Kathmandu, December 1:

Most of the members of the Maoist leadership today set aside all their functions and thronged the Birendra International Convention Centre to watch Lal Salaam, a movie produced by the party itself.

Though Maoist supremo Prachanda and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal did not watch the full movie, other leaders including Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidhya, CP Gajurel, Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’, Pampha Bhusal and the CPN-UML leader Bamdev Gautam watched the full film.

Maoist MPs and members of the Young Communist League (YCL), ANNISU-R and Nepal Trade Union Federation were also present at the screening.

Bikalpa, the commander of the third brigade of the Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has played the lead role in the film, the production of which was coordinated by the deputy commander of the PLA Janardan Sharma ‘Pravakar’.

After the show, Dr Baburam Bhattarai said the film may be weak on its aesthetic part, but it has nicely portrayed the events of the People’s War. “It’s just the beginning and therefore it may have several weaknesses. But still, a good film has been made,” he said.

The film was presented by the Akhil Nepal Jana Sanskritik Mahasangh (ANJSM) under the banner of Revolutionary Cineworkers Pvt Ltd and is directed by Shivaji Lamichhane.

According to Iswor Chandra Gyawali, president of the ANJSM, the film was made with a total budget of Rs 6.5 million, excluding the wages of the artistes as all of them had volunteered. Gyawali said this is the first film made with the initiation of a Maoist sister organisation.

Some 6,000 people, including 2,000 Maoist cadres, watched the film during the three

shows today.