Kagbeni
Encyclopedia
Kagbeni is a 2008 Nepali
movie, loosely based on W. W. Jacobs
's 1902 horror short story The Monkey's Paw
. Kagbeni is the directorial debut of Bhusan Dahal
. 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
.
The tagline of the movie is "when wishes comes true."
) coming to a village to meet Ramesh (Saugat Malla) and Bishnu (Hanif Mohammed) who have been his childhood friends. Krishna is back from Malaysia after a long time. Ramesh runs a small liquor business. Although the money he earns is able to fulfill his basic needs to eat and survive, he’s not satisfied. He says that life is not easy as he had thought. Krishna says that although there is money in Malaysia, there is also hard work and suggests Ramesh to send his liquor to town to sell for more profit. Krishna hands him a bottle of bagpiper whiskey from Malaysia and a watch for his to-be-wife. Ramesh tells Krishna that he’s going to a neighboring village Marpha and Krishna tags along to meet Amo (some relative).
On their way to Marpha, they take rest at a small cave in the evening where they meet a hermit. Krishna hands him the blanket that he’s brought from Malaysia for Amo and asks to come near fire as it was too cold. In return, the hermit hands him a monkey’s paw, which has some kind of black power to fulfill one’s wish. As the hermit explains about the power of the paw, Ramesh goes out to see his asses who seem troubled. Meanwhile, the hermit explains that the paw can fulfill human’s wish but it can bring a great disaster if someone else, whom it doesn’t belong to, uses it.
The next morning, they find the hermit is gone without even notifying them. They resume their journey and reach Marpha where Ramesh does his business work and Krishna meets Amo and gives the blanket to her. Amo tells him to bring wife next time.
While returning, they see come across a bhatti (small alcohol shop) where they meet Pema (Pooja Gurung) and drink for a while. Krishna flirts with the girl. He also talks about marriage and that he’s got a photo of the girl with whom his parents are talking for his marriage. Pema tells them that the girl in the photo is Tara (Deeya Maskey) and that she knows her and that someone else also wants to marry her. When Ramesh sees her photo, he frowns for he is the guy who wants to marry her. He is distressed and doesn’t talk much.
That night, they do not move ahead. Ramesh wakes up in the middle of the night, takes the paw from Krishna and makes a wish to get Tara. Meanwhile, a mysterious girl cries somewhere.
While getting back, Ramesh doesn’t talk much and he dreams of killing Krishna with a knife and throwing him off a bridge. He is soon waken up by Krishna. Sometime later, as Krishna takes the monkey’s paw in his hand, he loses his balance when the asses tremble when they see it. He falls off the hill in spite of Ramesh’s efforts to save him with a rope. Meanwhile, the mysterious girl runs, taps the door and when no one opens, she cries and whines.
The story then moves nine years later. Ramesh is married now with Tara and has got a son Bardaan (Vivek Gurung). Their business has grown up. One day, Ramesh is offered a contract by a trader from the town. He demands 5000 bottles of liquor in three months. In return, he assures Rs. 1,37,000 in advance. Tara insists to hire two three guys for the work, but he tells her that he’s going to buy an apple crusher from town.
Ramesh brings machine from town, teaches Tara to use it and crushes apples and is able to make some 500 bottles in two and a half months. One day as they are ready to sleep, Tara tells Ramesh that there is some friend to see Ramesh. Ramesh is surprised to see Krishna. Krishna tells him that he survived unlike everyone thought.
Krishna asks Tara to get a cigarette and a lighter from his bag, but she is scared to find a monkey’s paw when she takes the cigarette out. Ramesh is amazed to see the paw still with him. He explains to Tara that the paw had power to fulfill one’s wish. Meanwhile, Tara’s watch stops running.
That night, Ramesh remembers everything again and the next day, they are amazed to see Krishna not in his room. The main door is locked from inside. While sweeping the floor, she finds the paw under the bed and keeps it with her.
That night, there is a big storm and heavy rainfall that causes all the apples in his field and the whole village to fall down before ripening. So, he worries that he won’t be able to make the remaining liquors as per the deal. When the trader comes back, he asks him one month time for the remaining bottles, but the trader gives him only two weeks and tells him that he’d have to return the money given in advance if he can’t make it.
