Nepali movies have been shifting from depicting the traditional village life and unnecessary fights scenes, background music to exhibiting present-day life-style, realistic dialect, and how life goes on and ends in the yet-to-modernize Nepali Society. This progress has made the Nepali audience go to the cinema-hall almost by 70%. Some movies have highlighted the problems in Nepali society, which are like termites, making the nation hollow and empty from inside. This article includes a list of five Nepali movies, which have talked about the problems that Nepali society has and Nepali people are facing.
1.Batomuni Ko Phool (2010)
Suresh is taken in custody in accusation of Gurans’s murder. A local witness comes to narrate the story of Suresh to Inspector (Rajesh Hamal). He tells him Gurans (Rekha Thapa) belonged to so-called high-caste”Upadhayay Brahmin” and Suresh (Yash Kumar) from the so-called low-caste”Damai”. Their love faces obstacles, as Guran’s father (Hemanta Budhathoki) could not accept the difference in caste. In the process of saving their love, Gurans is accidentally killed by Suresh. This movie is the sheer reflection of how deep-rooted the caste-system is in Nepali although there are laws against it. It also shows that there are pseudo-activists who hate the “lower-caste” people in real. This movie has been highly appreciated by the Nepali audience, as this is the vivid picture of Nepali society.
2.Dus Gaja (2011)
This film shows the extent to which our Nepali border has been encroached by India. The national border security activist, Parshuram(Rajesh Hamal) works on explaining people about the encroachment on No man’s land AKA Dus Gaja (10 yards of land) primarily at Susta, a place near Narayani river and other parts of Nepal. An honest police inspector (Nikhil Upreti) later helps in the movement led by Parshuram. The movement ends with keeping Junge Pillar in the Dus Gaja area. This movie strongly generates patriotic feelings and a critical evaluation of Sugauli Treaty. This movie has been awarded Rastriya Jagaran(national awareness) movie. Though it has some melodramatic music and scenes in some parts, the movie has taken the issues of the nation very well and suggested methods to fix it.
3.Karkhana(2016)
Bishal (Sushil Shrestha) falls in love with Shanti (Barsha Siwakoti) who had been used to surrogate a child of Nabin’s (Shanti’s husband) brother. Shanti is forced to stay at a place owned by Gayatri ma who owned the factory of surrogacy. Shanti later finds out Nabin is a broker for bringing women for surrogacy and had lied to her about his family. Bishal helps Shanti to give birth to the child and protect them at the same time. The main motive of the movie is to reflect the idea of "Women are not just a machine for producing babies and surrogacy is for help not to open a factory". It talks about a woman’s reproductive rights and the effects of gender discrimination and fraud in love. Also, no matter what past any person had had, they deserve equal treatment, and fair love and respect at present time is another strong message from this movie.
4.Rudrapriya (2017)
Rudrapriya (Rekha Thapa), an owner of a restaurant, falls in love with a grocery supplier Bala (Aryan Sigdel). While their love grows, a businessman Narayan (Rajan Ishan) develops feelings for Rudrapriya. The marriage of the lovebirds makes Narayan take an action. Hence, he spills acid all over Rudrapriya and deforms her half-face and upper body. This doesn’t fade the love however Rudrapriya does not get justice as Narayan had bribed the system. She could not accept it. Thus, she attempts suicide and seeing her go through this Bala attacks Narayan but loses his life. Finally, Rudrapriya takes matters in her hand and burns Narayan’s house while he sleeps. This film has spoken about the acid attacks, what victim and their family goes through, and how weak and corrupt our legal system is. Acid attack is one of the prime crimes taking place in Nepal at present time.
5.Kopila (2020)
This is the first Nepali film released through alternative means after the release of the film in theatres was delayed due to the nationwide lockdown as a result of COVID-19. This movie is based on a true story of the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta, a girl who was from the Far Western Region of Nepal. The pieces of evidence had been contaminated and manipulated by the police and the court has not served any justice. Nirmala’s parents are still doing their struggle to get justice. Riddhi Shrestha as Nirmala has depicted very convincing acting of the suffering Nirmala had to bear. This movie shows how Nirmala’s parents (played by Sarita Giri and Ganesh Giri) have been affected psychologically and in name of views and TRP media had been exploited. The movie puts forward dissatisfaction with the justice system. The growing number of crimes against women has arisen a question over the country’s security and gender equality.
