Dravya (pre-release review) was posted previously.
A new Nepali movie ‘Dravya’ was released last Friday. The movie made on a story of few youths related to casino is directed by Markendey Dipbim Basnet and features Ashok Phuyal, Anoop Bikram Shah, Kalpana Shah, Biraj Bhatt, and Amit Pokhrel in leading roles.
Story:
Dravya is a story of Binod, Nisha, Paras and Bikram, and their relation to a casino. Binod, Nisha and Paras work in the casino and Paras is one of the regular customers in the casino. Life brings them to a situation in which they need of huge amount of money. Collecting that much money was pretty much impossible by doing good deeds. So, they plan to steal money of a regular casino customer, Khalid. Khalid, an Indian citizen visits Nepal just to lose his money at the casino and have fun with Nepali girls. After stealing the money of Khalid they found out that Khalid is the brother of a big don of India. I wouldn’t spoil your movie going experience by telling if Binod, Nisha, Paras and Bikram succeed in running away from the don and the police.
Strength and Weakness:
After watching this movie, I have a feeling that, before making a movie, a director needs to be clear about a few things, namely:
- Movie type – Is it action, thriller, romantic, comedy, mass entertainer, or some other type?
- Target audience – Some make movies for young generation viewers other target regular Nepali movie viewers.
In ‘Dravya’, the movie maker and the director hasn’t given any thoughts on these basic aspect of the movie making. While looking at the promotional materials, actors, and story concept, the movie seems to be targeted to young generation. But, when we watch the movie, there is nothing attractive for the young people and the masala aspect in the movie seem to be targeted to entertain the regular Nepali movie goers.
Although, the movie tries to portray youth love story, youths in casino, gambling and it’s problems; the movie is full of stale dialogues that every Nepali movie viewers can predict in advance. Here are some of such example:
- Love between a boy and a girl starts after a fight scene in which the boy protects the girl from a villain and girl. It seems the villain only purpose of being there was to help them fall in love. After that he doesn’t have any significant role in their love story.
- Sole purpose of Biraj Bhatt is to showcase action. The action he does doesn’t add value to the movie and it has no connection to the story of the movie. Showcasing stunts of action hero in movie has been going on for a long time.
- As usual, actors and actresses sing romantic songs in gardens, mountains, river banks. It seems, the director thinks such scenes are essential part of Nepali films.
- Villains are created for action scenes – All they do is perform some fights and lengthen the movie.
- Most of the characters of movie are not that well justified. One wonders why those actors are featured in the first place.
- Apart from a few known faces all the other new faces look unprofessional. They make the movie tasteless.
Due to the lack of clear vision of the director the movie fails to underline it’s good points. It is evident that the movie makers haven’t studied the need of the Nepali movie market.
Star Cast:
As mentioned in our pre-review, Dravya has to be dependent upon the lone star power of Biraj Bhatt. Except Biraj, all other actors are in their struggling phase and new to film industry, so whole movie is on the shoulder of Biraj Bhatt. Biraj has a suitable role of a police officer and he has won the heart of his fans. In the movie the police is known to breaks hands and legs of criminals. Although there is nothing fresh in his role, he hasn’t disappointed his regular fans because of his action scenes and dialogues. After Biraj, Anoop Bikram Shah, in the role of Paras, has done good job. He seem to have a good future if he can get the right type of movies.
Apart from the two, all other’s acting is below average. Almost all of the supporting characters are unprofessional and they have read their dialogue out of a cheat sheet.
Conclusion:
‘Dravya’ is not a good movie! Although it has all the ingredients to make it a successful movie, the presentation of these things was done improperly. This movie is sure to disappoint both the youth and the traditional Nepali movie goers.