Seeing the deteriorating situation at home, Tara makes a wish to solve the problem. The next day, their son Bardaan is run over by a tractor and dies. Both Ramesh and Tara are very much saddened by the incident. They get 1,50,000 as a compensation from the owner of the tractor. Ramesh is able to give the trader all the money he owes through this. One day, while gong to bed, Tara tells Ramesh that the paw works as she’d wished to solve the problem. She cries and demands her son back. Ramesh fights with her not to use the paw again, but she makes a wish to return their son. Suddenly, there is a tap on the door. But Ramesh struggles to get the paw from her and wishes they don’t want their son back. When Tara opens the door, there is no one.
Ramesh throws the paw outside, which is picked up by Bardaan. With a flash, he disappears.
The mysterious girl now walks somewhere as if her mission has been accomplished.
The camera is as big as a CCTV and does not use tapes for recording. Instead, it saves everything on a hard disk and has inferior image quality compared to film. There were some technical problems in the making of the film as it was the first time the film makers were using the camera. They had to walk a few hours to a cyber café to ask the company for instructions.
After Kagbeni, there have been some new movies of the same quality in the pipeline. Sano Sansar
by music video director Alok Nembang is based on youths in urban city and “Mission Paisa” is an action movie.
Meanwhile, Dasdhunga, an investigation based movie on mysterious death of Madan Bhandari and Jiv Raj Ashrit in 2050 BS and 13246, a documentary-cum-movie on the decade long Maoist conflict in Nepal are set to release soon. Dasdhunga is directed by Manoj Pandit and 13246 by Apil Bista.
Box Office
The film was released in 10 January in Nepal. The film got the phenomenal response in urban areas like kathmandu, pokhara, narayangarh, etc. while the country areas has decent collection. The movie collected Rs 40 lacs in its opening weekend thus creating the new history in nepali cinema industry. The film grossed about Rs 3 crore from its theatherical run. The film grossed well in international market esp. in US, UK, Hong Kong where the Nepalese population is in decent number.
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
movie, loosely based on W. W. Jacobs
W. W. Jacobs
William Wymark Jacobs , was an English author of short stories and novels.-Writings:Jacobs is now remembered for his macabre tale "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Toll House"...
's 1902 horror short story The Monkey's Paw
The Monkey's Paw
"The Monkey's Paw" is a horror short story by author W. W. Jacobs. It was published in England in 1902.The story is based on the famous "setup" in which three wishes are granted. In the story, the paw of a dead monkey is a talisman that grants its possessor three wishes, but the wishes come with an...
. Kagbeni is the directorial debut of Bhusan Dahal
Bhusan Dahal
Tara Bhusan Dahal is a Nepali music video director and media personality who has been based in Nepal since 1988. He is most noted for his contribution to the Nepali television and video industry, and is also well known for his movie Kagbeni, where he made his directorial debut after making notable...
. The name of the movie is taken from a tourist place Kagbeni
Kagbeni, Mustang
Kagbeni is a village in Upper Mustang, Nepal, located in the valley of the Kali Gandaki River. Administratively, Kagbeni is a Village Development Committee in Mustang District in the Dhawalagiri Zone of northern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 1200 people...
situated in the valley of the Kali Gandaki, which is a 2-hour side trek from Muktinath
Muktinath
Muktinath is a sacred place both for Hindus and Buddhists located in Muktinath Valley at an altitude of 3,710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass , Mustang district, Nepal...
.
The tagline of the movie is "when wishes comes true."
Plot
The story begins with Krishna (Nima RumbaNima Rumba
Nima Rumba is one of a popular singer/lyricist/musician of Nepal. Nima likes to describe himself as inspired by Michael Jackson and George Michael.- Albums :Nima has released following albums so far....
) coming to a village to meet Ramesh (Saugat Malla) and Bishnu (Hanif Mohammed) who have been his childhood friends. Krishna is back from Malaysia after a long time. Ramesh runs a small liquor business. Although the money he earns is able to fulfill his basic needs to eat and survive, he’s not satisfied. He says that life is not easy as he had thought. Krishna says that although there is money in Malaysia, there is also hard work and suggests Ramesh to send his liquor to town to sell for more profit. Krishna hands him a bottle of bagpiper whiskey from Malaysia and a watch for his to-be-wife. Ramesh tells Krishna that he’s going to a neighboring village Marpha and Krishna tags along to meet Amo (some relative).
On their way to Marpha, they take rest at a small cave in the evening where they meet a hermit. Krishna hands him the blanket that he’s brought from Malaysia for Amo and asks to come near fire as it was too cold. In return, the hermit hands him a monkey’s paw, which has some kind of black power to fulfill one’s wish. As the hermit explains about the power of the paw, Ramesh goes out to see his asses who seem troubled. Meanwhile, the hermit explains that the paw can fulfill human’s wish but it can bring a great disaster if someone else, whom it doesn’t belong to, uses it.
