And ode to mothers, and daughters
There’s a scene in the trailer of “Aama” where aama (Mithila Sharma) trudges through the busy streets of Kathmandu with a desolate, distraught look, the vermillion on her forehead being washed down by the falling rain. This moment of agony caught brilliantly on camera by the film’s cinematographer and director Dipendra K. Khanal embodies the content of “Aama”—a beautiful film about the ugly realities of life.
Also written by Khanal, Aama’s story revolves from an incident that causes a serious head injury to the father of the family, Yagya Prasad Aryal (Desh Bhakta Khanal), which in turn requires immediate surgery. His wife (Sharma) brings him to Kathmandu in an ambulance. Here, her only family is her daughter Arati (Surakshya Panta) and her husband (Manish Niraula). They admit him to a hospital where he undergoes an expensive surgery. The proceedings up to and after that make up the story of the 1hr 52min-long family drama.
Aama builds around real life stories sourced from Nepali society. Khanal—a filmmaker who has had both critical and commercial success—does a brilliant job of interweaving sub-stories within the main plot and creating a screenplay that doesn’t distract from the film’s organicness. The central figure aama could be any of the mothers we see around us—aging, frail, crushed, but still unbroken.
Although the film appears to be about mothers, it actually places daughters at the center of things. The Aryal family daughter, Arati, struggles against all odds to get her father treated, and supports her mother through testing times. She quits teaching and uses all her savings to save her father. Her husband somewhat supports her, but the childless couple already face pressure from their own families and society, and he falters at times.
The sad part is, despite all her trials and tribulations, Arati cannot take the place of the family son. Arati’s elder brother (Arpan Thapa), who we only hear on the phone, is an illegal immigrant in the US and despite his parents longing for his return, he is unable to be of much help besides sending a small amount of money. The film shows how the society gives more importance to the son despite the daughter doing everything she is capable of. “Don’t you have a son?” is a question aama is frequently asked when people want to inquire about her social and financial security. The gender imbalance is clearly addressed and then cleverly shamed.
Khanal as the writer, director and cinematographer has made this film a tightly-knit story that is a mirror of the society. In an industry where comedy is the most successful and sought after genre, Aama’s premise builds on a mundane, real-life story but with Khanal’s storytelling skills, the film turns out to be an outstanding unadulterated work of art. The cinematography is brilliant too. Meticulousness oozes out of every shot as Khanal intelligently places his characters in their settings and situations, describing their inner conflicts onscreen. There’s a particular ‘half face’ shot used for the main characters which creates a sort of dissonance on screen, but aptly defines the characters’ conflicts.
As aama, senior actress Mithila Sharma stands tall. She’s a Nepali movie veteran and fits the role. But it’s Surakshya Panta, a relative newcomer, who steals the show with her artistic brilliance. She’s one of the few Nepali actors who could have performed this role with such naturalness. Surkahsya’s Arati is a strong, resolute, undaunted woman, but nowhere does she appear larger-than-life and that’s how she manages to have the entire audience empathize with her.
Aama is one of those rare Nepali films where even the supporting actors are methodically cast instead of hiring underperforming debutants. Along with the veteran Tika Pahari, a host of talented actors including Sarita Giri, Saroj Aryal, Aashant Sharma and Asmita Khanal, among others, make up the cast of one of the best Nepali movies of the year.
Who should watch it?
This is one Nepali film we can proudly label as a must-watch for everybody. Aama breaks norms, dismantles stereotypes and proves there are mature filmmakers and artists in the industry. It’s a story without theatrical augmentations that we call can relate to. Please go watch Aama and take everyone you love along with you.
Genre: Drama
Run time: 1hrs 52min
Director: Dipendra K. Khanal
Cast: Mithila Sharma, Surakshya Panta
Rating: 4.5 stars
Search for identity
By the time I finally got my hands on a copy of ‘Pachinko’ by Min Jin Lee, I had heard and read so many reviews and book club discussions that I was sure my reaction to it would be extreme: I would either enjoy it immensely or be severely disappointed. But Pachinko, mostly because of how smoothly the narrative flows, reminded me of ‘Good Earth’ by Pearl S Buck and that has forever been on my list of all-time favorite books.
