http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-252100974955559819


After months of slogans and struggle and another nineteen days of bloodshed, batons and bullets “The April Uprising” was to pave a path for a newer progressive start. At least that was what everybody hoped for. We saw with our very own eyes (or fractions we were deemed to see) the face of the nation changed. And WE needed but an excuse to do something new, something artistically productive.
What WE witnessed was something substantial. It boiled questions and reactions of variety. There was a new light ahead to be trod on, what was felt had to be expressed. The trail WE chose was a film (not a documentary). WE are a collective of musicians, photographers, writers, artists: “MANTHAN”. All of us could not have felt the same thing. That was our end of the rainbow – the pot of gold. The collaboration of thoughts was hammered into the base of the film.

The film “Ekadeshma – Rhymes of the Riot Age” expresses sense of worthlessness, constraints, no sense, and grievance. It revolves around a young artist and his perception of the revolution happening in the streets and within himself, as viewed by the narrator. The interlude of a “Bhariya” character depicts the death and suffering of Nepali people. The film does not strive to impart any revelations or morals to the viewer. It has an open ending. No constraints here. Take of it what one wants. The film relies upon poetry, narration, visuals and music to relay its content.

The production of film cost merely about Rs 1500. We used what we had. We had to, NO Money. A small DV camera was used to shoot the entire production. No professionals what so ever were involved at all in making of this film. The pre-production, production and post-production are the works of MANTHAN.

MANTHAN Team:

Prashit Sthapit, Deep Chettri, Bibhusan Basnet, Rajan Shrestha, Preena Shrestha, Sujen Rajbhandari, Rajeev Manandhar.