Ko Afno – a mixture of emotions

Movie: Ko Afno

Director: Anil Thapa

Starring: Richa Sharma, Sushank Mainali, Subash Thapa, Rajan Khatiwada, Shanti Giri, Menuka Pradhan, Sudam CK, Sulakshan Bharti

In My Eyes: 2.75/5

Ko Afno is the amalgamation of human emotions. The best thing about this movie is to succeed in portraying the emotions through its characters in a controlled way. It is totally a piece that a normal audience would like to term ‘art movie’. Despite the beautiful making and the other good aspects, the screenplay has restricted Ko Afno from being the remarkable one.

The main plot revolves around the poor couple in the village whom a rich couple from Kathmandu frames to adopt their son. What happens when they have to give an only child to others for the sake of his better future but the things turn against their favor? This forms the principal conflict. Other sub-plot shows the struggle of a son (the same adopted one) with his girlfriend and his parents.

Classic: Not Really!

Movie: Classic

Director: Dinesh Raut

Starring: Aryan Sigdel, Namrata Shrestha, and others

In my eyes: 1.5/5

When it comes to movies, love stories are the ones that we have watched so many times. What makes a love story interesting? Answers differ. While happy ones are loved most, I guess the tragic ones are the most famous among others. Classic has one tragic love story to tell, which I found similar to something like ‘the old wine in a new bottle’. Sadly, wine tasted no good.

Honestly, the first half was very boring. The flashback and a couple of twists and turns did not help enough to arouse any engagingness. The second half was better though. The story moved at a good pace and it somehow became interesting to watch, slash the awkward looking conversations. Perhaps, the tragic sentiments helped post interval!

Bittersweet - “Pashupati Prasad”

Movie: Pashupati Prasad

Director: Dpendra K. Khanal

Writer: Khagendra Lamichhane

Starring: Khagendra Lamichhane, Prakash Ghimire, Rabindra Singh Baniya, Bipin Karki, Barsha Shiwakoti, Mishri Thapa

In my eyes: 4/5

Some movies not only entertain much but also touch the heart in many ways. Some movies get much hype from the trailers but only some of them justify the pre-release hype and there are few which go beyond the normal expectations. Pashupati Prasad is one of such. It is contentful, very entertaining, touching and thoughtful film; one of the best to come out this year.

The movie shows the journey of Pashupati Prasad after he comes to Kathmandu to earn money so as to clear his late parents’ debts and dispose of their ashes. The journey is of course, not easy and the bad luck follows him around.

Fanko – average suspense drama

Movie: Fanko

Director: Subarna Thapa

Starring: Saugat Malla, Dayahang Rai, Priyanka Karki, Keki Adhikari, Anup Baral

Photo Courtesy:
facebook.com/fankonepalimovie

In my eyes: 2.5/5

Fanko is an average suspense drama that keeps the audience engaged up to the end. The comical layers in the presentation of a very simple story make a movie an entertaining watch, complimented by Saugat Malla’s performance.

Plot:

Bhakti Thapa (Saugat Malla) is delivering a big sum of cash from Pokhara to Kathmandu on the behalf of his boss Dhamala (Keshav Bhattarai). On knowing this, he is followed by Buddhabir Rai (Dayahang Rai) and Lily (Priyanka Karki). Also involved in the money game is  Pathak (Anup Baral). After Bhakti leaves his wife Mithu (Keki Adhikari) at home on the way towards Kathmandu, the chase begins and the drama gets spiraled.

Bajirao Mastani – Love and Grandeur

Photo courtesy: facebook.com/bajiraomastani

“Love has no religion; love is itself a religion.” 

The core of this movie is love, love, and love. With larger than life sets, mesmerizing visual appeal, spellbinding performances, and hard-hitting music, this period drama is one of the cinematic masterpieces. Every frame speaks of grandeur and is polished with art. Sanjay Leela Bhansali all the way - from the very first scene to the last one.

The movie is based on the Marathi novel “Raau” by Nagnath S. Inamdar. Set aside the historical accuracies, for which controversies are already there - what truly shows off is that the movie has its soul and the heart; and it sure does inherit the cinematic liberties.

Now, not everyone can make this type of film. So, hats off to Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The movie does not deviate from its main storyline and flow smoothly throughout. One can have the problem with the pace, which is slow sometimes and fast sometimes, but there is never a dull moment. It touches you and grabs your attention to the fullest. There are some flaws, but apart from those, the movie is nothing short of grand. As a director and music director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali scores high.

Kabaddi Kabaddi - a proper sequel

Movie: Kabaddi Kabaddi

Director: Ram Babu Gurung

Photo Courtesy: www.facebook.com/cinemaartproduction

Starring: Dayahang Rai, Saugat Malla, Rishma Gurung, Buddhi Tamang, Bijay Baral, Aruna Karki, Shishir Bangdel, Pashupati Rai, Junu Bista and more.

In my eyes: *** point some (out of Five)

There has not really come a proper sequel of a Nepali movie before. Kabaddi Kabaddi is the one that holds the virtue of continued story. In this sequel of the blockbuster of last year, the charm and the core aesthetics of Kabaddi remains the same even though not being flawless.

