Uma movie review

Making a movie based on armed conflict itself is very challenging take; filmmakers also have to be really cautious in portraying the insurgency that took life of almost 15,000 people and brought unhealing wounds to many families. But Uma has different story to tell than seeking the judgement of the decade long revolt. Here are some words for the movie.
In a village of Banepa, lives a family with a ill & widowed mother (Mithila Sharma), a police inspector son Milan (Saugat Malla) and a recently +2 pass daughter Uma (Reecha Sharma). Though they are happy together with what they have got, they have to think twice for Uma's further study in Kathmandu. Due the lapse of time, the impact of insurgency reaches the village in which they live and the circumstances leads Uma to involve in the war against the state as she is not left with any option. The movie also shows the inhumane acts by both sides (government forces and Maoists rebels) done in the name of encounter, "Safaya", revenge and with strong belief in the saying "There are no rules in war" (Yuddha ko kunai niyam hudaina).

Though the movie has female rebel Uma as a protagonist; Saugat Malla and Mithila Sharma's role has equal weight and the movie is nothing without them. Gone are the days when we used to comment at actors performance in Nepali cinema, saying their performance could have been better. Specially with the entrance of theater based artists, we are now left with other options to comment than the actors' performance. So, I don't feel worthy mentioning the artist's performance (which I just did :P). New actors like Praween Khatiwoda, Pramod Agrahari, Prakash Ghimire are among those not to mention. Cameo of Tulsi Ghimire as himself, and Nischal Basnet as Bhuwan Hamal also adds some refreshing charm to the movie, in contrast to Dayahang Rai (a maoist rebel) whose presence is not actually felt in the movie.

With a good story, screenplay and cinematrography, Uma is an excellent movie and shows the brother sister relationship- torn apart by situations changing Uma into a female rebel and the inevitable touching confrontation. After watching many short movies with some missing feature like content, I am quite satisfied with two hours+ feature that keeps you bound till the end and entertains you with the cinematography plus some eye filling emotions as You just don't need comedy or romance to be entertained.

Though I don't like the idea of putting a full song in a movie other than the snippet of the OST, the slower version of "Sirimasiri", "Rana maidan ma" fit well in the movie. Director Tsering Rhitar Sherpa partnering in for story, screenplay has put a lot of effort that culminated in such remarkable movie. Producer Tsering Choden also deserves the praise to finance such movie. Once an RJ in Hits FM (the FM I was stuck all the time during the no internet days), She was already acclaimed for her documentary in Democarcy Video Challenge back in 2009. As a downfall, the movie has limited the rebel war to bank robbery and high ranking police officer's "Safaya", which I doubt to be intentional from such creators.

Even with such energetic performance, crowd pulling story and exciting trailer, I don't know what makes people stop from pouring in the cinemas. I feel so disappointed for the less turnout, and highly recommend it to watch after all we are the ones to support our own cinema. With the disappointment, I recall my friend's saying that we love our nation and creations by our people BUT we just don't know how to show the affection; be it in the matter of being indifferent to wrong political development or our very own people's creation. Its high time we start transforming our culture to consume Nepali products- cinema being one of them.

Lets promote Nepali Cinema.

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IPL 6 Final Prediction: who will it be CSK vs RR or CSK vs MI?

With the Brad Hodge's two sixes in a row, Rajasthan Royals gets four wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator match of IPL 2013 playoffs. This eliminator game winner- RR will now face Mumbai Indians on 24 May, 2013, Mumbai Indians (MI) being the looser of the first qualifier against CSK. It is completely different to the normal semifinals we see in several games which makes IPL cricket format a unique one with the playoff and as the game experts tell, this kind of concept is to reward consistency that is to make the most consistent team of the tournament- a winner. 

So the second qualifier match on Friday will determine with whom CSK play against- that is either Mumbai Indians (MI) or Rajasthan Royals (RR). Though being a fan of Mumbai Indian, I predict RR to be the winner of the second qualifier and the Final of IPL 6 to be between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Vs Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 26, 2013 Sunday.

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Antaral movie review.

