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I do not usually review television series unless they are mighty interesting or are short and finish within a season. And had I not come across a review in an Indian daily that completely bashed the series as ‘problematic,’ I wouldn’t even have watched “Aranyak”, which was recently released on Netflix. 

The reviewer had a problem with almost everything with the series, which currently has a user rating of 8.2/10 on IMDB.  “How bad could it be?” I thought, as the trailer was not at all disappointing. Then I realized how subjective a series or film could be when one reviewer criticizes it as below par while a host of other, equally popular reviewers praise it as one of the best. What I think is, reviewers need to watch and write about a movie for what it is—a movie and not read in between the lines too much.

Aranyak is a suspense thriller based in a small, imaginary town of Sironah, somewhere in Himachal Pradesh. The simple townsfolk of the remote Sironah are leading a normal life until there’s a gruesome murder in town, brining back horrifying memories of ‘Nartendua’—a half-man, half-leopard that had last been on a killing spree some 19 years ago.

When Aimee (Anna Ador) is found raped and hanged to death in a forest, SHO Kasturi (Raveena Tandon), who is in her last day at work before a year-long sabbatical, becomes personally invested in the case, which would be her biggest so far. Unfortunately, for her, her replacement Angad (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) has already taken command of the post and begins the investigation. This leads to a power struggle as the two dedicated cops fight to find the culprit behind Aimee’s gruesome murder.

Fighting against each other for power would be the lesser of their challenges though. In a town mostly blinded by folklore, all fingers point towards ‘nartendua’ as the perpetrator. But along the lines of a classic whodunit, the investigation leads towards multiple suspects—powerful, high-placed humans. Soon the two cops—Kasturi, a local and a mother of two who has had problems managing work-life balance and Angad, an outsider who has had family problems of his own—find themselves in a storm of suspense, deception and political power which influences their investigation.

Also read: Jhyanakuti movie review: A film that tries too hard

With just eight episodes of around 45-50 minutes each, Aranyak is a gripping thriller that plays with the audiences’ mind. On the one hand, the audience might start imagining a mystic creature entering the screen anytime. On the other, there are so many possible suspects. The writer Charudutt Acharya and director Vinay Waikul spin a gripping tale until the very end of the series.

Aranyak also marks the return of Raveen Tandon to the screen. The actor, known for her beauty, dancing skills and comic timing in the 90s, is now a changed persona. As Kasturi, a character fighting many battles at home and outside, Tandon is stoic, strong and promises an extended OTT stay.

While the acting of the whole cast is commendable, the presence of veteran actors like Ashutosh Rana, Zakir Hussain and Meghna Malik bolsters the strength of the series. But maybe due to the brevity of the series or too much time spent creating suspenseful situations, the supporting actors—especially those mentioned—feel underutilized. The climax, after the big build-up, is also a bit underwhelming, but not a deal-breaker if you want to watch the series. There are hints of a sequel and we can only hope the few mistakes are rectified there.

Who should watch it?

Aranyak is a series that can be recommended to everyone interested in thrillers minus too much gore and violence. The story, screenplay and acting are packaged not to require anything gimmicky, which makes the film even more interesting. Also, the story finishes with the last episode, and so you have all the more reasons to binge-watch it over the weekend.

Aranyak

Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Thriller, crime
Director: Vinay Waikul
Actors: Raveen Tandon, Parambrata Chattopadhyay
Run time: 5hrs 30mins approx.

If you are planning on scrolling through YouTube this week, please do not miss the trailer of “Kathaputali” starring Karma, Mithila Sharma, Gauri Malla and Usha Rajak. This upcoming Nepali horror movie looks promising and if the trailer’s anything to go by, it could be one of those groundbreaking Nepali films. The acting, cinematography, editing and direction look top notch. I sincerely hope the movie lives up to the expectation created by this well-cut trailer.

Now back to the agenda for this week, I tried my best to find another enjoyable Nepali movie on YouTube—something I hadn’t watched and would like to recommend. But this process is getting a little boring. Finding a good Nepali film to watch on YouTube every week does not seem as easy as it sounds. Same for Bollywood and Hollywood ones. The argument being that YouTube is not a very good platform for movie-viewing. Unlike other OTTs, it’s not curated properly for movies. 

