Kagbeni

I respect a lot about this film when it comes to the risk they had taken when Nepali movie industry was ruled by Substandard Masala entertainers copied from Indian cinema. It was completly new experience to see such a novel story presented in an artistic way. But the length of the film ruined everything for me. I felt like a 30 minutes short film was stretched to 2 hours just to fit into the norms.

Kagbeni is one of the highly appreciated movie ever made in Nepalese movie history. Inspired by the short story The Monkey's Paw, the movie also tries to show the lifestyle of the people living in the mountains of Nepal. The mesmerizing sceneries from the Himalayas is the best part of the movie. Ramesh in a will of getting his beloved, make a wish to the Monkey's paw given by a pilgrim which he is not supposed to do, faces the sequence of disasters in his life. The movie ends with a good moral that when we desire more for self benefit then that may lead to equivalent loss. It someway implies the saying 'to gain something, we must lose something'.

Because 'Kagbeni' is the first digital movie of Nepal, it has its own place in the history of Nepali Film Industry. Bhusan Dahal has made this movie worth watching. The performances of the actors are the best ever. The storyline follows the story of "The Monkey's Paw" which possesses a great power, the power which can fulfill every wish you make, but the rightful owner of the paw should make a wish. Wishes of any other get fulfilled along with a disaster. Watch the movie, and you see who wishes what, and what disaster they bring along.

The message passed through the movie is great. The movie may not be the taste of average Nepalese, but had the same movie been produced by Hollywood, I'm sure it would have good position in the World Film Industry.

This is a Nepali movie, loosely based on the 1902 horror short story The Monkey's Paw. The name is a district in Nepal; the film is the director's first. The reason for a Nepalise film to be made is the same in Nepal as anywhere in the developing world. Films validate a people, and they are good business when they can be outward looking, as this one is. Apparently, in this country of 30 million people, no decent films had been made before this one — or so the funders say. But the reasons for making and watching are different; there is a good reason to watch this. The actual story, acting and such are merely adequate, but the sense of place is profound, and the cinematography seems natural. This is a place unlike the place in which I live, and even places that I have visited, and I can report that there was competent sensitivity in conveying the nature of the place.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

Kagbeni is a masterpiece ever directed by any Nepali. it portraits the life style and social images of northern rural part of Nepal. there are series of beautiful glittering images of Nepali culture and nature. the story is amazing and the cast superb, actually the lead actor of this film, Saugat Malla gives the most sensitive role that any other Nepali actors has ever given. the story is about two childhood best friends Ramesh and Krishba. Ramesh sustains his life by selling the apple wine.Krishna then come from abroad to visit him. they both go for the visit to the city where Ramesh can sell the apple juice. On their journey Ramesh finds that his beloved lover Tara is going to marry his friend Krishna due to pressure from her father. on their way they find a saint whom they help to comfort him for a night. in return the saint gift Krishna a monkey paw which is believed to have magical powers. it is believed to fulfill the wish of the man who owns it. on their quest and adventure they find it much difficult to bear it. they find that it bring their life more trouble than happiness. the tagline of the film is "be careful what you wish for", which in my thought is best justified in the film.