State of Film Industry in Nepal

During Period of Rana there was no film industry in Nepal and Nepali film too. Filmmaking in Nepal started only after 1962. Before 1962, King Mahendra invited Hira Singh Khatri from Bollywood to Nepal and he made a documentary about 42nd birthday of King Mahendra. That was the first ever film made from Nepal. But, the first film in Nepali language was 'Satya Harishchandra' and its director was D.B.Pariyar which was made in India. In the past, to record songs a singer had to go to India. This film is made in India, technologies; musician, actor and actress were from India. The first feature film from Nepal was 'Aama', which was Black and White and made in 1965 AD. It was produced by His Majesty's Government of Nepal. In order to develop the film industry, the government established the Film Corporation. Nepali films became color in Panchayat period. In 1974, a board was formed for the development of film industry called as Royal Nepal Film Corporation. Between the years 1964-1971 three propaganda films were produced. In 1990, there was a political drastic change. In the beginning, Nepalese film industry produced quite a number of successful movies such as Basanti, Prem Pinda and Maithighar. Within three years of time, 150 films were made. Distribution was increased; market shares reached to its peak, cinema halls were increased. Post 1990, film industry expanded. If before 1990 1-10 films were made per year the number of films were 50 per year in post 1990’s. Nepali Film Caravan was nominated for the world's most prestigious Academy Awards as the best foreign language film and was produced jointly by Nepal and France.
There were 450 cinema halls out of which only hundreds are operating at present out of which only 11 are operating with permanent license, 38 with temporary and the rest are mobile or make-shift cinema houses. Nepalese movie industry had been facing serious competition from Indian movie industry. Now many music studios have established in Nepal although they are not of that high quality but India is still preferred. Nepali film makers had to hire cameraman, dance directors, make-up man from India, although now the trend is being changed. Before editing, dubbing and mixing were done in India but now newly developed Nepal Film Development Company Ltd. has all the technical facilities. In the film industry of Nepal started to make real and qualitative Nepali film. Kagbeni is one of the examples of it. In order to strengthen all aspects of the industry government had created a body Film Development Board on 30th June, 2000.

Right To Information Act In Nepal

There may be many definitions of 'information' but all of them give the primary meaning of the word as 'to know about something’. The fact that being informed means getting to know something is translated into applied terminology since 'right to information'(RTI) is sometimes called 'right to know'.
In Nepal it was media community who has been lobbying for RTI law since the restoration of democracy in 1990.The government did submit a RTI bill draft to parliament in 1992; however, it had to be withdrawn due to strong opposition. The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) and Nepal Press (NPI) put the issue on the agenda again in 2000 but there was no political will in the parliament to prepare and pass the law. Nepal’s 2006 Interim Constitution has a provision for the right to information in article 27, in the chapter on fundamental rights. However, lack of specific regulation impeded people from exercising this fundamental right. Therefore, the freedom forum took an initiative and has submitted draft of RTI bill to the government but it had to be withdrawn because it failed to meet the legal standards. After that joint secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication, Ratna Raj Pandey, as a coordinator, formed a task force, which included representatives from the FNJ and the media related bodies to review the draft bill and after the revision the draft document was again submitted to the government. It was passed by the parliament on 18 July, as Right to Information Act 2007.
The mass media were associated strongly with the RTI. They have been, to some extent, trying to unveil the wrongdoings of the public bodies. Journalists and watchdog NGOs can use RTI Act to expose, on the behalf of the society, misconduct in the government and help root it out. But it has to be understood that RTI is the human right and being such every person is eligible to exercise it. Journalists as citizens themselves are not an exception but the situation in which they have privilege access to information is unacceptable. On the other hand, journalistic profession is specific and there is social expectation that will be watchful and expose any misconduct especially in public bodies.
The mass media are the information business but there must be clear distinction between right to information and press freedom or freedom of expression; though all are important prerequisites of democratic system. It should be also clear that the information accessed remains mostly in the domain of executive branch of administration. Since independent judiciary is one of the warrants of functioning democracy it is protected to big extent from outside pressure and has more developed internal system of accountability revision. The legislature is composed of social representatives already trusted with social confidence through electoral process, accountable to the voters and being in constant contact with the citizens. Hence in the case of parliament the information can be access on different basis. Nevertheless all three branches of administration are compelled to operate in transparent mode and to provide easily accessible, updated information about their functions and procedures.

Film Rewiew OF KAGBENI

When wishes come true...


Directed By: Bhusan Dahal

Producers: Nakim Uddin, Rajesh Siddhi, Bhaskar Dhungana
Story: Bhaskar Dhungana
Screen Play: Prashant Rasaily
Cinematography: Bidur Pandey
Music: Sarad Gurung
Location Sound: Jyoti Rana
Editing: Prabod Shrestha

Featuring:
Saugat Malla - Ramesh
Deeya Maskey - Tara
Nima Rumba - Krishna
Hanif Mohammed - Bishnu
Pooja Gurung - Pema
Vivek Gurung – Bardaan

Release Date: January 11, 2008
Running Time: 130 minutes
Special Appearance: Anup Baral
Script: Achyut Koirala, Samitya Timilsina
Script Consultants: Reshu Aryal, Mana Kanti Sherchan
Casting: Anup Baral
Film Editors: Prabod Shrestha, Prabin Manandhar, Prakash Tuladhar
Promotional Music: 1974 AD

"Be careful of what you wish for..."