But I did manage to watch a Nepali movie on YouTube—the 2017 flick “Jhyanakuti” starring Saugat Malla and Benisha Hamal. The popular Nepali video effects expert and film editor-turned-director Simosh Sunuwar directs this comedy drama that revolves around the unhappy married life of a low income, rural Nepali couple. 

The film starts with a song where Buddhe (Saugat Malla) dances happily with his wife Malati (Benisha Hamal). But the first few scenes tell the audience they are not close to the perfect couple their song-and-dance sequence projects them to be. In fact, they can’t seem to stand each other and even resort to physical violence. 

Also read: ‘The power of the Dog’ movie review: A different, deftly done Western drama 

Buddhe is a drunkard who can go to extreme lengths, like stealing from his own house, to quench his thirst. Malati, a nursing mother to a newborn, has had enough of Buddhe’s behavior and wants to leave him. One day, she does. Malati disappears from the village, leaving their infant son in the care of Buddhe—who lacks emotional as well as economic independence. Buddhe spends the rest of the movie trying to find Malati while taking care of his son and also battling his demons—which attack him from within and without. 

Jhyanakuti is a film that tries to show the evils present in the Nepali society—mainly alcoholism, voluntary unemployment, casteism and domestic violence. But with poor writing and direction, it fails to make the intended impact. For someone who grew up in the 90s, all these issues have been repeatedly raised by comedy shows like “Hijo Aajako Kura” and the numerous ‘MaHa Jodi’ productions. 

Why would filmmakers want to try something similar in 2017 is the big question. Even if they felt the issues have been underrepresented in the media, their idea of representation does not fare well either. We all know alcoholism and casteism are problems in rural Nepal. So what are you trying to prove? And why are you romanticizing and normalizing domestic violence? 

The film’s writing and direction take the focus away from the acting of Buddhe and Malati, the two main characters. The actors playing these lead roles—Malla and Hamal—have put in enormous energy but the writing fails to give meaning to the lives of their characters. Also, none of the supporting characters makes an impact for the sole reason that the writing has no depth. Can’t imagine how the filmmakers stretched the movie to way above two hours with such flimsy writing.  

Who should watch it?

Solely as a film, Jhyanakuti is bearable enough till the end, the actors being the main reason. I personally felt the subjects it deals with were dealt a little too frivolously but I also know there are audiences who do not mind a superficial plot so long it entertains them. So I recommend you do a “trial and error” with Jhyanakuti. If you like its first 20 mins, you’ll enjoy the rest. 

Jhyanakuti

Rating: 2 stars
Genre: Drama, comedy
Run time: 2hrs 21mins
Actors: Saugat Malla, Benisha Hamal
Director: Simos Sunuwar 

First things first, if you’re a Nepali with Netflix and haven’t watched “14 Peaks”, well, you might as well be a social outcast. And please don’t expect a review from me either. I don’t want to be biased, which I surely will, having followed Nimsdai’s journey from even before he began his expedition. Also, if you’re a Nepali with Netflix, please steer clear of this latest Bollywood action flick that kind of pushes our neighboring country’s ruling party’s agendas, so obviously it starts to creep you out. I couldn’t even reach the interval, so no review for that either.

This brings us to our review of the week and this time I’ll begin first with the recommendation itself. “The Power of the Dog”, a Western drama written and directed by Jane Campion, is highly recommended, especially for cinema connoisseurs who like movies that have depth in their story, screenplay, direction and acting. The Power of the Dog is one of those rare Westerns written and directed by a woman; it is also not your typical Western flick. There are no lawbreaking, gun-slinging cowboys and lawmen on horses. Instead, the film, based in 1925 Montana, shows life at a ranch and its people in a whole different light.

Brothers Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (Jesse Plemons ) are wealthy ranch owners in Montana. The two, while appearing close, with them sharing a room even as adults living in a large house, are totally different by nature. Phil is a hardened, gruff, masochistic cowboy while George is more refined, soft-hearted and gentle. The brothers also continuously talk about Bronco Henry, a deceased friend and mentor, with gratitude and fond memories.

