actually, if it was tapped a little right way. With some more effort on script, Sudarshan Thapa's new film would have actually rewritten the history of love story the same way Yug Dekhi Yug Samma and Mero Euta Saathi Chha did for their respective generations. Similar to these films, Premgeet tries mapping a new graph for romance without moving any inches away from every cliche` in the book. And yet again, you can not deny the fact that Premgeet is one of the best romantic tragedies that has come in years.

Prem (Pradeep Khadka) and Geet (Pooja Sharma), young members of two opposing families, fall in love with one another. Due to their families' differences, the parents become sworn enemies and Prem and Geet’s romantic dalliance simply doesn’t fit into the grand scheme of things. How Prem, and Geet, fall in love and become the hunted, with one, big shocking twist is the story of Premgeet. I don't want to reveal the plot, but there are some consciously made-up situations, which lead them to part ways and get together.

Pradeep is the soul and driving element of the film. He looks cool and lovable and it’s impossible to not like him. With Pradeep, this film marks the sudden coming of a bright, super star who has come into his own so early in his acting career. Pradeep’s complemented to a large extent by Pooja Sharma, who tries to give her teeth into Geet, but seems too self-conscious to really make the part her own.

But better than its actors are the film’s direction, cinematography and music. Sudarshan Thapa brings a huge canvas of a film with a subtle direction. His directorial vision shines well with fantastically choreographed scenes of young innocent love and romance. The background score (Alish) & the song choreography (Reenasha Bantawa Rai) of the film, too, are of top notch. But it’s the music (Arjun Pokharel) that largely benefits the movie – the song Ma yesto geet is the anthem of the film and its spirit.

Before culminating, I must say, this is a terrific Nepali adaptation of Romeo And Juliet. But if you’ve ever loved someone unconditionally, then deeper in the heart of its story Premgeet is a saga of love being more important than life and death. I'm going with 2.5 stars out of 5. Extra five for director Sudarshan Thapa , for getting back to where he best fits for - romance.
 If you are planing to catch this film, you better stuff yourself with some tissues. It's too emotional a film. Go,watch this. Recommended!!

Kabaddi Kabaddi -Review

You don’t need a big story to make it profound. Sometimes, what seems like a wafer thin on the cover actually turns much deeper than anticipated. Ram Gurung’s Kabaddi Kabaddi is a worthy follow-up to his notoriously successful Kabaddi (2014). What seems like a full on comedy movie about love-lost-and-regain actually turns out to be a calendar to routine village life. The situations offered in the film aren’t just limited to the sketchy love saga of its protagonists. This is actually how real life pans out in matters of the heart and heat. For me, by far, this is the most brilliant piece of cinema that has come in the year 2015.

The setting is again in that small village of Naurikot, Mustang. And this time, we are introduced to Bum Kaji (Saugat Malla), a close competition to Kaji (Daya Hang Rai), over his love interest Maiya (Risma Gurung). It’s in this single film that we get to see many thing spinning in that one single reel –

love, politics, & some sub plots of Beekay (Bijay Baral) & Chhantyal (Buddhiman Tamang).



It’s the characters in the film,who keep you invested in the narrative. The most complex of them is the leading man Kaji. Likewise in Kabaddi, here again, his only worthwhile ambition is to woo & control his dream girl Maiya. He doesn’t want to play the best man role in his family. Nor does he aspire to become powerful. He merely wants the world to know that he’s not heartless and he’s not useless. Even though that description seems like the most clichéd character in cinema, you have to see Dayahang Rai’s portrayal to believe in how wonderfully flawed Kaji is as a person. A complete contrast to this guy is his rival Bom Kaji. He’s naughty, brash, outspoken and he can break into a dance at the first whiz of a whistle. When they come together, everything becomes magic, & to witness this, you need to see the film.

Seasoned actors like Maotse Gurung, Pushkar Gurung, Aruna Karki , Pashupati Rai, Buddhiman Tamang and Bijaya Baral chip in with the best of their talent. But the two persons who really live their characters with branded authenticity are Saugat Malla & Dayahang Rai. Their unusual comic timings, the body language, the sense of frustration is all there. Their performance is perfectly controlled and proficiently nuanced. If Saugat Malla evokes laughter even in the odd of hours, Dayahang Rai wrenches your heart.

