This looks like a remake of Gurudutt's 1957 cult-classic "Pyaasa". While Hamal and Sharma do try their best to reprise the roles of Gurudutt and Waheeda Rehman respectively, the writers of "Jiban Sangharsh" disappoint the hardwork of the lead actors. For example, in Pyaasa, Vijay's dejection with the hypocrisy around him is built up in a far more convincing way, so that when the dejected poet is thought of as dead, the audience easily reconciles the first half of the film with the now opportunist attitude of the publisher (who earlier denied the poet publishing and now want to make a killing out of his works).
In "Jiban Sangharsh", this build-up is not convincing at all. So, when Hamal tries to commit suicide, the audience find it hard to believe that why the protagonist is in a hurry to finish it off.
Though we need to give Hamal and Sharma full markes for trying, since they really try to sell the narrative unsuccessfully and half-heartedly built by the writers. One has to especially give credit to Hamal here, because being a commercially successful actor, this kind of serious cinema is not his natural domain, but he does come off as reasonably convincing. Mithila Sharma is a natural. Whether it is the self-assured and righteous housewife in "Adhikar" or a successful dancer feeling jealous of her younger sister (Pratigya), serious scenes are played by my panache by Sharma.
Special mention to Tika Pahari, who has a broad range of emotions in his acting repertoire. Whether it is the menacing villain or comical publisher or an overprotective brother, he plays all shades well.
Overall, "Jiban Sangharsh" is a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill Nepali films of "Hero-Heroine-Villain" formula of that era. Those Nepali speakers that do understand Hindi-Urdu must watch Pyaasa though (available for free on YouTube) and they would see where Gurudutt takes the role played by Rajesh Hamal.
