Chhakka Panja

Genre: Comedy and Social drama

Director: Deepa Shree Niraula

Cast: Deepak Raj Giri, Priyanka Karki, Aaryan Sigdel, Jeetu Nepal, Kedar Ghimire, Buddhi Tamang, Shivahari Poudel and Aruna Karki

Being screened at QfX Cinemas

Kathmandu

The film Chhakka Panja revolves around four friends in a village — Raja (Deepak Raj Giri), Saraswoti (Jeetu Nepal), Magne (Kedar Ghimire) and Buddhi (Buddhi Tamang). Raja is rich but illiterate and enjoys life, and tells his friends to not get married or hold any job. However, he secretly has affairs with married women.

Then one day Raja gets married to Champa (Priyanka Karki), and the story enters a serious mode when Champa elopes with someone else. The lives of Raja and his friends are turned upside down. Chhakka Panja is a total comedy and social drama, a story of friendship, love and revenge. It is hilarious from start to finish. With comedy and satire on society, it ‘is’ funny and takes you to Raja’s land.

Deepa Shree Niraula as the debutant director has done a good job. The storyline and setting is nothing new, but the way it has been presented is different, hence refreshing. Giri’s look resembles that of Govinda’s in the Bollywood film Raja Babu. Except for Dayahang Rai and Dhurmus of Wada No. 6, the other characters are the same. One may see these characters regularly on television, but the director has presented these characters in new avatars. Nepal is a simple bahun baje, Ghimire is a clueless young man who is fond of eating goat’s ear. Atit (Shivahari Poudel) is presented as a responsible man who helps his friends whenever there is a need.

The first-half of the film moves with Giri and his friends’ mischievous acts and social problems of society — leaving one’s wife to work in a foreign country, unemployment, society’s culture to show off, poverty, domestic violence and so on. In the middle of the second-half, the story takes a turn surprising the audience with its terrific ending.

Giri justifies his role as Raja. His cunning nature, Raja Babu-style get-up and perfect comedy timing steal audience’s heart as Raja. Karki as Champa and Poudel as the mystery man do a decent job. Nepal and Ghimire tickle your funny bone with their gags and humour. Tamang as the coward husband is apt and really funny. Aruna Karki as the tigress wife Devi is natural. Aryan Sigdel in a cameo as an NRN is treat to watch.

The songs Purba Pashchim Rail and Dekhan Champa Sunana Champa — Rajan Raj Shiwakoti and Deepak Sharma’s composition — will thrill you. The background score is awesome.