Everything about this film works: the more than good looking camera work; the uplifting song sequences set amidst the beautiful landscape of Mustang; the sparkling moments of comedy & tragedy complemented well by the tender and endearing editing – all departments are well handled.

It's not every day we get to see a film that hits you hard with its humour and sentiment so effortlessly. For this alone, Ram Gurung, the director & writer of the film deserves a standing ovation. I’m going with three & a half out of five for Kabaddi Kabddi. Carry hanky for your eyes if you are soft-hearted. This one bounces between laughter and tears.

Resham Filili :Review

                                          Boredom Filili-es

 

There are times when films ride high on hypes. And there are times when we invest our time and money on such hollow hypes. And to begin with, Resham Filili is one fine example of such hype & hollowness. More than a quarter of this film is filled with toilet humor and hence incomprehensible if you’re not easy types dealing such trauma. The rest is a stew of inane humor, lazy stereotypes, and way-too-loud acting from all the leading actors.

Vinay Shrestha, who i think is a passed out acting student of Kishor Namit Kapoor’s acting school, spends a chunk of this film trying to act his role correctly. Could he possibly be overworking himself to compensate for the film’s tired writing? Because it’s clear from Resham Filili that Pranab Joshi has launched an elaborate reels with a plot so thin, it could give a thin toilet paper a run for its money.

That plot involves Vinay’s character, Resham boarding the dreamy Qatar plane, intending to roam off there & to make some money too, so that he could have his sister married. But plan fails. Cheated by the manpower agent, he encounters Hariya (Kameshwor Chaurasiya), who's just left his village back only to fulfill his dream of working in films as a hero. Together they rent a Delhi Belly looking room, get trapped in don Dorje's world. And what follows next is a series of absurd in the name of comedy. To endure this indulgence, you have to be a die-hard Nepali film fan.

Kameshwor Chaurasiya, meanwhile, stays firmly in character throughout. His heavily Terai accented Hariya delivers some genuine laughs, particularly during one terrific scene in which he narrates his back story with a boka (goat). Three years after debuting in same film with Vinay Shrestha (Highway), he displays comic chops to rival his.

As for Menuka Pradhan goes, she has nothing meaty to boast about. Even her pairing with Vinay doesn’t get much scope to ignite romantic chemistry. Karma Shakya is totally wasted.

Music is the sole winner of this otherwise stale film. Hats off to you Kali Prasad Baskota for this flawless attempt. But yes, music alone can't survive a bad film. The multiplex audience will not be happy for all those hype, but cheating.

Just two out of five for Resham Filili. Somebody has wisely said that some films are hard to make sense of & others are just nonsense. Resham Filili, directed by Pranab Joshi, ticks both boxes. What not to say? It's a big boredom of a film. And i'm still to overcome.

No point to return.

If I had a medical box with me, for every time I laughed during Hostel Returns, I’d have definitely chewed up an aspirin I so badly longed for at the end of this two-and-a-five-minute cringe-fest. The problem with this film isn’t that it’s so relentlessly unwatchable, but that it’s just not very watchable. And that’s a shame, because leading men Najir Husen Abhay Baral and Sushil Sitoula have a winning chemistry and sharp comic timing…now if only they were pushed to a film where story concerns a bit more.

The film is written and directed by Suraj Bhushal (Co-written : Santosh Lamsal), which is a sequel to 2013’s mega entertainer Hostel, here the motive for this sequel seems to have been – “let’s just go with the jokes”. In the process, the story & its structure have been completely sacrificed. The plot (if there is any!) doesn’t hold up either. You have the talented cute-Madhesi lover ,a gym-gifted mannequin, two sexually sadistic Idiots, a two-timing girl friend, a war-driven senior gang fighters, and an old-fashioned hostel warden. To my dismay, most of them, however, have almost no scope to make a lasting impression, hence Diya Maskey & Nirmal Sharma occupy the screen for no major reasons.

Now if we look the film purely by the standards of a comic-drama, it still doesn’t compare with Hostel or any other films established in this genre. If Hostel was naughty and suggestive, and far wittier than Hostel Returns, which in comparison is uncomfortably explicit. The film, however, is tricky & offers a handful of clever lines that inspire genuine laughs. Unfortunately these are only a few shining moments in what is otherwise a crass, unfinished film.

