Prasad

Nepali cinema has evolved significantly over the years, with filmmakers exploring deeper, more meaningful narratives. Prasad (2018), directed by Dinesh Raut, is one such film that blends romance, social issues, and human emotions into a compelling story. With stellar performances, a well-crafted screenplay, and a touching message, Prasad stands out as an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Plot Overview: A Story Rooted in Reality

At its core, Prasad is a story about love, longing, and the struggles of a married couple in a society bound by traditions. The film revolves around Narayan (Bipin Karki) and his wife, Sushma (Namrata Shrestha), a lower-middle-class couple who dream of having a child. However, Narayan is unable to father a child due to medical complications, which creates emotional turmoil in their relationship.

Sushma, deeply in love with her husband, stands by him despite societal pressure. However, their world turns upside down when Ramesh (Nischal Basnet), a man from her past, enters their lives. As the story unfolds, it delves into themes of infertility, societal expectations, morality, and personal sacrifice, making it more than just a typical romantic drama.

Performances: A Showcase of Powerful ActingBipin Karki as Narayan

Bipin Karki once again proves why he is one of Nepal's most talented actors. His portrayal of a struggling, insecure husband is both heart-wrenching and realistic. His expressions, body language, and dialogue delivery perfectly capture the emotions of a man who feels inadequate yet deeply loves his wife. Karki's ability to portray vulnerability makes Narayan a character that audiences sympathize with.

Namrata Shrestha as Sushma

Namrata Shrestha delivers a powerful and emotionally charged performance. She portrays a woman torn between love, duty, and societal expectations with remarkable depth. Her silent suffering, moments of defiance, and unconditional love for Narayan make Sushma one of the most well-written female characters in Nepali cinema.

Nischal Basnet as Ramesh

Known primarily as a director, Nischal Basnet surprises audiences with his impactful performance as Ramesh. He brings a different energy to the film, adding complexity to the love triangle. His character is not a typical antagonist, but rather a man caught in a web of circumstances, making the story more nuanced.

Direction and Screenplay: A Thoughtful Approach

Director Dinesh Raut masterfully weaves a simple yet powerful story that resonates with the audience. Unlike conventional romantic films, Prasad does not rely on clichés. Instead, it takes a realistic approach, making every scene feel authentic.

The screenplay, written by Sushil Poudel, is well-paced and emotionally engaging. The dialogues are natural, reflecting everyday conversations rather than overly dramatic lines. This realism helps the audience connect deeply with the characters and their struggles.

The film does not rush through its themes; instead, it takes its time developing the emotional weight of each situation. This allows the audience to fully absorb the pain, love, and conflicts faced by the characters.

Themes: A Reflection of Society1. Infertility and Social Stigma

One of the film's strongest elements is its portrayal of infertility and how it affects a couple's life. In many South Asian societies, the inability to have children is often seen as a personal failure, especially for men. Prasad challenges this stigma and highlights the emotional and psychological toll it takes on a person.

2. Love and Sacrifice

The film beautifully explores the theme of sacrifice in relationships. Sushma's unwavering support for Narayan, despite societal pressure, showcases the true essence of love. The film questions whether love alone is enough to sustain a marriage when external forces challenge it.

3. Morality and Choices

The characters in Prasad are not purely good or bad; they are human. The film explores moral dilemmas, where the right choice is not always clear. This grey area makes the narrative more engaging and thought-provoking.

Cinematography and Music: Elevating the StoryCinematography

The film's cinematography, handled by Rajesh Shrestha, captures the raw emotions of the story beautifully. The use of natural lighting and simple yet effective framing enhances the realism of the film. The quiet moments, where the camera lingers on the characters' faces, add emotional depth to the scenes.

Music and Background Score

The music, composed by Kali Prasad Baskota, perfectly complements the film's tone. Songs like Saili enhance the emotional weight of the narrative, making key moments even more impactful. The background score subtly underscores the tension and emotions without being overpowering.

Strengths: What Makes Prasad Special? Strong Emotional Core - The film is deeply emotional without feeling overly dramatic. The raw and realistic portrayal of relationships makes it relatable. Authentic Characters - Every character feels real, with flaws and strengths, making them more engaging and human. Relevant Social Commentary - The film raises important questions about societal norms and expectations, making it more than just a love story. Powerful Performances - The lead actors deliver some of the best performances seen in Nepali cinema. Criticism: What Could Have Been Better? Pacing Issues - Some parts of the film feel slightly slow, which may test the patience of certain viewers. Limited Exploration of Ramesh's Character - While Nischal Basnet does a great job, his character could have been given more depth to make his actions more understandable. Predictable Moments - While the film is emotionally powerful, a few plot points are somewhat predictable, especially towards the climax.

