Submit your Article

Police have arrested Bindhyabasini Music Company operator Subash Regmi on Sunday. A team of the Central Cyber Bureau detained Regmi from the Tribhuvan International Airport. He was returning from Thailand. Cyber Bureau spokesperson Pashupati Kumar Raya confirmed the arrest of Regmi. Raya said that he was nabbed for the investigation after a complaint was filed against him. Singer Pramod Kharel among four others had filed a complaint against Regmi. It is mentioned in the complaint that he used abusive language against singers through social media and assassinated their character.

It’s 1958. The Rana regime is long gone, and Nepal is now witnessing major political changes. But Mau Jung Babu Saheb, the former Rana minister, is still reminiscing about the old times, and the only treasure in his life is a shabby, old overcoat he owns, the one he received from someone close to the Rana family. ‘Mau Jung Babu Saheb Ko Coat’ is a Nepali classic written by Bhawani Bhikchu that tells the story of a man who once had reached the height of power, but is now gripping onto what’s left of it, which isn’t much. And the theatrical adaptation by Shailee Theatre in Ratopul, Kathmandu has done a good job in bringing this story to life. Babu Saheb is at the heart of this story. He’s a hateful and oppressive man, who reveled in the power he used to have over people as a Rana minister. It goes without saying, he was feared by all. But with the fall of the Rana regime, he has now become a laughing stock. Outside his household, people don’t think much of him. The reason why Babu Saheb is clinging on to the coat is because it reminds him of the old times, where he could easily demand respect from people. It was that coat which made him stand out among all. But now, with its colors fading away, and stitches coming out, the overcoat meets the same fate as the Rana regime did—it no longer holds any value—and that is the main theme of the story. Shailee Theater has put in a lot of effort to bring out this characteristic of Babu Saheb, that too,  just by his looks. With his face painted white and dark lines circling his eyes, he looks scary, but at the same time looks like someone who is not taken seriously. The actor (Saroj Aryal) gets the credit for bringing the character to life, besides the makeup. From the way he speaks, to his body language, everything hints towards how obnoxious the character was. While the others don’t have the same elaborate makeup as he does, they have carried their characters well. There are a few moments where the actors go a little overboard, but that is well compensated for by a lot of moments that will leave you in splits. Although Babu Saheb was the main character, some credit must go to the appearance of Bada Hakim (portrayed by Pranesh Gautam). More than his dialogues, his expressions are what the audience will love the most. It is light-weight and funny, and even though his appearance is short, it’s unforgettable. Besides the acting, lights and stage set-up also make the play much more interesting. The lighting changes were done in perfect timing to set the mood for the next scene. And the stage set-ups and changes were smooth and clean. One of the best transitions was when Babu Saheb leaves for Lucknow, in order to get his coat dry-cleaned. With the constant chatter of people trying to sell pan, asking to carry bags, and everything in chaos, we are easily transported to a railway station in India. The play, overall, is a fun watch, although the ending isn’t quite satisfying. It’s pretty obvious that they are trying to show the overcoat seeing the same fate as the fall of Ranas, but it could have been better delivered. The entire play shouldn’t be judged just by the flat ending. It’s a light-weight drama that lasts one and a half hours, and it’s definitely worth a watch. ‘Mau Jung babu Saheb Ko Coat’ will be staged at Shailee Theatre in Ratopul, at 5:00 pm on weekdays (except Thursday) and at 1:00 pm on weekends. It will run till  Feb 8. 

