Kathmandu. Artist Haribansha Acharya’s identity has been comedy and satirical farce and performance. However, after being declared the best actor at the National Film Awards for the film ‘Mahapurush’ released in 2079 BS, he has been presenting himself in a different role than usual. Acharya had earned praise by presenting himself differently in the film ‘Balidan’. However, in the currently released film ‘Bhuthan’, he has been presented as a man who has lost his sense of humor. Actor Acharya, who uses ‘humor comedy’ in his art, can be seen laughing only in two scenes in this film.
That is why he has been called an actor rather than a comedian in the last few films. Even after reaching the age of sixty-seven, the multifaceted Acharya, who takes his work seriously and brings the characters to life, likes variety. “I had a desire to act in a movie as a person who has lost his sense of humor, and this time it has been fulfilled. I had tried to present myself differently from my image in ‘Mahapurush’ as well, but the director presented me in a balanced way. This time, I am seen differently,” says actor Acharya.
Presented here is an edited excerpt of an interview with actor Acharya by RSS’s Naveen Poudel and Bheshraj Karki on contemporary issues including his artistic journey, the possibility of entering film directing and politics, the foreign market for Nepali films, and more:
How did you prepare to play the role of a person who has lost his sense of humor in the movie ‘Bhutan’?
I have been getting many film scripts. Nowadays, I have been getting stories where the children are abroad and the parents are in Nepal. However, I read and listen to those stories with the idea of presenting myself in a new way. However, instead of being a ‘situational comedy’, stories were coming that were dialogue-based or ‘comedy’ with gestures. At that time, I got the script for ‘Bhutan’. It was not easy to understand it at once, but after understanding it, the diversity in it attracted me. While acting in the movie ‘Balidan’, I was afraid that I would not be able to do it, but after watching the movie, many people commented that I did well. I had also tried to do something different in ‘Mahajatra’. However, director Pradeep Bhattarai added ‘humor’ to it. But the character of ‘Bhutan’ is completely different. You don’t understand it after reading it once, and after reading it two or three times, I found my character to be somewhat different and as I had imagined, and that’s when things progressed. How was the character you played in the movie ‘Bhutan’ created? – I don’t use ‘glycerin’ even in the crying scene after reading the script. Because after the story and the character are connected, the emotion should be seen through us. The story of the movie ‘Bhutan’ had already made some impression on me.
The workshop held before the shooting of the movie helped me. However, I still felt like I couldn’t become the Bishnu Bahadur KC I played. One day, director Binod Poudel said, ‘Brother, what will you do if you don’t get to go to Nepal?’ I suddenly became disappointed. Because I have traveled abroad a lot during various programs. I am someone who likes to return to Nepal as soon as the program ends. After I was disappointed, director Poudel said that this emotion should be present throughout the movie. This is how the character was created.
Did you meet people who resembled your character before filming?
I have met a Bhutanese of Nepali origin living there (in America) and listened to his story. There is no difference in our customs and culture, but they have not been able to return to their country. That is sad. Even though the youth are busy with work, it seemed that the elderly parents are less happy. If I had to live like that, I probably would not have been able to survive. That is a bitter truth that I cannot even imagine.
In the film ‘Bhutan’, did you completely dedicate yourself to the director? #Can I dedicate myself to the director after I am ‘convinced’ of the story, because the director is the captain of the film. Whether I am doing a workshop or shooting a scene, I do it without getting tired even when I have to repeat my work. Because we all strive to do a good job. I have kissed in a film, where emotions, not bodies, touched each other. This is natural between husband and wife. Again, we have made a film keeping the international market in mind. Some of the new scenes I have done are artistic, they will not look vulgar.
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## #Are you also preparing to direct a film yourself?
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## I will not become a film director. I did it because there is a short time and group in the teleseries. However, the director has the responsibility from the beginning of the film until the film is released and stays in the movie building. Due to my age, I cannot give that much time. Now I am attracted to diverse roles. I want to keep myself busy as an actor.
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## What is the plan to make a film through Maha Sanchar?
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## No plan has been made for film production yet. However, our friend Kiran KC is trying to do various things including the subject matter. It is not that we will not do it, but the plan has not been made immediately. I have recently acted in another film ‘Hari Bahadur Ko Jutta’, which has been produced by my son Mohit (Mohitvansh Acharya) and Saroj Oliji. I have given the responsibility of that to both of them. Because it is also important to pass it on to the next generation.
