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The Annapurna Express honored 100 distinguished individuals for their contributions to Nepali society at a special function titled ‘Saluté’ in Kathmandu on May 23. 

The event also marked the conclusion of ‘My Vision for Nepal’, an ApEx special series that brought together 50 eminent personalities from various fields to share their visions for the country. It was also the start of ‘ApEx Pioneers’, a new series that tells the stories of 50 Nepalis who have done pioneering works in their respective fields.       

Anupama Khunjeli, Pioneer (left)

The individuals featured in ‘My Vision for Nepal’ were honored with medals while those in the ‘ApEx Pioneers’ were honored with tokens of love.

A coffee-table book ‘My Vision for Nepal’ was also unveiled on the occasion.  

Addressing the function, Kalyan Shrestha, chief guest and former chief justice, congratulated and thanked all the visionaries and pioneers. He emphasized the need of driven individuals who dare question things and are determined to change what is not working. 

Nilam Poudel, Visionary (middle)

”We need to build a society that is ready to question [the authority], only then can we develop as a country,” he said. 

Representing the visionaries, Anuradha Koirala, prominent anti-women trafficking campaigner and social worker, expressed her commitment to continuously work to materialize her vision—’zero trafficking of women and children’. 

On behalf of the ‘ApEx Pioneers’, Madan Rai, Nepal’s first seed and agricultural equipment expert, said  “we have to live up to the faith that has been bestowed upon us–no matter how big the challenges.”

Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, Pioneer

Capt. Rameshwar Thapa, chairman of Annapurna Media Network, said that since its establishment, AMN has always tried to find solutions to the problems plaguing the country. 

“There is a need for a network of eminent persons, like the ones we have in our midst today, who can contribute to nation building,” he said.

Sachan Thapa, AMN director, said ApEx had become a “reliable source of news and views and reflected the diversity of the Nepali society.”

Ram Dayal Rakesh, Pioneer (left)

Sanat Neupane, AMN Group CEO, saluted the visionaries and pioneers. “Today, we present to you our undying respect disguised as medals and tokens of love,” he said. 

On the occasion, Biswas Baral, editor-in-chief of The Annapurna Express, said ApEx would continue to push for social transformation through responsible journalism. 

Shanta Nepali, Visionary ​

Madan Rai, Pioneer (left)

Anuradha Koirala, Visionary (middle)

Chief guest former Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha and AMN Chairman Capt. Rameshwar Thapa uneveling the coffee-table book 'My Vision for Nepal'.

Ani Choying Drolma, Visionary (left)

Sanat Neupane, AMN Group CEO

Anil Keshary Shah, Visionary (second left)

