From Mumbai to film 'Bahaab'

Pramod Kandel from Nawalpur, Chitwan, was no exception in the Nepali society where parents decide the interests of their childrens. The family wanted to see him as doctor, and if that they wanted him to work in a reputed company. Pramod's family did not even have a single thought about him doing anything in films. But while studying bachelor, suddenly Pramod realized that he should give a try in the film. In this way, Pramod's web for the film is no less interesting than the story of the film itself.

While completing the SEE and plus two, he was tempted by the college dress and not the college. When Pramod decided to study plus two in Balkumari of Chitwan, Pramod was tempted by the black pants and white shirt worn by the students of the college. After admission, he came to know that this is a college of hotel management. He got played by the luck.

He was not interested in hotel management. He completed plus two and for bachelor, he studied BBA. During the study, he realized he wasn't interested in this subject either. "From the third year, I stopped attending the classes and started to stay in the library. At the same time, I read all the famous works of Nepali literature. After that, I thought I would become a film director at any cost," Pramod said, recalling his moments about five years ago. His time in the library made Pramod a story writer. He started telling the stories of his friends in an interesting way. And by the time the final year of BBA was going on, he had confirmed that he was interested in art and not economy. After this, he started looking for a way to reach the place.

For this, Pramod thought of coming to Kathmandu and studying at Oscar College. He read there for a few days, but didn't find anything interesting. After this, he decided to go to a big place, Mumbai. But, there was no situation at home to let him read films. And still, Pramod chose The Novetel Hotel in Pune, India for an intern for the final year of BBA without even giving the family a place to doubt. The motive behind choosing this hotel for industrial training was to enter the Film and Television Institute in Pune. He went to Pune for a one-year course.

He had to work for 12 hours at a hotel in Pune. There was some money and food for that. But after few days of good work, he started looking for a way to escape. In the process, he understood the possibility of studying in an institute in Pune. But to study there, the recommendation of the Government of Nepal was required. Even if there was a recommendation, there was no guarantee of getting into the institute.  There was no possibility of telling this to the family. But the desire to read the film was so intense that he was not interested in hotel work.

Pramod returned to Nepal within four months. But by now, he had found out where to read the film. He had spent time in Marathi theatres around Pune and became a native. "I returned to Nepal within four months and started looking for a film college that would support my budget. After getting to know about the Mumbai Digital Film Academy, I returned to Mumbai in no time," he said, recalling his struggle a few years ago. It was in 2017. Pramod returned to Nepal in 2019, just before the corona epidemic suddenly caused people to be imprisoned inside the house.

At the Mumbai Digital Film Academy, he learned the theoretical knowledge of screenwriting and direction. Under the direction, crime psychology was the subject he had specialized in. Pramod, who made his directorial debut for the first time with 'Bahaab', has made a family theme a plot despite having special expertise in crime psychology. Pramod says that in the film inspired by the true incident, the incident that happens in every house has been given the form of a story.

"Film 'Bahaab' is a story that keeps happening in Nepali society. It's more than a story of a gap between two generations," says Pramod, "naturally, the way two generations think is different. The problem it causes is the story of our film. ’               

Pramod has described the film as a story of curiosity, thoughts and reality in the promotional material. He said that the whole story of the film revolves around these topics. "The character played by Surakshya Panta in the film is curious. She is curious about the incidents happening around her. The character has formed an idea about all this but the reality of the society and her family is different," Pramod said.

Apart from the story, he has also used the political philosophy that is directing our society as a layer of story. He said that while talking about originality, what is directing our society should be expressed in the story.

"We talk about original films. As I searched for what it was, I realized that our political views were our own. Both revolutionary and subtle changes are taking place in our society due to this political ideology," says Pramod, "We have tried to include this in the story and also in the film." We have tried to use it in the frame as well. ’

'Bahaab' has been written by Pramod himself. But apart from the actors, the rest of the creative team has been called by Pramod from Mumbai. In the beginning, he wrote the story in Hindi. But the film has come in its present form as it is less expensive to make a film in Nepali than in Hindi. But Pramod has not dreamed much about the possibility of its release in India.

Because in India, the distributor decides not to take the film based on the PR value, so he says that he has not thought about it at the moment. But Pramod says that Indian friends working in the film are eager in the Nepali market.  "My Indian friends are rather positive about making films in Nepal. Because the budget on which the 'Bahaab' is being made and released, it is not possible to imagine making a film there on that budget. We are thinking of making films in Nepal and taking them to the world," Pramod said.

The film stars Surakshya Panta and Kamalmani Nepal in the lead roles. The film has been produced by Shreedhar Poudel.