It has been a month since I have reviewed a movie in my blog. Sometimes I feel it is so easy to review a movie, pointing out flaws from an individual perspective but if we see from film makers end, its a difficult task to make a perfect movie that can win the heart of millions. So, they even argue if the reviewer can make better movie on his/her own. No matter what, every individual has got the right to say/write about a movie they have watched, after all they are the ones for which the movie is made and no one should be questioned for what the individual has felt unless he/she is on a mission to destroy the movie. I don't have any mission other than promoting new Nepali movies and Here is what I have felt for the movie Antaral. 

A simple comedy that flows in a very natural way, tells the friendship of four guys- Kamalikant (Kamal Mani Nepali), Lekhak (Lokendra Lekhak), Rhythm (Manav Subedi) and Ghanu (Ghanu Bhai Joshi). As each of the individual face different kind of challenge to run their life, they  are brought together to live in a room. Kamlikant- hailing from East to study journalism meets far western Lekhak and Kathmandu denizen/ Amateur Singer musician Rhythm in a college and develops friendship together. A manpower agency victim Ghanu, joins their team as he has nowhere to go other than his far western brother Lekhak. The movie shows the difficulties of people from different parts of the country to live a student life in Kathmandu and their different desire, commonly to do something inside the country. 

The movie also shows some love relationships, that mixes well with the main story- the friendship and the struggle to run a life together. Rhythm's girl friend Pooja played by Namrata Sapkota and Landlord's daughter Manila played by Ashisma Nakarmi portray a good girlfriend character, helping the four guys in every difficulties. The comic relationship of Manila's brother Dango (with thug looks / actions), is very entertaining. At one sequence when Dango goes to his girl friend's home to talk with her parents about their relationship, the cinema hall (with not much viewers) witnesses a good round of laughs. But the same thug like Dango puts real trouble in their life which gets a change of course afterwards.

I happen to underestimate this movie with the "not so" enticing trailer and majority of new actors but what I have got, is way beyond all the expectations. Besides some loud voices and vexing background score, the movie entertains you the most with a typical story and natural presentation. All the actors have given fine performances (esp. Kamal Mani Nepali and Namrata Sapkota are more noticeable). No offense to the musicians, but the movie could have been cut short with those songs which I felt unnecessary. Funny dialogues and realistic sequences are the most praiseworthy, So Director Deepa Basnet should be saluted for such movie in debut.

Highly recommended for a simple and natural entertainment.

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Nepal officials irked for illegal video broadcast from Mount Everest (with video).

A British Mountaineer's first ever Video broadcast from Mount Everest has drawn criticism from Nepal government officials, calling the broadcast illegal. British National Daniel Thomas Hughes has made a live video interview to BBC channel atop Mount Everest through his smartphone. 

"It´s a very proud moment to be here. It´s been two-and-a-half-years in the making," said the British explorer in the video call which is the first ever video call made from the top of the Mount Everest.

"This is the world´s highest live video, never had been this before," said Daniel Hughes calling from the Everest by using HTC one smartphone.

He was there to the top of the world for raising huge money for UK based charity to end poverty from the world. Whereas Nepal government officials told media that he had not taken government permission to film  Mount Everest, so the live video broadcast is taken to be illegal as permission is a must for filming and brodcasting in Everest. Raising serious concern over the issue, Nepali officials will be probing the incident and recommend legal action for the illegal broadcaster.

Here is the video clip of the first live video broadcast from Mount Everest.

At odds to the illegal broadcasting concern, many people might be curious about the 3G coverage in Mount Everest that made the video call possible. Ncell (a private GSM operator owned by Teliasonera) had provided the 3G mobile coverage there since 2.5 years ago which is quite useful for all those climbers to surf Internet from such a remote area. Though I knew this before, I was skeptic if there was any 3G coverage in the top.

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New loadshedding schedule effective from Baishak 22, 2070 ( May 6, 2013)

Nepal Electricity Authority has announced the load shedding hours to be reduced by 2 hour to 8 hours a day. The new load shedding schedule is said to be effective from Sunday- Baishak 22, 2070 (May 6, 2013). As more electricity is produced from the hydropower plants and additional import of electricity from India, NEA is able to reduce the power cut hours, which is already reduced unofficially from few days. Here is the new load shedding schedule to be effective from Baishak 22, 2070. Click the picture to download the latest loadshedding schedule.

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