My Vision for Nepal

1. Aayushi KC  

2. Abhaya Subba   

3. Ambica Shrestha  

4. Ani Choying Drolma  

5. Anuradha Koirala  

6. Bimala BK 

7. Bonita Sharma 

8. Dr Lhamo Y Sherpa 

9. Greta Rana 

10. Hima Bista  

11. Mira Rai  

12. Mohna Ansari 

13. Nikita Acharya 

14. Nilam Poudel  

15. Onsari Gharti Magar 

16. Roja Kiran Basukala  

17. Rubina Chhetri  

18. Sabitra Bhandari  

19. Sama Thapa  

20. Sampada Malla  

21. Shanta Nepali

22. Shrinkhala Khatiwada 

23. Sushma Rajbhandari 

24. Tista Prasai Joshi 

25. Amar Neupane 

26. Anil Shah  

27. Bipin Adhikari 

28. Birendra Basnet  

29. Biswo Poudel  

30. Capt. Rameshwar Thapa 

31. CK Lal  

32. Dr Anup Bastola  

33. Dr Bagawan Koirala  

34. Dr Sanduk Ruit 

35. Hari Sharma  

36. Jagannath Lamichhane  

37. Juju Kaji Maharjan  

38. Khagendra Lamichhane  

39. Min Bahadur Bham  

40. Nikhil Uprety  

41. Nischal Basnet  

42. Nischal Nath Pandey  

43. Pradip Pariyar  

44. Pramod Dhakal 

45. Ram Sharan Mahat  

46. Sixit Bhatta  

47. Sujeev Shakya 

48. Swami Anand Arun  

49. Vijay Lama  

ApEx Pioneers

1. Ashesh Malla  

2. Baburam Bhattarai 

3. Baikuntha Manandhar  

4. Bal Krishna Joshi  

5. Basant Raj Mishra  

6. Bhairab Risal 

7. Bharat Pokharel  

8. Binod Chaudhary 

9. Buddhi Narayan Shrestha  

10. Capt. Siddhartha Gurung  

11. Devendra Raj Pandey

12. Dr Bhagawan Koirala  

13. Dr Kumud Dhital 

14. Dr Ram Kantha Makaju  

15. Dr Sanduk Ruit  

16. Durga Baral  

17. Gagan Pradhan   

18. Ghanashyam Gurung  

19. Harry Bhandari 

20. Himalaya Shumsher JBR  

21. Kanchha Sherpa 

22. Kiran Manandhar  

23. Kulman Ghising 

24. Madan Rai  

25. Mahabir Pun  

26. Mahesh Acharya  

27. Min Bahadur Gurung 

28. Mukesh Chalise  

29. Neer Shah  

30. Pawan Golyan  

31. Rabindra Puri  

32. Ram Dayal Rakesh  

33. Ram Kumar Panday 

34. Ramesh Sherpa  

35. RP Pradhan 

36. Shyam Goenka 

37. Suresh Raj Sharma 

38. Tulsi Ghimire 

39. Uday Raj Khanal 

40. Upendra Mahato 

41. Uttam Sanjel 

42. Anupama Khunjeli  

43. Anuradha Koirala 

44. Bhinda Swari Shah  

45. Bhuwan Chand 

46. Bishnu Maya Pariyar 

47. Jhamak Ghimire 

48. Mallika Shakya  

49. Manjushree Thapa 

50. Usha Nepal

“I started posting contents on YouTube out of boredom,” says Rastra Bimochan Timalsena, the creator of the channel Random Nepali. That was back in 2015. Over the years, his channel has amassed over 216K subscribers and clocked over 18m views. 

His early posts used to be a hodgepodge of contents about Nepal and Nepali people that were light and funny. They were true to the channel’s description on its ‘About’ section: “Videos about Nepal and Nepali people and things that will make you think “Oh yes, I know this””  

“I was a random Nepali posting videos on YouTube, hence the name of my channel,” he chuckles. 

The 31-year-old didn’t expect his channel to grow so big. He was just another guy who created and posted funny YouTube content in his spare time. He was a random Nepali, anonymous to his viewers—and he preferred it that way at the time. 

Timalsena’s viewers learned about his law background after he started a series on crimes, criminals, and law. Besides being a YouTuber, he is an advocate of criminal and cyber law, as well as the principle of National Law College. 

He completed his B.A L.L.B from National Law School of India University in early 2014, and his master’s degree from the Tribhuvan University. 

In fact, Timalsena’s YouTube channel started gaining viewers and subscribers after he started the crime series.  

“I was getting a lot of queries from people, many of whom were from the law background,” Timalsena says. “It was then that I realized it’s time to switch to informative content.” 

The name of his channel remained unchanged though. Today, his videos are mostly focused on crime and laws. 

As a legal expert, this transition wasn’t particularly difficult for Timalsena. In fact, everyone in his family comes from the legal background. From early on, he had an inkling that he too would grow to become a law practitioner. 

“It wasn’t family pressure. I could have studied anything,” he says. 

Soon after he got his practice license in 2014, he had applied for the position of deputy director at National Law College. “I was always interested in academics and teaching,” he says. 

That he has a passion for teaching can be seen in many of his posts, where he relies on whiteboard animation videos that simulate writing and sketching. 

Timalsena is a wellspring of information and knowledge regarding law and justice that he shares in his class and YouTube channel. 

What he does is definitely not easy, yet he is humble enough to admit that he is still learning. 

As an advocate, Timalsena mainly looks into cases involving criminal and cyber laws. But he keeps himself abreast with the cases being discussed in public. “I might not have full knowledge on some cases, but I do what I can to explain their nature and legalities for people’s benefit,” he says. 

Timalsena mostly takes up sexual assault and harassment-related cases for his YouTube series. “Of course, every case is important, but the ones involving assault disturb me emotionally,” he says 

At just 31, Timalsena has already accomplished a lot. He is not so sure about his future plans though. 