Both middle-aged bachelors, George meets inn owner Rose Garden (Kirsten Dunst), a widow, and falls for her. Smitten, George marries her without informing Phil and brings her to live in the ranch. Phil, on the other hand, hates Rose as he thinks she is seducing George to take over his wealth while he also hates and mocks her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) for being effeminate. The entry of Peter—a medical student whose studies are being funded by George—into the ranch during his summer break sets into motion a dynamic that makes up the rest of the film.

Also read: Lappan Chhappan movie review: Old gangsta gig gone wrong 

The Power of the Dog is slow and gritty. But it is also aesthetically beautiful. There are multiple long shots that establish the beautiful landscapes of the regions the film is shot in. Long shots also represent the constant mental turmoil of each character. Ari Wegner’s cinematography is solemnly artistic and the lighting as well as color tones reinforce the film’s somberness.

From the very beginning, the background music forecasts impending doom. But even as the music gets ominous, the visual progression towards the darker side is deliberately delayed. The characters do not get suddenly angry. There’s a cucumber-like coolness in all the main characters, making the audience uneasy at times. Sometimes not getting what one expects makes for a thrilling experience, it seems.

In his role, the young actor Kodi Smit-McPhee equals the skills and earnestness of industry veterans Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons. Each of the lead actors gives their career-best performances in this movie that demands their respective characters to be layered, complex and yet relatable. Writer and director Campion makes ample use of the acting powerhouses, making for a delightful watch.

Who should watch it?

For an average audience, The Power of the Dog might seem slow and lengthy. But for someone who enjoys various aspects of a movie including acting, direction, background score, cinematography and other technical factors, it is an unmissable film.

The power of the Dog

Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Western/drama
Actors: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons
Director: Jane Campion
Run time: 2hr 6mins

This week has been a fearful one, not just because of the rise of the new and updated Omicron coronavirus variant but also because there have been a string of announcements of soon-to-be released Nepali films—and I may have to watch a few of them. “Chapali Height 3” is all set to clash with “Spiderman: No Way Home” on December 17 and, by the looks of the former’s tasteless poster and uninspiring trailer, we know which one will barely make it through the week. And add South Indian film star Allu Arjun’s “Pushpa: The Rise” to be released on the same day and you’ll all understand what risky business is going on in Kollywood with films completed way before the pandemic set to be released now. 

Another “big release” coming soon to Nepali theaters is “Lappan Chhappan 2”, which was initially set for April 9 this year. The star-cast features accomplished actors like Saugat Malla, Arpan Thapa, and the legendary Shiva Shrestha, so it was bound to grab attention. That attention took me to its prequel—the 2017 film “Lappan Chhappan” that’s available for free on YouTube on the HighlightsNepal channel. 

When a film’s sequel is made, one expects the original to be above average. What’s the point of making a sequel to something that’s not successful in the first place? But our filmmakers seem to have a whole different train of thought. I think Nepali film sequels are based more on how much funding the producers can get instead of what the story actually demands. 

But the Nepali gangster movie does give a hint that there’s another film in the making at the climax. Directed by Mukunda Bhatta, Lappan Chhappan is a heist-themed gangster film with multiple characters in the limelight. And when there are multiple actors in a criminal movie, they are bound to collide and double-cross each other to emerge victors. 

Also read: 7 Prisoners movie review: A compelling look into modern-day slavery

So Lappan Chhappan carries the same theme of gangsters, wannabe gangsters, rivals and the police trying to outfox each other. Banka Guru (Saugat Malla) is a dangerous criminal hiding in Belgium after murdering a minister in Nepal. Banka’s associate Chamero Don (Arpan Thapa) meanwhile runs the gang’s operations in Nepal. Baby (Barsha Siwakoti) comes to Nepal and hires a couple of hackers (Devu Shrestha and Sid Kharel) to pull off a digital heist. Meanwhile, Tanke (Dayahang Rai), one of Chamero’s henchmen, seems to have bigger goals than what we are initially given to believe.