Pachinko narrates the story of four generations of Korean immigrants between 1910 and today. The story is set first in Japanese-occupied Korea in the early 20th century and then in Japan itself—Osaka, Tokyo, and Yokohama—from before the World War II to the late 1980s.
Pachinko is a Japanese version of pinball and for most ethnic Koreans living in Japan, pachinko parlors are the primary source of stable income and eventual wealth building, and the characters in the novel run pachinko parlors too. But the title serves a metaphorical purpose as well. Just like the first strike of the ball in a pachinko machine determines how it will move, the life of the characters in the novel too are determined at birth.
At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Hoonie, who is born with a cleft palate and a deformed foot, as he is getting married to Yangjin. This takes place in Yeongdo, a fishing village at the southern tip of Korea. The two have a happy life and go on to have a daughter—Sunja—who makes the central character of the story.
Then, Sunja is seduced by a yakuza (member of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan), Koh Hansu, and she gets pregnant. But Hansu can’t marry Sunja because he already has a wife back in Japan. So he offers to put her up in someplace nice and take care of her and his child but Sunja doesn’t want to be Hansu’s mistress.
Sometime later, a young missionary, Isak, who Sunja and Yangjin nurse back to life, asks for her hand in marriage after coming to know of her situation and, to save her family from disgrace, Sunja agrees. The two then immigrate to Isak’s brother’s house in a Korean neighborhood in Osaka, Japan, where the rest of the story unfolds.
Spanning nearly 100 years, the novel chronicles Sunja’s story and that of her children, Noa and Mozasu, and grandson, Solomon. Lee narrates the struggles of people who are treated as outsiders in a country they call home so skillfully that you can’t help but empathize with the pains of second-class citizens.
What I liked the most about Pachinko was how noble most of the characters were. Here, every person is as he/she should be ideally. Husbands love their wives, children respect their parents, and the young care for the ailing. It just feels right and you wish things were that way in real life. Even Koh Hansu, a morally dubious character so to say, spends the rest of his life looking out for Sunja and his son Noa, despite Sunja clearly not wanting him to do so.
However, it’s the women who shine in Lee’s story. Yangjin, Sunja, Kyunghee (Sunja’s sister-in-law) and Etsuko, Mozasu’s girlfriend after his wife’s death, are all women who have gone through a lot in life but, instead of being hardened by their circumstances, they do everything they can to better the lives of those around them.
Pachinko makes you weep and it makes you smile but the best part is that it gets you thinking—about life, love, and the little things that we take for granted every single day O
Harley Davidson Street Rod 750: The urban bulldog
Few motorcycle brands can claim a following more loyal than Harley Davidson. The brand carries a lot of creed, even for the non-bikers. Iconic and irresistible, it encapsulates so much with its unapologetic machines, with an illustrious legacy spread over an endless assortment of Touring, Softail, Sportster, and CVO family. However, the times they are a changin’. Enter the Street Series—a different recipe that veers away from the traditional Harley styling to something that is more urban and sport-oriented. Introduced by Harley Davidson at the EICMA Show in 2013, the Street Series targets entry-level buyers in the US and upmarket buyers in the developing markets. Available as a 750cc model, the Street Series bikes are nimble and middleweight motorcycles build to take on city streets. And these are our thoughts on the Street Rod 750, the Street 750’s sporty cousin.
First things first…
…The Street Rod shares its design with the Street 750. But, as with most models in Harley’s Dark Custom range, the Street Rod stands out with its purposeful styling. And the drag style bars with bar-end mirrors, Screamin’ Eagle slip-on muffler, blacked-out finishes and the 13.1-liter tear-drop tank calls out for a strict attention. The rest of the bodywork is a tasteful blend of HD’s flat-track heritage, American drag racing and streetfighter elements.