Despite these minor flaws, the overall impact of Prasad remains strong.

Final Verdict: A Must-Watch Nepali Film

Prasad is a rare gem in Nepali cinema that tells a deeply human story with honesty and grace. It is a film that makes audiences reflect on love, sacrifice, and societal expectations while delivering a touching narrative. The outstanding performances by Bipin Karki, Namrata Shrestha, and Nischal Basnet, combined with Dinesh Raut's sensitive direction, make it one of the most memorable Nepali films in recent years.

For anyone who appreciates meaningful cinema, Prasad is a must-watch. It is not just a film-it is an experience that stays with you long after the credits roll.

There are very rare instances that a Nepali Movie looked so promising from its initial few frames and Chiso Ashtray became that rare instance. Watching the movie will make you feel the utmost love, dedication and passion put out into the project.

Starting from its B/W frames Chiso Ashtray slowly delves into the life of a Taxi Driver Madan who just dropped into the bustling city of Kathmandu aka Char Bhanjyang Khalto and his life starts to feel illuminated (literally) after he fires Surya Churort. The company he makes to adapt to the city and his transformation to being modern is what the movie is all about.

First of all let's address its acting performances. The performances from the lead actor Divya Dev who plays the role of Madan is a absolute treat. He really gets into the shoes of a lonely taxi driver trying to fit in to the narrow gallis of Kathmandu. His performance shines in the second half. Another praiseworthy performance is from Nikun Shrestha playing Ronnie we can see this characters struggle through the runtime. Nabin Lamsal as Jackie also puts out some fine performance as a buffed up no-nonsense guy. Shristi however goes through a wave respective to her performance its a hit in some places and miss in some. Sushil Pandey's character is given so little to do, his presence basically feels like to appear with poker face and smile errily after sometime but he does the job well.

Interestingly I was quite impressed with Robin Tamang's performance (as compared to his previous ones) especially in that one continues shot.

The Cinematography is another highlight of the movie, it is visually impressive. The shot compositions, camera angles and transitions through various lenght trying to capture the whole of the 4 bhabjyang Khaldo seems to pop on screen.

It seemed Cinematographer loved the mirror reflection shots which he used in several instances but in just right amount.

Equally brilliant are the color pallate that are sprinkled on the screen to make Kathmandu look dreamy.

The editing is swift no complaints from it whatsoever.

Another aspect that i loved was the sound design, background score and the music of the movie. The attention to details from the sound department does feel evident in scenes like a large gallery hallway where the voices echos and towards the final act just after a confrontation where every sound around the character fades and only his voice echos in the background.

The background music feels perfectly placed and are kind of catchy with the upbeat track so are the songs (except for last one).

The dialogue which Madan speaks (especially in the voiceover) have a heft in them. But not all of the characters have been given good dialog the poor one being Jackie.

OK now let's address the biggest questions. The movie actually falls apart in the second half. All the buildup all the character development culminates into a feeble climax. I sighed when credit started to roll because there was so much that could've been done but didn't played out well in screen. The story lacked that depth, towards the climax we know Madan is deeply impacted but before we could relate to his struggles the credit start to roll which makes us such disconnected with the central character Madan. He is lonely but we rarely see him alone (except towards the end scene), his monologue via voice over are powerful but doesn't add much to his already presented personality. His transition from being a gullible village hillbilly to a modern iteration of himself are presented well via his choice of costumes and company but it's only external and not internal.

There are many themes that director Dins Palpali teases on screen like Kathmandu City turning from Singing Bowl to Chiso Ashtray, Attracting qualities of city's bustling life as compared to stagnant and dull village life, youth's frustration and them burning their futile dream download from western pop cultures like cigarettes never properly shapes on screen. The director definitely looks promising and I'm hopeful in his next projects.

Finally concluding, It's a movie with Hollywoodish style trying to narrate the issues youth's are experiencing inside the Kathmandu Khaldo. Watch it for some wonderful performances, cinematic shots and cinematography, background score and a Director's love for cinema.