Too many characters, including the ones I’ve not named, and too few backstories, were my first thought while watching the film. Right from the start, the film layers up character after character but without the audience getting any time to connect to even one. Like we know Banka comes from a normal middle-class family and is now one of the biggest criminals in Nepal—but how did he get to being that? There’s a small explanation on how he turns out to be eccentric but that is unconvincing as well. Also, the two hackers who play an important role in the film have literally no significant presence even though they contribute to major twists and turns. 

With its weak writing and direction, one can't help but feel for the actors who have tried to put up their best performances but there’s only so much they can do. Lappan Chhappan is mostly shot in Belgium (with some bits in Switzerland) but as the camera is too busy following the characters, the film fails to make use of the aesthetic locations. Might have well shot the whole thing in Chovar and nobody would have noticed.

Who should watch it?

Lappan Chhappan is kind of difficult to like or watch till the end. It’s like watching a toddler draw a landscape. You know what they’re trying to do but you also know they will not execute it well—but you’ll still have to clap for them in the end. Well, that’s what the Nepali filmmakers want us to do and if you don’t mind celebrating mediocrity, you might as well enjoy Lappan Chhappan. 

Lappan Chhappan

Rating: 2 stars
Genre: Crime, action
Director: Mukunda Bhatta
Cast: Saugat Malla, Arpan Thapa, Barsha Siwakoti, Dayahang Rai

Mateus (Christian Malheiros) lives in the Brazilian countryside with his mother and sister. Because of his family’s poor economic status, the 18-year-old farm hand decides to leave for São Paulo in search of better opportunities. A local agent picks Mateus up, promising him a decent paying job at a junkyard in São Paulo. In his journey to the big city, Mateus is joined by Isaque (Lucas Oranmian), Exequiel (Vitor Julian) and Samuel (Bruno Rocha), all young boys of his age from the countryside who are driven out by poverty to go find jobs in the city. 

When the boys arrive at the junkyard, they are greeted warmly by their boss Luca (Rodrigo Santoro). The young men, hungry to work and earn, start laboring at the junkyard immediately, hoping to get paid as promised so that they can send money home. At the time, little do they know that they are actually prisoners to Luca who has ‘bought’ the boys through trickery. 

As the days pass and the boys see no pay, Mateus, the most educated of the group who has studied till grade eight, questions Luca on their remuneration. For that, he is beaten up and that’s when the realization hits them. They are now prisoners at the junkyard, forced to live in inhuman conditions, with no chance of help from outside, not even from the police who they find are already in Luca’s payroll. With the help of the police, Luca not only terrorizes the boys but also threatens to harm their families back home.

Recently released on Netflix, “7 Prisoners” is a harrowing tale of modern-day slavery and human trafficking directed by Alexandre Moratto from a screenplay by Moratto and Thayná Mantesso. The Brazilian film chronicles the illegal confinement of hired laborers and their attempts to escape. 

Also read: Gaja Baja movie review: A must-watch Nepali stoner comedy 

As a micro-budget independent film, 7 Prisoners does not have the lavish suavity offered by most mainstream industrial movies. Instead, the film is dark, heavy and applies the musical concept of “less is more” throughout. João Gabriel de Queiroz’s cinematography is artfully gloomy, visually representing the life stories and conditions of the characters in the film. The background music too is subtly sad, adding to our characters’ despairing situation.

But the driving force for the movie are its storyline and screenplay that carry a whirlwind of ideas and emotions, especially around the main character of Mateus. As the smartest of the group, Mateus plans an escape from Luca’s grasp for which he has to join him first. But as Mateus takes Lucas into confidence with his enterprising skills and Lucas begins to show a liking for him, Mateus struggles with the choices before him.

On the one hand, he could betray Lucas and try to escape from the junkyard with his friends—now seven in total with the addition of three. But this means he would be putting everyone at risk and also forfeiting the luxurious life with money and power Lucas has shown him a glimpse of. On the other hand, Mateus could succumb to Lucas’s offer and become a boss on his own. That way, he would be disappointing his friends and damning them to the Hell of slavery for time unknown.