The Street Rod 750 measures 2,130mm in length while the ground clearance is 205mm. The wheelbase of the Street Rod 750 is 1510mm. The taller ground clearance and the new 17-inch wheels further add to the bike’s athletic stance. Also, the supercharger-inspired air intake does draw attention to the engine.
Visually, the Street Rod appears meaner and more powerful than its more affordable sibling—the Street 750.
At the heart of the matter….
…is a 759cc liquid-cooled V-twin Revolution X engine from the Street 750, but reworked to produce 20 percent more power and 10 percent more torque, which results in 68 bhp at 8,750 rpm and 65 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Harley engineers have bumped the compression ratio from 11.0:1 to 12.0:1, and the redline increased from 8,000 to 9,000 rpm to maximise the mid-range torque. The new single overhead-cam V-Twin engine also features a larger air box, new 42mm dual-throttle bodies, revised four-valve cylinder heads and high-lift camshafts, and a new exhaust muffler to enhance the airflow.
It does exactly what it says on the paper. The engine produces more torque through the mid-range and power at the top-end. The sweet spot for the motor lies between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm, and the result is a torquey machine with extra revs at your disposal. Once you wring the throttle, the bike leaps forward with a calm demeanor. Throttle response is great and power delivery linear. There is no change in the six-speed gearbox which has been taken from the Street 750 with the exact same ratios. Hit the twisties and the bike encourages you to push it even harder. And, the exhaust note begs you to be heard even louder.
The Street Rod bears a ‘Bulldog’ stance that is…
…poised and aggressive. Instead of sitting back in a relaxed position, you sit up on the bike in a forward stance and the flat handlebars ascertain this fact. The forward seating position is not ideal for taller riders. Compared to the Street, you sit 45mm higher on the Street Rod, and the first thing you’ll complain about is the ergonomics. The seating position is cramped and the high-set mid-mounted foot pegs will take some time getting used to. The rubber heel rest on the right exhaust is annexed to the top of the silencer shroud to mitigate the limited foot control placement. But instead of covering the rear brake pedal, you waste your time trying to adjust your foot in the right position. This is the reason why we ended up with using the front brakes more. Could the Street Rod’s handling outshine the uncomfortable ergonomics?
The Street Rod delivers handling that is light and precise at all speeds. While the Street Rod is easy to maneuver, the wide handle bars at times allow only modest room for lane changes in the urban jungle. Because the fork rake is tightened from 32° to 27° for quicker steering, the tighter steering geometry does make it easier to ride the bike through fast swooping curves. With a machine like the Street Rod at your disposal, you’ll want to hit highway speeds once in a while.
Out on the highway, dropping into the rare sixth gear, is where the Street Rod really stretches itself. Everywhere else, it’s just a matter of selecting the right gear and letting the throttle do the talking. Although the Street Rod weighs 238 kg, we had no problem handling the bike at cruising speeds. But squirting in and out of rush-hour traffic can be cumbersome because of the heat. This is the only downside of the riding the Street Rod inside the city.
The suspension setup for the most part provides a comfortable ride, even on rough or uneven pavements. The front end features 43mm USD forks gripped by lightweight aluminum yokes with no adjustment. Coil-over piggyback shocks support the rear end with adjustable spring preload that can be adjusted with a standard wrench. The steel swing arm is slightly longer to accommodate the taller shocks and provide extra traction.
The Street Rod wears 17-inch front and rear cast alloy wheels and MRF rubbers—120/70 rubbers up front and 160/60 on back—facilitating for more lean, with 37.3 degrees to the right, and 40.2 degrees to the left. When it comes to braking duties, the Street Rod gets dual 300 mm rotors up front and the rear, with twin-pot calipers. Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) comes as standard and its non-switchable. The brakes provide plenty of stopping power where you need it most.
We think the Street Rod is the most-nimble motorcycle in the current Harley line-up in Nepal.
Should you get one?
The Street Rod is not your typical Harley Davidson. It may not have a macho or a rad appeal like other Harleys, but the appeal is more along the lines of a performance oriented machine with an authentic Milwaukee heartbeat. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider, the Street Rod 750 will appeal to you with its sporty demeanor and a distinct character.
