White Sun

Genre: Drama

Director: Deepak Rauniyar

Cast: Dayahang Rai, Asha Magarati, Rabindra Singh Baniya, Sumi Malla, Amrit Pariyar, Dipak Chhetri

Being screened at QFX Cinemas

Kathmandu

With majestic mountains in the backdrop, unfolds a layered drama set in the aftermath of the decade-long civil war of Nepal, presented in a linear narrative, and concluding with a well-written ending. White Sun, is an impressive watch, as director Deepak Rauniyar tells the tale of the present Nepali society with simplicity.

A former Maoist guerrilla Chandra aka Agni (Dayahang Rai) returns to his remote mountain village Nepaltar in Gorkha, after the death of his royalist father Chitra (Prakash Ghimire) after nearly a decade. Waiting for him back in village are his ex-wife Durga (Asha Magarati) and her daughter Pooja (Sumi Malla). Pooja, who believes Chandra to be her father, is anxious and jealous when Chandra arrives with Badri (Amrit Pariyar), a young street orphan rumoured to be his son. Chandra also has to face his brother Suraj (Rabindra Singh Baniya), who was on the opposing side during the civil war. A hostility is evident among them soon after the brothers come face to face. As the duo carry their father’s body down the mountain trail to the river for cremation, they can’t put aside their political enmity and start fighting. Suraj storms off in rage, leaving the body, and Chandra has to find help to carry the body.

The news broadcast over the radio (in the film’s backdrop) hints that White Sun is set in the time of promulgation of Constitution in 2015. In this simple story line, you can find layered meanings in different instances. They include — a nation stuck in transition (corpse stuck in the steep trail), political divide between family members (Chandra and Suraj not being able to cremate their father’s body keeping aside their political beliefs); caste- and gender-based discrimination (Durga, who was looking after the father of Suraj and Chandra till his death, is barred from funeral rites for being a woman and of ‘low caste’); changing gender roles in society (independent Durga raising her daughter Pooja all alone, without revealing her father’s identity); and no significant social change (Chandra being forced to follow same rituals against which he fought during the civil war), among others. This multitude of socio-political issues have been presented subtly and effectively — they are neither didactic nor irritating.

Amid all the darkness, there is natural humour, sparingly used yet sufficient music, and visually stunning backdrop to lighten your mood.  The presentation of armed rebels even at present is quite unconvincing — but it’s fiction after all!

Rai as always delivers his part with ease, be it when he is sad, funny, or serious. Magarati shines as a single mother. Yet her tone of dialogue delivery at a few times might sound quite odd.  Malla and Pariyar are worth mentioning — these two child actors please you with their intense performances. All actors — from lead to side actors — are good in their respective roles.