Kagbeni 2008 is a Nepali movie loosely based on the W. W. Jacobs' 1902 horror short story “The Monkey's Paw”. The name of the movie is taken from a tourist place Kagbeni situated in the valley of the Kali Gandaki, which is a 2-hour side trek from Muktinath. This film consists of three new faces, Saugat Malla (Ramesh), Deeya Maskey (Tara) and Nima Rumba (Krishna). The film includes the love scenes which are free from vulgarities.

The story begins with Krishna coming to a village to meet Ramesh and Bishnu who have been his childhood friends. Krishna comes back to his village after a long time from Malaysia. He visits his childhood friend Ramesh and they decide to visit the neighboring village to me someone for business purpose.

On the journey to Marpha, they take rest at a small cave in the evening where the meet mystical hermit who hands Krishna an animal paw that has power to fulfill wishes. But at the same time it has its evil effects too. Unaware of the ominous power of the paw Ramesh makes a wish. Thus begins the journey of betrayal and revenge.

Kagbeni is a film with traditional taste of fights, terror, villain, heroin etc. As this film is better than other Nepali films and there is majority of viewers in town, it also has some unclear points. The unclear points are:
What was the role of that “Mad Woman” shown in between?
What does that “Monkey’s Paw” taken by the dead son meant at last?
What does arrival of Nima Rumba after 9 years of death mean?

A movie is an expression and kagbeni expresses fairly well what it tries to tell.
It has a thin storyline but it has a storyline.
It has a very weak screen play but it has a screen play.
It has a very small budget but it had a budget to go up to mustang and shoot the entire film.
Let’s try to be fair on all the effort that has gone into it.

It’s a great start for a change in Nepali movies, kagbeni may not have a comprehensive story but it has served to the moviegoers-great direction, mind-blowing locations, great acting (far better than the unreal or amusing acting of typical Nepali actors). So all in all, kagbeni is a good movie and has given the first step for a revolution in Nepali movies. At last very important information that this film wanted to serve is:

“Be careful of what you wish for...”

Oldest Temple "Changu Narayan"

In 16th April 2009 (Wednesday)
From Kathmandu University, We Mr. and Miss Media of 1st and 2nd semester were given chance to visit Changu Narayan and assigned to note down what we had found in Changun Narayan Temple. Being a teacher of Media, responsibility of these all is taken by Mr.Nirmala Sir, Tejeswor sir was also there to explain us. After we entered inside the temple, there was one priest who explained us for about three hours about temple. According to him I have written some points which are as:
Changu Narayan temple is the one of the oldest temple of Nepal which was built during early period of Lichhavi dynasty and is 22km far from Kathmandu valley which is popular temple of Nepal. This temple is about 1,600 years old and woodcarvings, metal inscriptions and stone statues are most remarkable architecture of temple.

Around 4th century, before establishment of Changu there was a huge forest of Chaap Trees (in Sanskrit: Champak). Sudarsan was a Brahaman who lived in the corner side of the forest. Everyday herdsmen went to the forest to graze Cow. Every night herdsmen used to lived in Sudarsan’s house. In order to pay rent every morning herdsmen used to provide milk to Sudarsan.
Many days passed herdsmen were not able to provide milk to Sudarsan. Sudarsan asked to herdsmen, they replied that Cow stopped giving milk. One day Sudarsan follows Cow to know the reason why Cow stopped giving milk. Eventually, he reached to Changu Narayan Forest. At same time one black person came out from a tree and started to suck the milk of the Cow. Suddenly, Sudarsan became angry and beheaded that black person.
Changu Narayan, a four handed Person, came out from the dead body. Seeing this he became afraid of his deed. But Changu Narayan told Sudarsan not to afraid and started to tell story that Sukracharya had cursed him, he will be free only when one of the brahaman cut off his head. Changu Narayan expressed that he wanted to stay in that place asking brahaman to be a priest. Later Changu Narayan temple was stablished around 4th century.
In the period of lichhivi dynasty it was named as Dola Shikharswami. The name of the hill is Dolagiri and the temple is situated in top of the hill. So it is named as Dola Shikharswami. In Malla period, People named it Chagunarayan. It was the forest of Chhap trees so in Nepali language “chaa” for chaap and “Goon” for forest. In this way people started to call it Changu Narayan.

Poem

My heart leaps up when i behold you
I become a concret cat in absence of you.
The recurring dream i saw is all about you
keeping things whole, you don't know how much i care about you.
Bird fly high up
Remember you whenever i look at the tea cup.
I can't imagine life without you.
It will be like the nightmare life without fuel.

A teacher who has changed my life.

When I was mid-teen, I used to think culture is totally unnecessary. I thought it’s nothing, which just creates problems in society and I can live without it. I thought that, I am superior to culture and used to hate those time when a wife bow her head to touch her husband’s legs. I used to hate cultural festival like Jatra thinking that it is unnecessary cultural activities which makes us to spend lots of money. But later on while attending class of Tejeswor Babu Gwanga I came to know that I misunderstood about the culture. His lecture about culture is very much impressive. I understand that, culture distinguish one human group from other, which makes animal being as human being. He also clarified about the cultural activities like, why wife bow head to her husband. According to him, in ancient period, women are totally dependent to her husband. Unless she marries to a man they don’t get identity. So women used to bow her head to tell her husband that I am with you in every step of life and in every decision of your life I will put my thoughts. Head represents mind, thought and leg represents way of life. This is one of the bad concepts of culture that should not leave it as it is. We should remove bad concept and should protect good concept. Now I have changed my thought about culture. Change in life greatly depends on our thought, behavior. As the change in a word in sentence changes whole meaning, Tejeswor sir has changed my thought so he has changed my life.

Flyer

We, 15 students were divided into 5 groups. Each group was assigned to make a Flyer. The given Flyer is my creation.....and it's just a sample.