The Nepali film market has seen an increase in the past year. ‘Purna Bahadur Ko Sarangi’ has become a business history, How do you understand the entire film industry?
The increase in the number of viewers coming to watch our films is good news for all of us. It is our responsibility to keep bringing those viewers back to the cinema hall. However, numerical growth in film production alone will not benefit us in the long run. We need to increase the number of producers or production groups that can support our domestic market and understand films. Getting excited about film production after seeing the business of a single film may not give good results. Therefore, I urge newcomers to come into production only after understanding films.
Are Nepali films now also being shown abroad? ##Have you found that the market has increased?
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## Our films have been watched more abroad after the number of Nepalis increased. The Nepalis who have reached there have watched them. How can we say that the market has increased unless the locals there have watched them? Because the Nepalis who are here have now reached countries such as Australia, America and others. Earlier they used to watch here, now they watch them abroad. It cannot be said that the foreign market has increased unless the locals watch them. Recently, the Nepali audience has only increased.
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## ##You have done a lot of comedy, ##Did you not have the desire to do drama or was it a coincidence?
I think comedy and drama are the same. It’s the stage we use. Comedy has satire, while drama has variety. Last year, we did a comedy called ‘Maha Jatra’ at Pragya Pratishthan Kamaladi. If we had done the same play at home, it could have been a drama. So there is not much difference between the two. We are presenting ourselves on stage in front of a live audience.
What kind of films do you plan to do in the future?
I don’t say that I will do this because I like variety. However, I will do films with ‘humor’ when I get an offer. Just because I worked in ‘Bhutan’ doesn’t mean I prefer to work in only those kinds of films. I want to present myself in different roles. In my upcoming film ‘Hari Bahadur’s Shoes’, I have played the role of Hari Bahadur. This also reflects the diversity I am talking about.
You and actor Madan Krishna Shrestha have completed 45 years of collaboration as a couple, What has been important in sustaining this relationship?
This Baisakh 14th marks the completion of 45 years of collaboration between me and Madan Dai (Madan Krishna Shrestha). Our relationship, family warmth, and the love of the audience were important in our journey. If the audience had not wanted to see us together, it would have been difficult for us to go through this journey. And our family always supported us and helped us move forward, they did not dominate our relationship. In addition, the work we were doing gave both of us a name, created a place. We never had ego with each other, we always presented ourselves according to the audience’s feelings.
You and actor Madan Krishna Shrestha have been acting in different films, However, the audience has expressed a desire to see us together. Are there any preparations?
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Like the audience, we also feel happy when we work together. We feel happy in a family atmosphere instead of working there. That’s why as soon as the story is suitable, we will be seen together. Again, we don’t even think that each other has a small role, but that character must have meaning. We cannot make the audience happy just because we are a couple. If the role we play is strong and important in the story, the audience who has come to the film house after spending money and time will also be happy. We work together, it has only taken a while. Because if I don’t work with Madan Dai, who will I work with?
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## ##What is the current new generation doing in comedy? #Sometimes it also comes to mind that we are being rude, right? When we started working as a couple, there was no system where we could say our things directly. We used to play with words and present them artistically. Now we hear that dialogues that seem ambiguous or rude are being spoken, and some have been. However, the audience has liked them. They are again not only Nepali but also on foreign channels or digital media. Such programs have increased because the audience has liked them. However, it seems that this is a temporary wave. It will gradually change.
#Recently, there have been fewer series on television, #Why do you think?
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## In our country, the cost of series production has increased and the benefits received from it are low, which may be why the production of series has decreased. I hear that industries abroad are sponsoring and helping in the production of series. However, here, that situation is very rare. The government should understand it as a medium of language and culture and support it. Watching Indian television in Nepal is now gradually affecting our culture. It has also affected the language. For example, marriage can be taken. You can easily see the difference in the marriage program before and now. It has added to the financial burden, parents are forced to imitate. Therefore, the government itself needs to take the initiative to encourage Nepali programs, series, etc.
After the popularity of ‘#China’s Missing Man’, have you thought about writing a book?
# I have prepared a manuscript. It will probably come out as a book in three to four months.
# #Do you want to enter politics?
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# I am slowly ‘retiring’. Therefore, I should not even think about entering politics. We are now saying that young people should enter politics, we should encourage young people. They have new energy, vitality and a way of working. We should support and move the youth forward.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्