Mateus’s battle with morality, friendship, trust and loyalty make up for an interesting plot in 7 Prisoners. Actor Christian Malheiros, in his role as a naive teenager hardened in no time by violence and despair, puts up a brilliant performance: he is expressive, with both his words and body language, and never fails to make the best of the situations given to his character. Actor Rodrigo Santoro, playing the formidable Luca— cold, unrelenting and malicious—is an antagonist who sends shivers down the audience’s spine. But again, his interactions with Mateus show glimpses of his softer side which is easy to empathize with. The grey areas of the main characters and their effortless acting are the main assets of the film that surpass the need of a big budget or fancy storytelling.

Who should watch it?

By now, it should be a no-brainer that “7 Prisoners” is a highly recommended film for anyone interested in intelligent movies that not only entertain but also inform and leave us asking many questions. 

7 Prisoners 

Rating: 4 stars
Cast: Rodrigo Santoro, Christian Malheiros
Director: Alexandre Moratto
Run time: 1hr 33mins

Warning: If you consider marijuana a ‘drug’ and all those consuming it ‘tyaape’ or ‘addicts’, read no further. This review is not for you. Also, if you believe ‘freedom of expression’ for artists and filmmakers should be subjected to the conservative lenses of a bunch of failed filmmakers and political appointees at the Film Development Board (FDB), go watch the commercial family films released after 2016. 

You can then compare how tone-deaf commercial films with double-meaning jokes and socially embarrassing content pass the board’s notorious radar but a truly witty independent film like “Gaja Baja” gets shredded. Gaja Baja is closer to the reality of Nepali youth and society than most of FDB’s no-objections commercial movies, but who is going to tell them?

Back in 2016, the board had refused to even register “Gaja Baja” as a movie name because (drum roll!) “gaja [marijuana] is a drug and it could promote drug use.” The director, Ganesh Raj Panday, then filed a writ at the Supreme Court and got the decision in his favor. Still the FDB, when approving the film in March 2018, asked all the “vernacular dialogues” to be muted and slapped it with an adult certificate. 

But despite writer/director Panday’s struggles to release the film and all the controversy surrounding it, Gaja Baja proved to be too early for the Nepali audience when it was released in theaters in 2018. Released recently on YouTube, the film’s gradually getting the right attention, and if the hype continues, it might also get that rare “cult status” among Nepal movies. 

Dadhe (Anupam Sharma) and Gorey (Sushil Sitaula) are unemployed best friends who love to smoke pot. The film chronicles a day in the life of this duo that is not only simple-minded but also abandoned by luck. Their mishaps and misadventures as they hustle to get a day’s fix of marijuana make for some hilarious moments. On an old Vespa, Dadhe and Gorey take to the streets of Kathmandu looking for marijuana even as they are pursued by gangster Dhude (Rabin Thapa), whom they owe money.

Also read: The Harder They fall movie review: Retelling a classic story with everything modern 

The film production is a mixed bag of the good, the bad, and the ugly. But as it has already been butchered by the censor board—I think a 120mins+ film was reduced to 80-odd minutes)—we give the ugly a pass and talk only about the good, and maybe a bit about the bad too. The good thing about the film is of course the acting of Sharma and Sitaula as Dadhe and Gorey respectively. The duo of young, lesser-known actors is so convincing it’ll probably be difficult for the audience to see them as any other characters in future movies. 

Then comes the film’s cinematography that brings Dadhe and Gorey’s POVs to the screen. On a screenplay that blows hot and cold throughout, cinematographer Jagopo Raslic and editor Lokesh Bajracharya create a fast-paced series that follow the main characters in their adventures and help the audience relate to their state of mind. A tough task done well. 

Gaja Baja talks a lot about gaja, also giving out stoners’ wisdom at times. And when it comes to the baja part, the music and background score by Nikh & Jata takes you on another high. The musician duo uses a lot of jazz, rock, and the obvious reggae to create interesting soundscapes that aid to the movie’s whole ‘stoniness’.  

Who should watch it?