Of the casts, Najir Husen dives courageously into his role, leaving everyone speechless by his performance. If anyone benefits the film, it’s only him . Abhay Baral & Sushil Sitoula shine amongst many. Sudam C.K & Pradip Choudhary are commendable. Swastima Khadka has nothing much to offer, but she is better than Sashi Shrestha. And if you forget Swopnil Sharma & his musical genius, then it’s a sin. But hell is done with his songs except for the beautifully choreographed ‘Musukka hasne’..

Boring isn’t a word you’d normally associate with a Sunil Rawal’s productions, but Hostel Returns seriously mocks your patience. I’m going with one-and-a-half out of five for Hostel Returns.

"Men cheat for physical need" - Reecha Sharma

In her recent candid chat with JaiCinema, Reecha Sharma told us how she is a friend to her ex, and how she looks at love, heart-break and relationships.

Q. Do you believe in love at first sight ?

 I dont believe in it 'coz easily you fall easily you break.. love happens organically, i guess.

Q. What does love mean to you?

Love is something that makes me feel complete and something I crave for.

Q. what attracts you to a guy?

Good looks and intelligence.  Having said that, I must add he should be extremely caring, intuitive, competitive and studious. (Giggles)

Q. Over the years, what is the most important lesson you’ve learnt about love?

Do not take it for granted ever.

Q. Is there a strategy to find the right guy?
No strategies work, right time and you get your Mr.right

Q. What is your take on one-night stand?

Ha..Ha. It just ruins emotion, i believe in emotional connection so it a big no no for me.

Q. Is there any relationship in your past that you regret ?

 None yet.

Q. Do you believe love can be like a fairy tale?

Hell no, it can never be a fairy tale. Life itself is an acid test, come on !

Q. You’re often linked to who's who of the industry...

Who is who of the industry Mr. Interviewer ?? Next Questions..

Q. Are men more inclined to cheat as opposed to women who are more emotional ?

I think men cheat for physical need, it's just like that. But women does it for emotional need.

Q. Would you take back your partner if he cheated on you?

It depends on circumstances, i have forgiven once and fell more in love with my partner.

Q. How do you deal with a break-up?

It is difficult to deal with a breakup. I'm too emotional and sensitive to handle that. But as they say time heals everything.

Q. Do you think you can be friends with an ex?

Yeah, i can be. What's wrong with that??  I'm in touch with my ex, i don't know now if you call it a friendship.

Q. Are you planning to settle down soon?

 Not real soon but i'll definitely settle down for sure.

A street car named Priyanka Karki

Priyanka Karki has been known to live life to her terms. Her firm stand on calling a spade a spade hasn’t gone down too well in an industry known for its flattering zeal. Some controversies made her headline queen. But she’s not complaining. Life has given her so much & she is in a happy space now. She managed to steal the thunder in Suntali, where she played her role to the T. Her performance in Mala has got her rave reviews nationwide. She doesn’t need a coffee date to make her happy -- that’s Priyanka -- a strong woman who has learnt to live sans grudges...


(Jaicinema brings you the real power of this superstar in an interview. )

What is that much-hyped car controversy of yours ?? 

 I think we live in a society where a lot of people judge too soon, & jump to evaluate in the negative manner too soon.. Its like evil wins the good here. I was a victim of that. I live in a country where you have to justify your hows and whereabouts about a car you bought. So when I bought the car (before the devastating earthquake) people just assumed I used charity funding to buy it. Accusations were made without any solid ground, facts or proof.

 You've delivered one of the most-talked performances of the year in Suntali, you must be thrilled.

Suntali was like living a dream. It was such a powerful character and it was such a huge challenge too. Suntali is not like me from any aspect. So that required a lot of chatacter analysis, research, workshops and practice. Bhaskar Dhungana helped me mould into that version of me; the Suntali version of me. With constant guidance from Bhaskar dai, my director, I had worked very hard and when the film came out and people appreciated my work, it felt amazing. Felt like Ive done something right. Acting is who I am, its what I do best.. Everytime someone appreciates my effort, the hard work I put in, it is an out of the world feeling. My soul feels content.