At Rs 2,700,000, the Street Rod is the second most affordable Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Nepal after the Street 750, which is priced at Rs 2,300,000. In other words, it is priced to be almost irresistible for someone looking for a starter Harley. For us, we would still leapfrog to its big bore brothers
A diary full of embarrassing clichés
Most love stories, as we know them, are full of clichés, repeated for generations to give the receptors a romantic facade. Familiar with the girl-boy enmity that turns into love? A love triangle where the bond of friendship overrides and makes room for life-altering sacrifices? A good-turns-evil or evil-turns-good character change? We’ve watched them all in cinemas, daily soaps, music videos and all kinds of consumable video materials for years.
Until when will the audience be subjected to these irrational clichés, and continue to have their intelligence challenged? Released this week, “Love Diaries” is a supposed romantic drama that in reality is nothing but a show-reel of repetitive banalities. In fact, one is forced to consider if the filmmakers first jotted down all the available clichés into their diaries, and then nonchalantly wrote a plot over them.
Love Diaries was meant to be a Valentine’s special. Directed by newcomer Saurav Chaudhary, the movie collided in its release with Bollywood veteran Imtiaz Ali’s “Love Aaj Kal,” both the films trying to capitalize on the Valentine’s Day crowd. It was courageous on the part of the distributors and producers to release the Nepali movie against Love Aaj Kal which stars the current Bollywood heartthrob Kartik Aaryan.
Unfortunately, both the movies failed to make V-Day romantic enough. There are reports of Love Aaj Kal’s weak collections, with critics already claiming the market has rejected it. We can only guess from the empty cinema halls, the dwindling number of daily shows, and social media word-of-mouth that Lovie Diaries too is a box-office dud.
It’s a story of three strangers who cross paths and then intermingle in a complicated relationship, like hundreds of similar romantic movies released across the world. Needless to say, even the characters are written dispassionately and the lack of creativity in writing (both the plot and dialogues) makes one cringe.
Nirvan Narsingh Rana (Sushil Shrestha) is a wealthy NRN, born and brought up in Canada, who is forcibly sent to Nepal by his father to curb his drinking and womanizing habits. Ram Aryal (Bishwojit Rimal) is a migrant worker who’s deported from England and has a family loan to settle in his hometown of Chitwan. Sanjana Malla (Rubeena Thapa) is a Kathmandu-girl who wants to be an interior designer against the will of her father.
A hotel in Chitwan—owned by Nirvan’s father, where Ram works as Nirvan’s assistant and Sanjana as the interior designer—becomes the plot’s epicenter. What then transpires between them has been played onscreen for years, only presented rather absurdly in this one. The story of how they get to Chitwan—don’t even ask. The screenplay offers more jerks than a Ratnapark-Jorpati microbus trying to outrun its competitor.
The writing is not the only disappointment in the movie. There’s a feeling of immatureness, negligence and sloppiness surrounding the whole production. The night scenes suffer from terrible lighting while continuity is a forgotten art for the filmmakers.
Debutant Bishwojit is the biggest let-down. His presence onscreen makes one question the filmmakers’ intent. With zero acting skills, feeble dialogue delivery and the most unassertive gait possible, Bishwojit proves to be a disastrous choice for the lead, not that the filmmakers seem to care much about other aspects of the movie.
Another debutant, Rubeena, kind of becomes a causality amid all this mess. But she definitely draws attention with her acting as well as dancing skills. She’s a promising performer who hopefully makes better choices in the future.
Who should watch it?
Well, we met a group of a dozen-odd young men who’d come to the theater just for Sushil Shrestha. Performance-wise, the actor is just repeating his character from “Hostel Returns” (2016) for which he earned many young fans. If you’re not among his big fans, spare the ticket-money for another film.
Rating: 1 star
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Run time: 2hrs 5min
Director: Saurav Chaudhary
Cast: Sushil Shrestha, Rubeena Thapa, Bishwojit Rimal