With Dadhe and Gorey, we get our own versions of “Cheech and Chong.” Movies like Gaja Baja that challenge the norms of Nepali filmmaking are important for the industry’s growth. Too much use of ‘formula’ has kind of infected Nepali filmmaking and when films like Gaja Baja try and break the chain, the audience gets new expectations. Anyways, don’t watch the movie if you’re under 18 or those mentioned at the top. But if you’re neither, Gaja Baja is a must-watch, to enjoy and to support. 

Gaja Baja

Genre: Dark comedy
Rating: 4 stars
Director: Ganesh Dev Panday
Actors: Anupam Sharma, Sushil Sitaula, Barsha Siwakoti
Run time: 1hr 25mins

So the good news for movie lovers in Kathmandu is, most multiplexes have opened. The bad news is, many, including yours truly, are still not ready for confined spaces, especially those with zero ventilation and air conditioning in circulation. But those who don’t mind have been enjoying some Hollywood and Bollywood flicks in cinema halls that are half (or more) empty. 

Theater or not, nobody is going to stop us from watching movies so long as we have Netflix, YouTube, and all those other OTT platforms that offer new releases every week. But I have to confess that in the past couple of weeks, my movie-watching has lagged a bit because of the festival season and the ongoing T20i World Cup (which I think Pakistan will win.)

Coming to the subject, most Netflix subscribers would probably have seen a motion poster of “The Harder They Fall” movie in the “recently added” section with the unmissable image of Idris Elba looking ruthless in an old cowboy hat. This is Elba’s second cowboy movie this year after “Concrete Cowboy” but this one’s only more gritty, stylish, and Western.

Well, actually The Harder They Fall turns out to be an American Revisionist Western film—a term I just discovered. Revisionist or Post-Western on Anti-Western is a subgenre of Western films that challenge the norms set by the classic. Here, almost the entire cast is black, a rarity in classic Western or even spaghetti Western movies. 

Historically, black people have contributed as riders, ropers and wranglers in the Western frontier of the mid to late 19th century. It’s just that Hollywood, in all these years, decided to shove the image of gun-slinging, cigar-smoking, out-for-revenge as predominantly white. 

The Harder They Fall challenges this narrative, in its own oddball way that low-key follows the example set by Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 American Revisionist movie “Django Unchained” starring Jamie Foxx in the lead and was a major success, both critically and commercially.‘The Harder’, visibly low-budgeted than Tarantino’s epic, is stylistically close and establishes a group of black people as frontrunners in the American West.

Also read: Midnight Mass series review: A Biblical tale of the ungodly

There is no Western movie without a revenge angle. In this one, Nat Love (Jonathan Majors), as a child, witnesses his parents get murdered at the hands of Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), a deadly outlaw. Like any classic Western, Nat dedicates his whole life to trying to exact revenge for his dead parents and in the process becomes an outlaw himself. In the meantime, Rufus’s gang has grown stronger than ever with the deadly Trudy Smith (Regina King) and quick-draw Cherokee Bill (Lakeith Stanfield) joining him. Meanwhile, Nat gets support from fellow outlaw Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi), quick-draw Jim Beckwourth (RJ Cyler), Marshal Bass Reeves (Delroy Lindo) and Cuffee (Danielle Deadwyler).

The story, written by its director Jeymes Samuel, is a typical textbook Western. Dozens of movies have been made with the same storyline. What makes this one more interesting is the execution. Not only does the film put the African-American people of the 19th Century in the spotlight and positions of power, it is also molded stylistically to appease the modern audience. 

The cinematography is good where it needs to be and the set design looks like a postmodern version of classic Western movies—deliberately not too elaborate but not too shabby either. The actors, too, fit in accordingly and instead of trying to emulate what’s worked for hundreds of classics in the past, they take a modern approach to performing their roles. 

Writer/director as well as co-producer/co-screenwriter Samuel is also behind the film’s music. The music is what truly drives the film’s modernistic production. Again in the footsteps of the great Tarantino, Samuel’s music does not adhere to the Western classic genre. Instead, the background scores range from hip-hop to reggae to Afrikaan and every other genre one couldn’t possibly associate with Western films a few decades ago. 