 Most girls believe you have the perfect life – you’re beautiful, talented and famous. How do you see yourself?

We work in the showbiz, the glamour world and for the outsiders, I'm sure it does look like the 'perfect life'… Well I don't say I have the perfect life, but I am very happy with it. I'm happy with the kind of work Ive done, with all the people I've been working with, my family and friends are really supportive and encouraging. It's my dream job and I'm living it. Every morning I wake up and I feel amazing just knowing that I followed my heart and picked out a career out of pure passion. So yes, Im very happy smile emoticonWork makes me happy. I love my life. I find happiness in little things. It might be a glamd up, doll face image from the outside, but inside Im still a little girl who dreams, who believes in magic and miracles, who loves Disney, and who constantly works hards towards achieving more goals .

  Have the pressures of stardom ever got to you? 

  I don’t know if that feeling is of pressure, but whatever little I have achieved always keeps me on my toes. Stardom is such a big word, I don’t know yet if I have attained stardom, but yes this unquenched thirst and love of my craft makes me want to thrive for more. Every morning I wake up, I always have it clear in my head, I tell myself I am here for the passion and immense respect for the industry, I pull my socks up, and I am good to go. Also, if I ever tend to have airs about myself, my friends and family are there to yank me down right away.

  When was the last time you felt insecure as an actress? 

  Okay, I don’t know how to exactly put it, but truth be told, I have never felt insecure as an actor. Of course, there’s a feeling of competition in me, but it’s always been a healthy one. I have made it a point till now to call and praise my contemporaries after they win an award or if I love their performances in movies. I do that. And I have this habit of expecting a pat on my back too, and it hurts when I don’t. That’s still alright. What hurts me more or say what makes me insecure is the fact that there are so many people in the industry who are not here because of their love for the art & craft, but for easy money, recognition and just because they failed in other areas of life. According to me, it is unethical. Let me make it clear once and for all, being in the movies is just as difficult as being a doctor or engineer, or even more. It takes education, a lot of patience, perseverance, confidence and strength. If you think otherwise, then there’s no place for you here. What you give is what you get!

 After you have yourself seen a failed marriage, how has your perception towards institution of marriage changed over the years? 

 We are just humans, if we can fall in love, we are allowed to fall out of love as well. Having said that, my belief in love is still intact. The little things still matter to me. Nothing major has changed, really. My previous relationship has taught me a number of things, and I am sure to pay heed to that when I fall in love next, and when I am ready take another big step in my life. At the end of it, I still came out of it smelling like roses. No regrets, remorse, grudges or judgment. I am grateful instead.

Today, is there anything you really wish you were better at? 

 Everything. Hmmm.. everyday is a new day, and everyday has so much to offer, and you could learn so many things simply by observing. You could say I am taking baby steps in terms of being a better person. Be it my personal life or professional life, I try to keep myself updated with the nitty-gritties. I am currently doing this thing which requires me to smile straight for 5 minutes as soon as I wake up. If you do this, you will feel amazing all day long. You will smile continuously. Also, it’s a simple way of telling the universe that you are grateful for all that it has given to you. I do this religiously, you should too. 

 Three things we don’t know about you. 

 Flying on a plane gives me major anxiety pangs. Learning to beat flying anxiety. - My tolerance level is really high, so it takes an excessive amount of idiocy for me to lose my cool. - Irrational fear of leeches. I have fainted a couple of times while I found them stuck on my feet while shooting. 

 Why are you so excessively controversial? 

 Haha, you tell me. Maybe I make good copies. Jokes apart, I haven’t the faintest idea to this. It takes me by surprise whenever I am written off for things that I haven’t done, or don’t want to be associated to. I am always up for constructive criticism, but to attack someone on a personal level is just so grotesque. It’s not even real journalism. Making a mountain out of a molehill has been a trend here. And the rest of them are sheep. They circulate the false news like they mean harm to me. Most of them don’t even bother to call and ask, or find out the actual truth. I am a true believer of media’s colossal power to change a person’s life. Why not change somebody’s life for better? Why not make it a win-win situation for both the parties? Let’s not forget the ABCDE (Accuracy, Balance, Credibility, Decency, and Ethics) of journalism. Guys, let’s inspire each other. We can bring a revolution together.

