Sunkesari, a horror movie starring Reecha Sharma, which she is also producing, is being released on May 25. Sharma, who debuted as a supporting actress in the movie ‘First Love’ in 2012, is now one of the country’s most popular and versatile actresses. She started her career as a model for various music videos, which earned her roles in TV serials. But it was the movie Loot—a highly successful crime thriller released in 2012—that marked a turning point in her career. Sharma was also a top-ten finalist in Miss Nepal 2007.
In your experience, how has the Nepali film industry evolved over time?
In some ways, it has developed a lot, but in other ways it has regressed too. Technically we have evolved a lot. We may not be on a par with international standards, but we have started making wonderful movies. We’ve been successful in bringing back some of the audiences we lost. Also, our cinemas are no longer limited to Nepal because of the growing Nepali diaspora.
But, at the same time, unlike European countries where people visit movie theaters whenever they have free time, we haven’t developed a cinema-going culture. Many Nepalis still prefer Bollywood and Hollywood movies, and they are unreasonably critical of Nepali movies, which has had a negative impact on our film industry.
Talking about the evolution of Nepali films, horror, traditionally, isn’t a successful genre in Nepal. What motivated you to make Sunkesari?
In the past five years or so, genres like comedy, romance and drama have flourished, which is a significant achievement. But, how long can we expect the audience to be drawn to these limited genres? The idea of establishing a new genre encouraged me. It was while watching ‘The Conjuring’ in a packed theater that I felt I wanted to try a horror movie.
Yes, there are various risks associated with this genre. I think the reason why the horror genre has not been successful so far is because we have not been imaginative. We cannot expect a movie to be successful just by having a ghost dressed up in a white sari wandering from one place to another while carrying a candle in her hand. (Laughs)
In Sunkesari, we have put in a lot of effort and have not compromised with quality. With the money we have invested in this movie, we could have made an extravagant film of another genre. I think this movie has various reasons to succeed but an equal number of reasons to fail. I sincerely hope it works, because if it does not, then it will be a long time before someone else attempts another horror flick.
Despite the relatively small size of the Nepali film industry, there are complaints that it lacks harmony. You were yourself recently involved in a bad spat. Why do you suppose that is the case?
It’s not that there is no harmony at all. Harmony does exist, but only among professionals who have dedicated their life to filmmaking. There are people—with lots of free time—who spread rumor just to create misunderstanding at a very personal level. It is a competitive industry and it is okay to dislike people but it is not okay to disrespect them.
Recently when I expressed my opinion about something I disliked, many people ganged up against me. They seemed to have forgotten that I am also a viewer and have opinions. In a public platform, compliments and criticisms are normal and one should not always expect compliments.
Finally, what purpose do you think movies serve? Is it just entertainment or should they also convey some social message?
Movies should always be made with a view to provide entertainment, because people take out time from their busy schedule to go to the theaters. But having said that, did movies like 3 Idiots, Taare Zameen Par, etc only provide entertainment? They carried a powerful message too. When people left the theater, they had something to think about. That is what a cinema should ideally be: a mixture of entertainment and information. I would like to make a movie like that someday. But that is not what I have tried with Sunkesari. This one is all entertainment.
Comments