Who should watch it?

A fan of cowboy movies or not, “The Harder They Fall” is an interesting watch for anyone who likes a little action, a bit less melodrama and some good music in the background.

The Harder They Fall

Rating: 3.5 stars
Genre: Drama, Western
Actors: Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Regina King, Danielle Deadwyler
Director: Jeymes Samuel
Run time: 2hrs 10mins

The Nepali film industry is still in a primitive stage. Filmmakers, even those who have been in the industry for decades, have not been able to find out what the Nepali audience actually wants. Although some filmmakers have found something close to a formula that seems to work for them, most Nepali films in recent years have failed to even earn back their investment.

At a time like this, the makers of the 2018 film “Lal Purja” deserve a five-star rating for their bravery. The drama, infused with dark humor and based in a fictional village, is surreal. The makers went experimental with the film and for a critic, succeeded fairly well. Unfortunately, the audience did not seem to give it much thought. No wonder I had to search through multitudes of Nepali films released on YouTube to get to this.

Somewhere in rural Nepal is Miteri Gaaun. The small village of simple people who’re mostly into agriculture is also apparently a tourist destination. The men of the village get together every evening at Rock-Sea—a local tavern and homestay run by the village Mukhiya (Harihar Sharma)—to talk, drink and watch WWE.

In the village also live stepbrothers Om Narsingh (Bipin Karki) and Tantrik (Saugat Malla), who are at loggerheads over a land and can’t get their hands off each other at every chance they get. Their regular fights become a headache for the villagers as they try to outfox each other off the land. But little do the simpletons know that their property is under the radar of bigger players from Ghatmandu—the capital city. What happens to them next makes up the rest of the film.

The story of Lal Purja is nothing new, especially for the Nepali society. Siblings fighting—legally, morally and physically—over ancestral property is something that has been normalized long ago in our society. It’s the presentation that makes the film different from other mainstream Nepali movies.

Also read: Dui Rupaiyan: Worth your two rupees

Surrealism and mysticism galore in the film that begins with a poetic monologue from the renowned writer Kumar Nagarkoti who has previously released stories with unconventional plots like “Ghatmandu” and “Mystica.” Nagarkoti also appears in cameos throughout the film, so we guess the level of eccentricity in the film beforehand.

Eccentric would also be the right word to describe the main characters of Om Narsingh and Tantrik. Om Narsingh is a farmer while Tantrik is a tourist guide aspiring to become a tourism entrepreneur. Both men are physically strong and don’t shy from violence. Their physical confrontations are a treat to watch in the film as they try to emulate WWE moves to beat up each other. Actors Karki and Malla justify their reputation in the industry as they perform their respective roles with conviction. The physical exertions as well as expressions required by their characters could not possibly have been performed by anyone else.

Also adding charm to the film’s surrealistic reality is its background music and original soundtracks. Composed by Jason Kunwar, the film’s sounds range from electronic trance to local folk, all adding to the film’s oddity. There’s a particular scene where Tantrik beatboxes while a bunch of foreign tourists dance around him in a trance. The music at that particular time is so quirky that it is enjoyable.

Directed by Nigam Shrestha, Lal Purja seems to take slight inspiration from the Cohen Brothers and Stanley Kubrick films, especially in creating eccentric characters and using special color themes. But the result is only satisfactory, not great. There are many aspects of the film that have not been executed well. My biggest peeve with the movie is, it introduces the character of Parpala (Miruna Magar) and makes the audience believe she is important. The writing proves contrary though. Even though the film is themed purple, with hints that it’s because of her name, Parpala’s character lacks importance and the actor playing it also does not seem to be taking it in all earnestness.

Who should watch it?

The film is on Budha Subba Movies’ official YouTube channel, which is notorious for inserting random ads in its YouTube videos and Lal Purja is no different. So if you don’t mind the ads and are looking for a mildly entertaining Nepali movie, Lal Purja might interest you.

Lal Purja

Rating: 3 stars
Actors: Bipin Karki, Saugat Malla, Miruna Magar
Director: Nigam Shrestha
Run time: 2hrs 4mins