Little girls in tutus—that’s the image that comes to mind when we think of ballet. Traditionally, a child starts ballet at the age of eight with pre-ballet classes before that. But various dance studios in Nepal offer adults a chance to learn this complex, theatrical dance form. “It’s better if you start early, but even if you have never had ballet lessons as a child, you can still learn it later in life,” says Arpana Lama, a dance instructor at Sushila Arts Academy in Kathmandu. Arpana mentions those in their 20s and 30s have taken up ballet in recent years for various reasons. Some want to correct their postures while others want to work on their flexibility. The fascination also stems from the fact that it’s a graceful dance form, one that’s visually appealing. Anweiti Upadhyay, the features editor at The Kathmandu Post, joined Lama’s weekend ballet classes because she wanted to work on her “awkward” body language. In a little over a year, her posture has become a lot better and her body movements aren’t as jerky as they used to be, she says, adding ballet has also made her more confident. But ballet is unlike other dance forms. It requires immense strength and flexibility. Anweiti confesses she thought she would be twirling like a pro in no time and was initially disappointed when that didn’t happen. “The classes mostly focused on stretching exercises,” she says. This, Arpana explains, is because you need to have a lot of core strength and control to perform the steps with the elegance they require. And that, she says, can only come when you are flexible. The muscles of your calves, hamstrings, and core need to be strong for you to execute and maintain difficult poses that have to merge seamlessly in order to create a brilliant dance sequence. Dance, in any form, requires discipline. It’s hard work. Ballet is often considered the foundation of a dancer’s career as a lot of basics is covered before you can get to the actual jumping and spinning. The focus on alignment, the dedication it requires, and the body movement fluidity it eventually gives you help you in other dance forms as well. Babita Lama, a 25-year-old hip-hop dancer, who started learning ballet five years ago says ballet is challenging but enjoyable. You learn to love your body, she says. She believes the reason it’s considered better to take up ballet as a child is because the body is flexible and thus training becomes easier. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn it as an adult. It just requires a bit more practice and focus, she says. People might draw similarities between ballet and yoga when they first take it up because of all the bending and postures they have to do and hold. Indeed, in ballet, the dance steps are basically modifications of the stretching exercises you are made to practice in class. Over time, as your body becomes flexible and strong you will be able to glide from one move to the next. “Only then will it feel like a dance form,” says Babita. Anweiti agrees with her and adds you might feel demotivated as she did after a few classes. But she swears by its effectiveness in making you feel better about yourself. You will feel agile and you will become fitter too, she says. Even better, if you suffer from unexplained muscle aches, ballet can help fix that as well. Arpana adds ballet is a great dance form to learn if you want to get a good workout—it engages the entire body from head to toe, with each exercise working on different muscle groups. For those who spend long hours in front of screens, ballet can also help correct bad postural habits. Additionally, the intense physical workout releases endorphins, giving you an instant mood lift. However, unlike children who learn ballet at a young age and level up gradually, adult ballet doesn’t follow a fixed course structure. This, Arpana explains, is because children who learn ballet are often training to become professional ballerinas. Whereas the goals vary in adult ballet programs. Adults might also have various responsibilities and constraints, limiting the time they can invest in ballet. “Ballet comes with its own vocabulary. There are names for all the steps and positions and they are in French. So, it takes time to learn that too if you aren’t already familiar with the language,” says Arpana. The best way to learn ballet as an adult is to take it slow and learn it in stages, without being in a rush to put on the special shoes or the pointe shoes, adds the instructor. “Sign up for a class and see how you feel about it,” says Babita. But you must be consistent with practice once you start. Even if you aren’t able to attend regular classes, you must do the stretches by yourself at home. “But don’t practice wearing ballet shoes if you are on your own. That must always be done under the guidance of an instructor. Else, you run the risk of serious injuries,” says Arpana.

The Kathmandu District Court has ordered the release on bail of standup comedian Apoorwa Khsitiz Singh. A single bench of Justice Madhav Prasad Mainali on Thursday ordered the police administration to release Singh on bail amount of Rs 250, 000, Achyut Neupane, Chief of the District Attorney Office in Kathmandu, said. Singh, who has been running a standup comedy show ‘Comedy Circle’, was arrested on August 28 after a complaint was filed against him for disrespecting the culture and tradition of Newa community during his show.