The next morning, they find the hermit is gone without even notifying them. They resume their journey and reach Marpha where Ramesh does his business work and Krishna meets Amo and gives the blanket to her. Amo tells him to bring wife next time.
While returning, they see come across a bhatti (small alcohol shop) where they meet Pema (Pooja Gurung) and drink for a while. Krishna flirts with the girl. He also talks about marriage and that he’s got a photo of the girl with whom his parents are talking for his marriage. Pema tells them that the girl in the photo is Tara (Deeya Maskey) and that she knows her and that someone else also wants to marry her. When Ramesh sees her photo, he frowns for he is the guy who wants to marry her. He is distressed and doesn’t talk much.
That night, they do not move ahead. Ramesh wakes up in the middle of the night, takes the paw from Krishna and makes a wish to get Tara. Meanwhile, a mysterious girl cries somewhere.
While getting back, Ramesh doesn’t talk much and he dreams of killing Krishna with a knife and throwing him off a bridge. He is soon waken up by Krishna. Sometime later, as Krishna takes the monkey’s paw in his hand, he loses his balance when the asses tremble when they see it. He falls off the hill in spite of Ramesh’s efforts to save him with a rope. Meanwhile, the mysterious girl runs, taps the door and when no one opens, she cries and whines.
The story then moves nine years later. Ramesh is married now with Tara and has got a son Bardaan (Vivek Gurung). Their business has grown up. One day, Ramesh is offered a contract by a trader from the town. He demands 5000 bottles of liquor in three months. In return, he assures Rs. 1,37,000 in advance. Tara insists to hire two three guys for the work, but he tells her that he’s going to buy an apple crusher from town.
Ramesh brings machine from town, teaches Tara to use it and crushes apples and is able to make some 500 bottles in two and a half months. One day as they are ready to sleep, Tara tells Ramesh that there is some friend to see Ramesh. Ramesh is surprised to see Krishna. Krishna tells him that he survived unlike everyone thought.
Krishna asks Tara to get a cigarette and a lighter from his bag, but she is scared to find a monkey’s paw when she takes the cigarette out. Ramesh is amazed to see the paw still with him. He explains to Tara that the paw had power to fulfill one’s wish. Meanwhile, Tara’s watch stops running.
That night, Ramesh remembers everything again and the next day, they are amazed to see Krishna not in his room. The main door is locked from inside. While sweeping the floor, she finds the paw under the bed and keeps it with her.
That night, there is a big storm and heavy rainfall that causes all the apples in his field and the whole village to fall down before ripening. So, he worries that he won’t be able to make the remaining liquors as per the deal. When the trader comes back, he asks him one month time for the remaining bottles, but the trader gives him only two weeks and tells him that he’d have to return the money given in advance if he can’t make it.
Seeing the deteriorating situation at home, Tara makes a wish to solve the problem. The next day, their son Bardaan is run over by a tractor and dies. Both Ramesh and Tara are very much saddened by the incident. They get 1,50,000 as a compensation from the owner of the tractor. Ramesh is able to give the trader all the money he owes through this. One day, while gong to bed, Tara tells Ramesh that the paw works as she’d wished to solve the problem. She cries and demands her son back. Ramesh fights with her not to use the paw again, but she makes a wish to return their son. Suddenly, there is a tap on the door. But Ramesh struggles to get the paw from her and wishes they don’t want their son back. When Tara opens the door, there is no one.
Ramesh throws the paw outside, which is picked up by Bardaan. With a flash, he disappears.
The mysterious girl now walks somewhere as if her mission has been accomplished.
Production
The filmmakers brought high-definition digital cameras from Silicon Imaging, an American company that was just starting out. The cast and crew set off to Jomsom in October 2006 and shot for thirty days non-stop in Kagbeni, Jomsom, Marpha, and Shyang.The camera is as big as a CCTV and does not use tapes for recording. Instead, it saves everything on a hard disk and has inferior image quality compared to film. There were some technical problems in the making of the film as it was the first time the film makers were using the camera. They had to walk a few hours to a cyber café to ask the company for instructions.
Cast
- Saugat Malla - Ramesh
- Deeya Maskey - Tara
- Nima Rumba - Krishna
- Hanif Mohammed - Bishnu
- Pooja Gurung - Pema
- Vivek Gurung - Bardaan
Crew
- Director: Bhusan DahalBhusan DahalTara Bhusan Dahal is a Nepali music video director and media personality who has been based in Nepal since 1988. He is most noted for his contribution to the Nepali television and video industry, and is also well known for his movie Kagbeni, where he made his directorial debut after making notable...