“I guess I will continue to be a YouTuber, an advocate, and a principal as long as I can juggle between them well enough,” he says. “But the day will come when I have to choose one and stick to it.”

Rarely do we come across a film like “Sharmaji Namkeen.” Available on Amazon Prime, the 2022 Hindi-language comedy drama has two different actors playing the titular role of Sharma ji. Unfortunately, the decision to feature two actors interchangeably in the lead role was not creative experimentation. The sad demise of actor Rishi Kapoor in April 2020, when the shooting was only half complete, forced the filmmakers into this bold experiment. 

Brij Gopal Sharma (Rishi Kapoor/Paresh Rawal) is given voluntary retirement by his company, much to his displeasure. A workaholic all his life, now the 58-year-old middle-class widower from West Delhi does not have anything useful to do and as energetic as he is, the first few months of retirement drive him near-crazy. His sons—the elder Rinku (Suhail Nayyar) and younger Vincy (Taaruk Raina)—live with him but are of no help when it comes to finding something for him to do all day. 

After having tried a few antics to get back into action, Sharma’s close friend Chaddha (Satish Kaushki) gets him a gig as a ‘specialist cook’ for a kitty party. Having cooked for himself and his sons all his life, Sharma’s first attempt as a professional cook impresses the women in the party, and they start hiring him on a regular basis. Sharma also becomes friends with the ladies, special Veena Manchanda (Juhi Chawla), a recently-widowed boutique owner.   

Sharma is having the time of his life experimenting with cooking and enjoying himself in the process, without letting either of his sons know about his new venture as a home chef. How long Sharma ji hides this secret from his family and what happens when they find out makes up the rest of the film. 

Sharmaji Namkeen’s storyline is simple and organic. There are no dramatic conflicts and plot twists of regular Bollywood movies. The film opens and closes in feel-good notes and everything we see in between are relatable and enjoyable. The setting and the characters of Sharmaji Namkeen are the products of thoughtful writing that do not go overboard at any time. 

Had Sharmaji Namkeen not had a backstory of its own, it wouldn’t have been as poignant to watch though. This has less to do with the filmmakers and more with the loss of Bollywood’s iconic actor Rishi Kapoor. Coming from the grand family of Kapoors, Rishi Kapoor was one of its most successful among them. Having watched most of his movies and applauded his acting over the years, watching Sharmaji Namkeen as his last ever appearance was kind of unpleasant. 

But staying true to his family’s motto of “the show must go on,” Kapoor does perform in Sharmaji Namkeen like he knew it was his last film. He is so comfortable with the character of Sharmaji that it feels like he has been preparing for it for years. As the happy-go-lucky Sharmaji, Kapoor oozes with energy and positivity.

While Kapoor embodies Sharmaji with natural elegance, Paresh Rawal had an even bigger challenge. After Kapoor’s untimely demise in the middle of production, his close friend Rawal was roped in to complete the film. And it’s not like he had to appear somewhere in the climax for a couple of scenes. Rawal in fact gets almost as much screen time as Kapoor. 

The senior actor with decades of experience playing all kinds of roles fills in Kapoor’s big shoes just right. Rawal matches Kapoor’s skill and energy without trying to overshadow any of the scenes performed by the late actor. I would like to call this a tag team wrestling match where the combo of Kapoor and Rawal beat all odds. 

Who should watch it? 

Sharmaji Namkeen is the last Rishi Kapoor film. If you have any attachment with the Kapoor family or Bollywood, you’ll probably watch this or have already done so. If not, this is a wholesome movie you can enjoy with your family and friends or absolutely alone too. It is basically 119 minutes of good writing, direction and acting. 

Rating: 4 stars

On Amazon Prime

Genre: Comedy/drama

Actors: Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Juhi Chawla

Director: Hitesh Bhatia

Run time: 1hr 59mins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5U50vR3w4g

The 'Da-Bangg Tour Reloaded' slated for May 28 featuring Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan has been postponed.

The tour has been postponed at the last hour.

A staffer of the Nepal-based program organizer ODC Entertainment said that he will not come to Nepal on the announced date.

It has been learnt that the organizer will inform about the postponed event through a statement.