Pashupati Prasad – A Prasad to the Nepal Film Industry

A simple man with the straight forward view of the world who has only desire to earn money so that he can repay his dead parents debt. He thinks that by doing so his dead parents’ souls can enter into the nirvana or heaven.  A story of Pashupati Prasad revolves around this theme. As simple as the story sounds but the heaviness sets in the heart after you leave the hall. It makes your heart tremble and puts you in the deep thoughts. It takes time for you to recollect yourself from the story. I might claim that  Pashupati Prasad has set a new benchmark for Nepali movies like what Loot did although it may never gross like Loot economically.

A flashback of Talak Jung Vs Tulke reminds us a fresh, talented, organic actor who himself is a writer. Yes I am talking about Khagendra Lamichhane. He had proven his acting skill in his debut in Talak Jung Vs Tulke. He has translated himself from the avatar of a writer into the  avatar of an actor. The history has been repeated in Pashupati Prasad with more refinement and polishing in the acting than the previous one. Khagendra Lamichhane as a lead actor in the movie has done a justice for his character and the story as a whole.

I never like to discuss the details of the story in a review. Because I would not like to steal the magic of the film with the revelation. Instead I would like to talk more characteristics of the story. Pashupati Prasad comes to Pashupatinath temple,  Kathmandu from his hometown Sindhupalchowk to meet his ‘meetba’  with his sole determination to pay off his dead parents’ debt. But one fundamental question irks the protagonist i.e. how to earn the money in the first place?   Then the protagonist starts to explore the ways to fulfil his mission. The story sets in with the development of the protagonist’s relationships with the other characters  in the process of fulfilling the protagonists one man mission .

All the while when your are roaring with the laughter you suddenly find yourself morose. That’s the power of the story of Pashupati Prasad. It makes you engaged throughout the movie. The story flows in such a way that there never is a jerk like we find so many in the Nepali movies. . The director Dipendra K Khanal is to be credited for that. He has done a wonderful job for creating such a strong storyline. The story is our own. No imports and copycat from foreign. The most strong aspect of the story is the actors acting. As I have already mentioned, Khagendra Lamichhane in the role of Pashupati Prasad has once again done a marvellous job. His acting is as real as it can get. The acting of meetba and hanuman is also superb. The villain in the story, don of the candy crush gang,  with his husky voice , acting and dialogue makes the film lively throughout . The character of Bunu is the added speciality which makes the character of Pashupati Prasad more relevant. It has added the dimension of unusual love in the story. No  cosmetic dialogues that so many Nepali movies are infested with are in the movie. Infact the dialogue delivery is very strong in the movie.

The viewers at the beginning might feel the story getting mundane always revolving around the same environment and due to somewhat slow storyline. But it never gets boring. The ending of the story has so many takeaways at many levels. So many questions, exclamations, emotions swarm your head at once. If you take the story just by face value may be you will feel bitterly disappointed. The story is more than that meets the eyes.

We seem to be in constant denial of the simple truth of life that one day we have to die finally. The movie has orchestrated this denial and proved the point convincingly that one day no matter what we have to depart this world. Besides this, so many questions and philosophies creep in. It would be fair for yourself to take a mental ride with the story and come with your own interpretations. That’s what this movie intends to do.

This kind of movie is rarely to be seen. So my sincere advice, don’t miss the chance to savour the opportunity and watch the movie. Nepal movie industry should be proud of Pashupati Prasad as it truly is a ‘prasad’, a sacrament to Nepali movie.

 

 

The shining and glaring Tulke

TalakJung Vs Tulke

The movie was already lifted in all the halls so I was sad not being able to see when I arrived in Nepal in the vacation. The critique it had created had generated a huge interested to see Tulke. But I had no way than waiting for the dvd. But fortunately, Tulke was to be screened for free at the Nepal Bharat Library with the double bonus to see and interact with the cast and crew of the movie. It was obvious I couldn’t wait for the day. That day was yesterday, 12 th December, when I could finally satiate my supressed thirst.

The film is the battle between the identities’ in  which one wants to associate oneself with the one which others associate in the backdrop of the battle between the forces of so called old feudal Nepal and so called ‘Karantitakaris’ whose slogan is New Nepal. The characters of the film are purely ethnic. The place and the setting are mainly rural Nepal (Gandak Region of Western Nepal) with the short snaps of time in chaotic Kathmandu when Tulke takes refuge to dissociate himself from his real identity Tulke and take up his self-perceived identity of Talakjung.  Tulke is as much as our own story as the dreadful civil war is.

Not much going into the details of the movie, I would like to recollect my own experience. All through the movie I couldn’t take my mind and eyes off the movie.  This is the essential quality a movie should have according to me. In that respect alone it can be considered as a good movie. But if I tag it only as good movie then it would be grossly injustice to the movie. Because it is more than good. It stimulates your mind and pricks your conscience every single time. The comprehensiveness and seriousness of the subject matter is constantly mixed with the bytes of humours.  The acting of the main protagonist, Tulke, played by Khagendra Lamichhane, is very powerful, raw ,natural and convincing.  Richa Sharma, Dayahang Rai and other actors have equally done their parts. The cinematography of the movie is flawless.

Nichal Basnet has become the different and distinct entity and brand. His movie equates to good movies and blockbusters. His previous movie and this present movie are poles apart in their content and the characters.  An indicator of good director is his ability to direct the different and diverse movies equally good. Nischal Basnet has proved his calibre in this matter. His role as a director has made the movie what it is and ensured to be powerful and provocative movie. His directoral ability has been well demonstrated by the fact in the whole when the movie features rebellious group and government force, the movie shows the facts without being biased. Nobody finds the space to complaint about it. This is undoubtedly the hallmark of a good director.

the cast and crew of Tulke. From left: Producer Rabindra Singh Baniya, Director Nichal Basnet, Actor Khagendra Lamichhane and Actress Richa Sharma

The movie according to Khagendra Lamichhane, the protagonist of the movie, “ Tulke is the story of a haruwaa (failure).Always the films have told the stories of heroes or successful people but not of the person who  is a failure.  We have tried to tell the story of a person who is tulke despite his efforts always ends up becoming a failure.” And as the director, Nischal Basnet tells this movie starts with the name Tulke and ends with the name Tulke at the end; it’s a story in between in which Tulke unsuccessfully tries to become Talakjung and at the end retains his former self being Tulke.

The movie is left open ended. Nischal Basnet relates for doing so with the country’s situation which is in transition and finding for an consequential completion. In the same way, the story of Tulke will be ended when the current impasse will end and no other person will have to share the fate that of Tulke..

P.S. This movie is not for eyes only. You need to open your brain as well. So the ones who are too fond of Salman Khan movies might find it boring.