- Producer: Nakim Uddin, Rajesh Siddhi, Bhaskar Dhungana
- Script: Achyut Koirala, Samitya Timilsina
- Story: Bhaskar Dhungana
- Screenplay: Prashant Rasaily
- Cinematography: Bidur Pandey
- Background Music: Sharad Gurung
- Location Sound: Jyoti Rana
- Editors: Prabod Shrestha, Prabin Manandhar, Prakash Tuladhar
- Casting: Anup Baral
- Promotional Music: 1974 AD1974 AD- Time Out :- Samjhi Baschu :...
Critical reception
The film received mostly glowing reviews from critics. The Himalayan Times hailed it "a benchmark for Nepali films." While Kunda Dixit of Nepali Times called it "superbly crafted, seductively acted, meticulously directed," adding, "No longer will we have to be embarrassed about Nepali movies." Bishnu Gautam of The Rising Nepal joining in the choir, wrote, "It is not easy to bring out an impressive film with new faces, but Bhusan did it brilliantly. All the three protagonists, Saugat Malla (Ramesh), Deeya Maskey (Tara) and Nima Rumba (Krishna) are new faces but nowhere in Kagbeni are they seen as novices... It provides you with the taste of western films including the love scenes, which are free from vulgarities." Sanjog Rai of The Kathmandu Post, however, was the sole voice in panning the film, suggesting that it "harbingers the end of the digital delusion," elaborating on the trend of putting it "up for sainthood; it's almost as if the masses believe it is a beacon of ingenuity, and that it will single-handedly save Nepali cinema." His complaints included Quest Entertainment's excessive hype of the film, which had gone for more than a year before the film's release, the sound, which made him jump "even if the scenes were by no means frightening," the editing and the poor adaption, which he writes "hasn't much to sustain anyone's interest besides the naturally gorgeous scenes shot in Kagbeni, Jomsom, Syang and Marpha."Influence
Kagbeni was expected to be a trend-setting Nepali film with new taste of technology and story for Nepali audience, which it did to some extent. Although the cinema halls didn’t see the response as was expected, it started off really good with new director and actors. Dahal was a music director and this was his debut film. Similarly, Saugat Malla and Deeya Maskey are well known theatre actors. Nima Rumba is a popular singer. The movie was hyped for its sizzling kissing scene between the two lead actors.After Kagbeni, there have been some new movies of the same quality in the pipeline. Sano Sansar
Sano Sansar (film)
Sano Sansar is a 2008 Nepali romantic comedy film directed by Alok Nembang. The film has a massive star cast which includes Neer Shah and newcomers Mahesh Shakya, Jivan Luitel and Namrata Shrestha...
by music video director Alok Nembang is based on youths in urban city and “Mission Paisa” is an action movie.
Meanwhile, Dasdhunga, an investigation based movie on mysterious death of Madan Bhandari and Jiv Raj Ashrit in 2050 BS and 13246, a documentary-cum-movie on the decade long Maoist conflict in Nepal are set to release soon. Dasdhunga is directed by Manoj Pandit and 13246 by Apil Bista.
Box Office
The film was released in 10 January in Nepal. The film got the phenomenal response in urban areas like kathmandu, pokhara, narayangarh, etc. while the country areas has decent collection. The movie collected Rs 40 lacs in its opening weekend thus creating the new history in nepali cinema industry. The film grossed about Rs 3 crore from its theatherical run. The film grossed well in international market esp. in US, UK, Hong Kong where the Nepalese population is in decent number.
Awards
Kagbeni was selected in some of the international film festivals.- Shanghai International Film FestivalShanghai International Film FestivalThe Shanghai International Film Festival , abbreviated SIFF, is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia.Along with Tokyo International Film Festival, the SIFF is one of the biggest film festivals in Asia. The first festival was held from October 7 to 14, 1993, and was held biennially until...
2008: Official Selection - Mumbai International Film FestivalMumbai International Film FestivalMumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films , is a festival organised in the city of Mumbai by the 'Film Division', Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It has been organised since 1990, and focuses on documentary, short and animation...
2008: Official Selection - Hyderabad International Film FestivalHyderabad International Film FestivalThe Hyderabad International Film Festival is a film festival in Hyderabad, India.-Objective:The objective of the HIFF is to provide common platform for the filmmakers of the world to project their excellence of the film art contributing to understanding and appreciation of film cultures of...
2008: Official Selection