 If you had date issues and had to pick one filmmaker from Nigam Shrestha, Nischal Basnet or Bhaskar Dhungana, who would it be? 

 Bhaskar Dhungana any given day. To me, Suntali was an experience which was beyond beautiful, more than amazing. Mr. Dhungana trusted me with his debut magnum opus, and I was Suntali. More than me having the titular role, the fact that he had complete faith in me to do justice to his character made me feel kind of accomplished as an actor. It motivated me. He is someone I have massive admiration in the industry, he understands films. He and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to the love and respect we have for what we do. I can work with him for the rest of my life and never tire of it. Having said this, I have never worked with both Nishcal and Nigam. I am sure it would be a beautiful experience with them as well. I am so proud of their talents and sense of movies. Kudos!

Where are we heading to?

As we are busy celebrating our new president in Nepal Film Development Company, Raj Kumar Rai, it is wise for us to reflect back on what audiences have been feeding on from our cinema all these years.

Too often, cinema is considered reliable medium to reflect our society & our films have voiced the ethos of the common man through decades with remarkable endurance.

We have seen the birth of cinema & its social black and white impact on celluloid, on the very onset of 60s itself. The whole of 70s & 80s celebrated the much infamous Panchayat. The disillusionment era of new found multi-party-system was then amply exemplified by the great Rajesh Hamal. Here, a hero was born !
 Rajesh Hamal was cherished. Rajesh Hamal became the god-man. And that's when we drifted into a condition where Rajesh Hamal was seen doing almost all same looking films, with same looking expression of 'heyy'. The then Nepali cinema industry seemed bankrupt of ideas to take cinema forward. As the new generation found floppy and mobiles and understood the world better, our films failed to mirror the change. Today the same old film makers blame us for all the mishaps of the industry.

The old gear of cinema has now shifted to new film makers. New films are being made, with a new taste brewing. There is something ghastly amiss though. We never dared to attempt a Nepali film that defined us in the world. The song-and-dance routine is a blueprint of Bollywood that is widely identical to the western world, in the same spirit as snake chambers to them.

Digging down our poverty and making silly commercial fare is all that we have done over the past 50 years. We learnt to keep classes fool by selling our budget’s woes to them and we honored insulting plots just to let the masses know there was an alternative to their humdrum lives for a few hours - if they were willing to pay a few rupees for the privilege.

With all our technical expertise and good preaching directors in the field, there is not a good example of what a Nepali film is. We do not have handful of films that stands out among the best.We are caught up in celebrating Binod Pradhan's IIFA moment here because he once lensed our films but nobody gives a damn to produce our own Binod Pradhan here for commercial reasons.

We are taught a misnomer Satya Harishchandra was our first film when in fact we have no supporting evidence to claim its accuracy. The first film, for me, was the black & white Aama that released in 1964. We have not cared to preserve most of our cinematic heritage and early films because hey, who needs to go back to history when the future is not so political, right? Not a single good media institute of repute has been borne in this country that really cares for cinema, if not for a profitable job.
Today the producer is dream merchant. He dreams a film which is already out in a torrent web. This is where cinema is heading to the monopolisation road. Audiences watch not what they want, but what your producer or a wig hero wants. If we really want to make cinema, we need to stop being another mo-mo stall.

We need to exercise on bringing out a writing pool that can mine and bring out our local subjects that can travel across the world. Why there has never been an entertaining film on Kumari culture or Sherpa's multi-husband culture in the same vein as martial arts movies - I have never understood.

Above all, we need to work on a movie-making experience that defines us as an individual. We should develop our own different genres that tell stories about our people. We should develop our own taste. India, with their fascinating song and dance routine, has made Hollywood's studio to step down there, only to produce Hindi films with them.

Change is inevitable. Audiences are in fact rejecting the plastic plots. If the success of Kabaddi is anything, but the indication of change. Audiences, as usual, not finding Rajesh Hamal or Nikhil Uprety in the posters, flock to these films.

This must change. We, as film-makers, must demand that movies be as much about creating art as it is right now about securing the budget woes. This is difficult to do in the era of Rekha Thapa and Shovit Basnet but not wholly impossible.
Ultimately, when you look deep down on yourself, you will find that Nepali film industry is nothing but a body on which film makers have craved their dreams and yearnings.You might need a strong searchlight to narrow down its soul though.