Set in Naurikot, a village of Mustang, Kabaddi Kabaddi continues the one-sided love story of Kaji and Maiya. Bomkaji (Saugat Malla) enters the scene as the other solti to woo the soltini. This triangular love story has the backdrop of politics this time. Apart from this main line, there are two sub-courses of two friends of Kaji: B.K. and Chhantyal. Relating each sub-plot to each other and mixing them together with few twists and turns, the movie packs a punch.

One of the good things is that - with all the humor and comic elements, the sentiments and emotions projected at certain places remain strong in the movie. You get not only to laugh from the beginning to the end but also the emotions to feel. A complete package!

EVEREST - Men vs Mountain

"Everest is another beast altogether!" Final word between men and mountain - is always of mountain!! 

photo courtesy:
www.facebook.com/EverestMovie

Based on the real events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, Everest mainly shows the survival attempts of two expedition groups when they get hit by a disastrous snow storm on their way down from the summit of Mt. Everest. This disaster drama and adventure thriller takes us on a trip to summit and down with several jaw-dropping moments.

The best thing in the Everest is its breathtaking cinematography. The success of this movie reflects in the feeling that we get while watching it on screen – the feel of an adventure! It’s terrific and it’s horrifying. It’s like the battle between the mountain and men. The every scene from the base camp to the summit is marvelous. Although not entirely shot in Nepal as it is difficult to shoot on the real top, it never feels that it was shot in Italy or some studio.  Well, it is thrilling and astonishing, is the fact.

PLEASANT - Highway to Dhampus

“The best thing in the life is to change.”

photo courtesy:
www.facebook.com/highwaytodhampus

“We look at the sky but we walk on the ground”, says Laxmi to Ajit. She has desires but she is happy and content with whatever she has in the present. The simple, yet complex elements of life such as love, happiness, compassion and gratefulness are the things that Highway to Dhampus has captured wonderfully.

Elizabeth, a rich socialite trying to change her image visits an orphanage in a village in Nepal with Colt, a photo journalist and Ajit, a sincere helpful pilot cum guide cum translator. Laxmi is a headmistress of the orphanage. With their several meetings onwards, they get connected to each others. The series of events then show how they change – change for the better.

Everyone has the ability to change; life is dynamic and changes are bound to happen. Highway to Dhampus is the tale of ‘change’ – how a person can evolve with the emotions.

Woda No. 6 - 'Halka Ramailo' Bhanda Mathi Chha!

Movie: Woda No. 6

photo courtesy:
facebook.com/PriyankaKarkiOfficial

Director: Ujwal Ghimire

Starring: Deepak Raj Giri, Priyanka Karki, Dayahang Rai, Kedar Ghimire, Sitaram Kattel, Jitu Nepal and more

In my eyes: *** (out of 5)

A comedy that does not say ‘leave-your-brain-at-home’. A social drama that has the ability to touch the hearts. Combined together and blended just right. Presented in a way that entertains the audience thoroughly. This is Woda No. 6. Every places has both good and bad elements there; likewise, this “woda” is also not free from the flawed elements. But as long as the entertainment matters, this movie is super successful.

Time-zoned at fictional place Jhulebasti Woda No. 6, Nuwakot in 2058 B.S., this movie is set against the backdrop of civil war. Smells different? A bunch of comedy actors and the serious issue? Do not worry because it carefully balances both in the way we have never seen in a Nepali movie. Neither does the maoist conflict over-sensitize nor does the comedy over-shadow the core point of the movie. This is the best thing of Woda No. 6.  

It does not discuss the goods and flaws of civil war, neither does it portray the political backdrop. What it shows entertainingly and sometimes heart-touchingly is the small effects of that war period on common villagers that turn their life upside down. Story is simple where dialogues play the winning role and the plots happen to be the engaging factor. Credits goes to writer Deepak Raj Giri and the director Ujwal Ghimire, specially for taking out the controlled performance from actors and preventing it from being loud.

Margarita, with a Straw - Heartwarming

photo credit:
facebook.com/MWASOfficial

A girl in her late teens is talent, confident and full of excitement. She loves a guy, seeks for his love and want to have the sexual pleasure. This is very normal for other ‘normal’ beings but supposedly, not for a girl with a cerebral palsy. What if she starts loving a girl too? Not normal, eh! But meet Laila and think again about the people with disabilities and different sexual orientations. Like any other normal people, they also have the similar desires and pursues. Their abnormality is but just one other side of a life. Love your ‘self’ being, love for what you are. This pretty much sums the Margarita, with a Straw – directed by Shonali Bose.

photo credit: www.bollypedia.in

Margarita, with a Straw is not about the cerebral palsy or bisexuality; it is a heartwarming tale of a teen girl suffering from cerebral palsy and discovering her sexuality. It is wonderful that the movie shows the normal features of the character Laila. She is wheel-chair bound and depends highly on her mother but that doesn’t let her self-esteem down. She studies creative writing, she wants to flirt, she watches the porn, she has a crush on a guy, she writes lyrics for a band and she dances. When a judge awards the band as a consolation just because the lyrics is written by a girl with disability, she can show them a middle finger too. She is challenged - yes, but defeated - NO.