Small Wonder

I do not even remember when I was so enthused to watch a Nepali movie. But this time there were a combination of reasons - maybe it was because my gang thinks Alok Nembang directs the coolest videos; perhaps because Namrata has always been associated with innocent elegance; or most likely it was just Karma peeking out adorable from the fresh-looking, stylish posters - I just felt I had to watch Sano Sansar as soon as it released.
A lot more people apparently felt the same, there was a huge crowd in front of the theatre glumly discussing the unavailability of tickets. We thanked our stars that we had had the foresight to purchase tickets the earlier day - and settled down for what we hoped would surprise us pleasantly. And it really did. It lived up to our expectations.
There is nothing new about the story. But then, every romantic movie follows the same pattern : boy meets girl meets complication meets resolution. What is different is its simple, natural, believable approach to the situtaions. The story in short would be like this - a loner, essentially a good boy, is placed in an awkward position where every good act of his is misconstrued by the girl he is supposed to help. The girl is apparently depressed because she has lost her trust and interest in the world due to a suave but slightly seedy boyfriend. On top of that, the boy and girl are great chat friends but have an awry relation in real life. So there are twists and turns and lots of overflowing emotions before we reach our desired end. And I will say this for the movie - the story may not be the most original one, but it has not been copied out of anything either - except maybe a teeny bit of My Sassy Girl.
The best part about the movie is its presentation. It does not give out a lofty message or even claim to be the first, the best, the different, or whatever. It just unfolds itself leisurely; with absolutely no insane fights in Chobhar, songs with a hundred background dancers shot in Pokhara, or unnecessary melodrama meted out by women dripping in jewelry. The people are very real - they go to college, hang out with friends, amble around (maybe the reference to Java is sponsored). They have regular expectations, frustrations, way of life. What I mean is, we identify with many of them. We are either like them or else we certainly know someone similar. I would also like to make a special note about the dress designer - it is amazing what the correct kind of apparel add to the movie. The female actor dons cute skirts that we could wear any day, and the males are dressed up exactly according to character - whether in well-cut suits, flowery and garish shirts, or casual khakis with a unisex vest. And then the songs are pure pleasure for the ears, the dance number is tastefully choreographed, and they are interwoven perfectly.
Of course there are loopholes galore. The tale is quite patchy in places - it just skims over the surface. We are not explained about some circumstances, or the past. We do not know why the girl patches up briefly with the overconfident guy, where her alcoholism disappears, why there is so much confusion all around. Some characters are definitely underdeveloped, so we cannot make out their personalities. And the character of the girl's father, though significant, is greatly overdone.
And yet, even with these flaws, it is the entertainer it sets out to be. This was evident in the manner the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoyed every scene, judging from the appreciative giggles and claps. The flamboyant character of Jeevan Luitel deserves a mention, he brought the house down with his hilarious lines,. In fact, most of the dialogues are witty and the kind we speak everyday, not anything highbrow.
There is no denying that some of them lean towards the risqué and awkward, but others are truly funny, including the one about a guy being gay. The characters fit well into their roles, though the one to take away your heart is definitely Karma with his Buddha-like eyes and Afro hairstyle. And one thing I seriously did not get is why he is termed unattractive, to me he looks most attractive.
So, in the end, it is revealed to us how it is possible to shoot a visually and aesthetically brilliant movie in the well worn by lanes of Kathmandu. I can only say that if Nepali movies began following this trend, I would not miss another one.