Directors that matter.

Film directors dream a film, they travel a time & the whole of film future relies on them. Nepali cinema has witnessed some of the infrequent talents who have given us some memorable path breaking films & took some to super stardom. I now call you to peek at such top 1o Nepali directors who have played a whole different ball game & made a difference with that one or two films of theirs.

10) Prakash Thapa

 Prakash Thapa is believed to have started first ever true blue Nepali commercial cinema with 'Man Ko Bandh' (1973).  He made some other very memorable films and launched several actors that went to become established names - Shiva Shrestha (Jeevan Rekha), Bhuwan K.C (Juni), Gauri Malla Karishma Manandhar & Kristi K.C (Santaan) to name a few. Prakash Thapa outdid himself in every film & his films became so exemplary that his films continue to inspire even today. 

9) Tulsi Ghimire  

His film journey is legendary as is his film making. After spending some quality time in Bombay's studios, he comes here and we all know how he goes on to rule the silver screen then. His films deal into human relationships & although he is facing a set back in his career at current, he has not yet given up his knack for story telling. From movies like Baasuri, Kusumerumal, Lahure, Chino, Deuta, Dakshina and Darpan Chhaya, Tulsi Ghimire continues to inspire us.

8) Sudarshan Thapa 

 His 2009 directorial debut Mero euta saathi chha was hailed as a path-breaker for its wonderfully handled romantic -love- moments and teary emotion. From tv soaps Sudarshan had made a successful transition to films and looked promising. Sadly, he bit dust after dust post 'Mero Euta Saathi Chha'. Hope he still game to return to that blueprint he left with ' Mero euta saathi chha'.

7) Alok Nembang 

 This eternally colorful  director is inarguably Nepal's most loved film maker. Although the figures of his films indicate other story. Alok was found dead in a shocking event last year, leaving us all stunned. His last swan song 'Ajhai Pani' recently released . But Alok will be best remembered for 'Sano Sansar', our version of 'You've got mail'. Interestingly, it was  Sano Sansar that got Karma Shakya, Namrata Shrestha, Vinaya Shrestha & Jivan Luitel to the world of cinema . 

6) Bhushan Dahal 

We know, we know Kagbeni began it all, the overtly hyped digital film making. And we know Bhushan Dahal should be credited to this whiff of change. He changed the t.v viewing experience, he did same with cinema. We are waiting what he is doing next.

5) Prashant Rasaily 

 Prashant Rasaily brought that very needed change wave to the stereotypical Nepali film rules. Appeared as a neo-realistic director, Prashant has given Nepali film a total new dimension with an unusual flair. His films Acharya and Kathaa, broke all the conventional norms & considered to be path-breaking films by the critics' allies. Yes he is the very writer of Kagbeni.

4) Manoj Pandit 

His films always carry a political element & are heavily inspired from the almost forgotten pages of our history. Manoj Pandit is truly a daring film maker but sometimes he misses a point, sometimes he over cooks the meal and spoils. Most often its his overindulging approach that spoils.

3) Bhaskar Dhungana 

 Daring, highly prolific, influential & with a great sense of aesthetic, Bhaskar Dhungana is all that and beyond. Also the owner of theater chain QFX, Bhaskar has tried his hand in films with the highly acclaimed Suntali, where he has beautifully blended realism, art & cinema together to produce something noble - a rare in Nepali film. 

2) Ram Babu Gurung 

 Last year audiences got their sudden favorite in Ram Babu Gurung. To your knowledge, Ram Babu started his career with small films like 'Anagarik' & 'Bulk Holiday'. It is his third movie 'Kabaddi', which got him recognition. 'Kabaddi' also saw acting debut of its producer Nischal Basnet, that's too in a comedy film. And yes, we all know comedies are quiet a task to justify, but Ram Babu did it brilliantly. Thank you for giving us 'Kabaddi', Mr. Gurung.


