Tulsi Ghimire's Gautama Buddha: first animated movie from Nepal

The 60 year old, Nepali film director, Tulsi Ghimire has started working on the first Buddha film from Nepal. The movie being the first animated feature film from Nepal is slated for release in 2013 and will be dubbed in seven different languages.

Many Bollywood movies have been released on the topic, such as 'ChandniChandni Chowk to China' and Ashutosh Gowarikar's film on Buddha, but the Nepali director was inspired to make his own version of the Buddha film after having conversations with Buddhist monks from different places.

He said many puzzled monks had asked him the place of birth of Gautama Buddha, since they were uncertain whether it was India or Nepal. Ghimire explained that the remains of the old palace and the garden where Buddha was born can be found in southern Nepal, in a place called Kapilavastu, which is neither included in Nepal nor India.

Tulsi Ghimire

Ghimire says that the movie would have cost him much less if it had used actual people to play the roles. But since the available description of Buddha in the literature was such, he realized it was impossible to find such an actor. The Buddha had arms that reached his knees, the large kindly eyes of a cow and a voice as deep as an echoing well. Ghimire found it best to animate the movie and gave up his manhunt to find the perfect face for Buddha.

While telling about the story line, Ghimire says, “There are three schools detailing the Buddha’s life. The Mahayana Buddhists chronicle a logically believable life while the Hinayana Buddhist s depicts Prince Siddharth as a reincarnation of God. The VajrayanaVajrayana School, on the other hand, invests him with tantric powers.” Ghimire said he has adopted a middle path in his story telling.
Ghimire plans to bring into light the role of Yashodhara, the wife of Buddha. He said, she was a pillar of support to her husband but very little is known about her. “They had met before they were married and those scenes bring romance to the film”. Ghimire explains.
His 110 minute film will also shed some light on the common myths about the Buddha, including the one that says Buddha renounced his worldly life and the luxury of his palace after he was shocked to see an old man, a sick man, a dead man and a monk.
Ghimire plans to give media a sneak preview later this year, showing a few scenes as a promotional take on the film.

Mrigatrishna - 21st film of Tulsi Ghimire

Director, Editor, Scripter and Lyricist of “Mriga Trishna” (Nepali film), Mr. Tulsi Ghimiray who is in the capital for the shoot of his upcoming film. “A simple life and solution has become an illusion” is the theme of his film. Mr. Tulsi Ghimiray is back again in Sikkim along with his team after 2 years. While speaking to media Mr Ghimiray shared that he was brought up in Kalimpong Sindibong Busty), and having an optimistic thoughts, simple living high thinking, a good learner and a struggler in the film industry he was able to reach this place and he also added that he feels very happy when he gets chance

to shoot his film here in the state. Speaking about the film “Mriga Trishna”, director Mr. Tulsi Ghimiray said

that, total of 20 Nepali films which  has been successfully completed in my life and this is my 21st film. Yesterday was the first shoot of “Mriga Trishna” which was done at Epica Garden, Ranipool, and today we went for a shooting in Mayfair and Smile land. Altogether there are 4 songs in this film. “If I can shoot the film in schedule then I guess 22-25 days will be enough for the completion of the entire shooting” said the director. He said that, we are just behind the schedule for 7 days; he further informed that they will shoot here in the capital for a few days then  14-15 days in Namchi and for the rest of the shoot they are still searching for the location. The total budget of the film is about Rs.32-35 Lakhs. Mrs. Gyatri Bhutia is the producer of this Film.  This film is produced under the banner Sai Gyatri Films. Sharing some lighter moments with Sikkim Mail, he added that he first visited Sikkim when he a simple employee in Central Water and Power Commission during 1973. As the time passes on by, he joined the film industry in Mumbai as an apprehensive editor of film in 1974. After proving himself a perfect director in film industry from Mumbai, he started making a documentary films, Cordovan films, and even made a documentary film Aadikavi Bhanu Bhakta in Sikkim where during that time he had come to Sikkim along with the team of Lahurey film in 1987. After that, his film shoot in Sikkim was in 2009 “Desh” and “Swarga Ki Pari” . “Basuri” was his 1st movie shot  in Kalimpong during 1981. When the question asked about the local potential on the film line, Mr. Ghimiray said that, as far I have seen, people from here have a great potential but all they need is devotion and dedication where they need to study the film line. This could be a good platform for the film industry. On the same hand, he also added that, yes there are some good local director here in Sikkim, some like Mr. Prashant Rasaily and  Mr. Ugen Chopel who have proved themselves in the field. When asked as to what is the difference between  “Lahurey” and “Mriga Trishna”, he said that, Lahurey was all based on patriotism film whereas the new one is a romantic film. 

 “If we want to keep the documents and film of arts and culture, I guess this would be the best to preserve and glorify, where the Sikkim can be a good platform because the Chief Minister, Dr. Pawan Chamling is much interested in establishing the Nepali film in Sikkim, and we need to help and come forward to take the opportunity”, said the director.Wife Bharati Ghimirey who has come along with him as his Chief Assistant, two daughter one studying in Katmandu University (fine  arts) and another one who have just completed her 10^th  standard.  Mr. Karma Shakya is the male lead and Ms.

Nandita KC the female lead of this film, both the actors are from Kathmandu.

The turning point came in 1981 when Tulsi Ghimire, the son of an Indian Army soldier in Kalimpong’s Sindibong basti, left Mumbai to start work in Kathmandu.

Ghimire, who began his career as a makeup boy with ‘Khuda Kasam’ director Lekh Tandon’s unit in Bollywood, left the Hindi film industry after 20 years when his guru told him to discharge his debt by making films in his mother tongue – Nepali.

After the 1981 Nepali film ‘Bansuri’, Ghimire became one of the best-known directors in Nepal, coming up with hits like ‘Balidan’, ‘Kusume Rumal’ and ‘Darpan Chhaya’, considered one of the most successful Nepali films ever, running for 51 days in nine cinemas.

Next Friday, ending a lull of two years when he worked on various scripts, Ghimire, now 60, returns to the Nepali silver screen with his new film ‘Desh’.

After a string of romantic films, ‘Desh’ responds to the sweeping political changes in Nepal – which from a Hindu kingdom became a secular republic – by focusing on politics, people’s perception of politics and the prevailing environment of uncertainty and lack of direction.

‘It feels great to come back,’ says Ghimire, who will start shooting on his 21st film - ‘Mrigatrishna’, revolving round unemployment, – after the Dussehra celebrations are over in October.

In a happy coincidence, three of the actors who were given their first break by Ghimire are also returning to the Nepali film industry at the same time.

In 2001, an aspiring actor from Sikkim, Uttam Pradhan, was cast as the debutant hero in Ghimire’s new film ‘Darpan Chhaya’. While the film was a runaway success, Pradhan bagged the award for the best male newcomer with his convincing portrayal of a blind college student.

However, after acting as the male lead in over a dozen Nepali films, Pradhan decided to pack up and return to Sikkim about four years ago.

Now he is back again with his new film ‘Timro Mayama’ that was released Sep 24 which, coincidentally, is also a college romance.