1) Nischal Basnet : 

Those related to the film industry swear by the fact that it is very difficult being different, especially in the industry as fixed as Nepali Film industry. But Nischal Basnet has proved us all wrong. What really catches the eye in his movies is the fact that his story telling never tries to follow the normal Nepali movie format & is acutely unpredictable. Also the fact that he has not only the knack but also the courage to cast actors who are lesser known & yet make a great movie which is by far phenomenal in the Nepali film industry. Nischal, being different is fine as long as you continue to engage & entertain the audiences. Go on boy.

Jerryy- Review

                                            Jerryy lies on Anmol's shoulder

Jerryy, directed by Hostel's Hemraj BC, is a sugar coated love drama pretending to be smarter than it actually is. This is baked potato trying to pass off as pizza. A highly predictable romantic drama trying to marry both Bollywood & Korean clichés in a single breath of cinema. Now really??

Jerryy Rana (Anmol K.C.) is a carefree son of a wealthy family living in Kathmandu. His only interest is to hang out with his friends & talk cheap about girls. But a chance road trip from Pokhara to Mustang changes him to the core. The road trip also brings in Aakansha (Anna Sharma) for whom Jerry falls from head to heels. It is after her arrival, Jerry starts to love his life; it is only then our asthmatic hero becomes a responsible man.

It's not that hard for any brainy to figure out where the film is heading to. Hemraj has not only thrown the weight of the film on Anmol's shoulder but also makes him look sheepish where the role actually demands him act smart. The visually arresting road-trip, the overtly good music, the perfectly good looking Anmol K.C. - it's all there! But still you can't help shifting your ass while watching this film. Despite being second timer Hemraj has shown zero progression as a story teller. It is only Sailendra Kari (Cinematographer) who shines more occasionally.  Anna Sharma is a major disappointment, she needs to take acting classes if she is really serious about making acting her career.

2stars for this film.
2/5 stars
feel free to comment
JAICINEMA

Kabaddi -review

                                   Kabaddi- a must watch film

The title Kabaddi has a sweet Nepaliness attached to it. This is a word, which quickly takes us to the physical world of competition, & evokes two side of competitors in our mindset. It's that very competition that writer-director Ram babu Gurung's film so effortlessly taps, set it in the visually arresting Mustang, a relatively lesser trodden village that appears to be slowly affecting from globalization.

Coming to the plot - Kabaddi is all about two males competing over a girl with some added plot twists to it. Kaji (Dayahang Rai) looks content playing cards, puffing cigarettes & doing almost nothing with his two sidekicks Beekay & Chhantyal (Bijay Baral, Buddhiman Tamang) all day long, & this has been his routine for a while now. But this routine is soon to change as he hopes to abduct and marry Maiya (Rishma Gurung), his maternal cousin. Maiya, on her part,is a high school student who is irked by Kaji's regular idiotic antics. She hopes to move in Kathmandu for further studies & to be with her long lost father there. Like all Mills & Boons novel, here too, appears a perfect looking city hero Bibek (Nischal Basnet), who easily wins her heart & makes her flee with him to Kathmandu.

Kabaddi draws you into its world with finely-tuned characters, stunningly done cinematography, perfectly detailed production design, and a parade of fine actors - including Dayahang Rai, Rajan Khatiwada, Buddhiman Tamang and Bijay Baral - who add to the film's authenticity. Sadly, same can't be said to Nischal Basnet's performance, he looks out of place many a time. Some minor flaws of the film have worked pebbles in taste. I especially feel a little 'ouch' when Nischal's Bibek does kind of kidnapping Maiya, like the one Dayahang does in 'Lofer', only to get his money back from the man power agent.

On some level, it reminds me the great 'Basaain' by Lil Bahadur Chhetri. It had a love triangle with Mote Karki, Jhuma & Rikute in it. Here we have Kaji, Maiya & Bibek. Similar to Basaain, the city hero Bibek dumps our village girl here & we only feel sorry for her. And from this points on, we develop a certain likeness to Kaji . We actually feel pity for him. Kabaddi ends with out a resolution to Kaji's love story. I bet we have a sequel in the offing for future & if that happens i would be the first one to queue to the ticket window. Kabaddi is that good a film.

Simple and breezy, while almost perfect & evocative depiction of life in small- village Nepal, Kabbadi is a deliciously sweet film that you must watch with your family. I guarantee you will have a fun time watching this film. I am going with 3.5 stars for this film. Extra five for Ram Babu Gurung, for all the laughters he serves in while watching it.

3.5 /5stars
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JAICINEMA

Mokshya -Review

                           Mokshya - compelling but incomplete

Mokshya is a slice of life event film which tells a tragic but inspiring tale of four friends, their struggling underground musical rock band- Mokshya, their walking away from the band & the individual lives, & their coming back to them too, but prominently it tries to encompass the bitter-sweet journey of the lead vocalist of the band. Well, one hopes it to be a true blue film on rock music which actually turns out a personal film rather than being other. Yes, it's a very personal film since it touches some actually happened incidents from the pages of its director Prabin Shrestha.

Koshish (Koshish Chhetri), Jason (Bikram Singh), Pratik (Dipesh Bhandari) & Ankit (Manish Godar) share a thick bonding .They hang out together & together they play music in a local bar. One fine day, they are kicked out of the bar & this only helps them to realize their dream to play for the big crowd,so they form a band called Mokshya. Soon after this, a bucket full of events start to unfold - a nearby band competition, musical preparations, auditions, concert & a victory. Wow ! But the merry land fast turns grave. It so happens when the boys are returning  home after wining the concert, some unknown hooligans on the street  attack the boys, resulting Kosish suffers the spinal cord injury the rest of his life. This accident takes all the singing glory of Koshish. It does not stop here, Koshish also abandons his girl friend.  The other boys decide to part their ways too.

Made by a young & new team, Mokshya has some minor flaws. But that's too technical. A little hard work on writing the solid characters, more focus on filming the correct shots would have done the needed magic to this other wise compelling film. Brownie points to the music, special mention to Koshish Chhetri here. Boy yes,the film still haunts me with the question: Who could possibly attack & destroy the life of the so likable hero? 

Directed efficiently by Shrestha, who's so familiar to the content, Mokshya is served with so much of details in emotional affairs, and pictures simple but real account of the director that we know. The film sometimes draw comparisons with Acharya, the suicide attempting scene resembles it . But that is far and between.

Although the actors fail to satisfy us with their acting chops in most of the major scenes, i go with 3 stars for Mokshya. Go watch this.
3/5 stars
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Hostel - Review

                                                  Hostel - Same old masala flick

Hostel is the impressively incompetent debut of Hemraj BC. The film is so spectacularly bad that it hooks  you to the level that you actually want to see where the muddled narrative will go next. Hemraj, who has also written the film, serves us an incoherent mix of friendship, a love triangle, &  a bush of instantly forgettable social statements which make no sense when the theater lights zoom off.

Aditya Bikram Rana (Anmol KC), a rich brat arrives in a medical hostel. There he meets & makes two friends Shri (Gaurav Pahadi) and Junge (Salon Basnet).  Being habitual to hostel since his childhood days, Aditya is a loner but surprisingly, he does not hesitate  teasing girls and taking up chances with them.  He hates his parents, for not giving him his space & leaving him alone behind those hostels' walls.

Sooner-  Aditya, Shri & Junge build a thick bonding. They have a strict hostel warden (Sunil Rawal) to care for, who looks pretty much the virus of 3 Idiot. But boys being boys, dismiss all the rules, visit the night clubs, party hard and in between mouth some funny one liners too. Needless to say there brews a predictable love triangle between Aditya, Shri & Prakriti.  Thereby all the established clichés begin to rule - fight for the girl, fight amongst boys & every little damn thing.

One can not believe that the same production house which once produced the very sensible yet most entertaining 'Saayad', has produced this over written & over acted film. I wonder what made Sunil Rawal to bank on this film, is that those funny one liners? If that is the case, i can feel nothing but pity. Your 1.5 minutes something trailer was far more entertaining than the whole film sir.

When i was at the popcorn counter, some girls were saying Anmol matches the Korean guilt of looking handsome & that says a lot itself. Anmol definitely looks charming, electrifying but his expressions are very wooden. He is almost sandwiched by the brilliant actings of Salon Basnet & Gaurav Pahari. For the heroines - Girls if you want to see yourself acting long, please stop seeing the make up kits & start brushing on your acting skills.

I am going with 2 stars for this lazy endeavor.
2/5 Stars
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JAICINEMA