Friday, March 18, 2011

Sharchokpa Zamin (my review)

The latest film in town Sharchokpa Zamin is attracting a good crowd, a very good one I must say. I watched it on the second day after it was released at the Luger theater in Thimphu. It was a nigh show which started at 8:30 and I had to go because my little cousins wanted to watch the film. Children love Bhutanese films don't they?

As many other films, I though there would not be much of a crowd because its usually cold during the night but I did not want to take a risk. So I went to get the tickets way earlier and I got it. The tickets were almost over but I managed to get six.

At 8:30 pm, I reached the theater along with my cousins, mother and a friend but people were still waiting outside. The evening film was not over so people had to wait. We waited for more than 30 minutes outside in the cold but it was an interesting sight to watch. I had never seen such a big crowd in front of the Luger Theater to watch a Bhutanese film, I did see such crowds when I was a little girl and the theater screened Bollywood films.

Finally when it was past 9 pm, we could go inside. Imagine the rush at the gate that a little girl lost her shoe. After we got into the hall the tickets did not have seat numbers and we were told that we could sit anywhere we wanted. Anywhere, but where?

We were lucky that we got all the six seats together but there were few others who could not sit together. The theater authorities should have at least given the seat numbers.

After much havoc, things started settling down and the film started.

I was excited being a Sharchokpa myself. At the same time I was expecting a lot from this film because it was directed by Tshering wangyel and the actors were also very good.Every time Tshering Wangyel has a new release, I always expect a lot and at times my expectations are fulfilled.

I liked how the film started and Tshokey Tshomo's acting but I did not like the story line. Small realities had been left out here, which of course will not be a big deal for many but it is for me.

The film is about a simple Sharchokpa girl living in Thimphu going to RTC living a life of a typical villager in Thimphu and dressing that way. In a span of three years she becomes a voluptuous top actor of Bhutan and the sharchokpa zamin is lost.

She speaks dzongkha with sharchokpa influence and makes a joke out of herself. I found that funny but a little over the limit. Come on man, she has been living in Thimphu with that accent?

Now, who would live a life like hers in Thimphu? I mean she goes to RTC college dressed typically like a villager. The setting would have been better if she came to RTC from a remote village, that would have made sense. But she has her family in Thimphu which states that she has been living here for many years.

Her best friend Khor Khor la also goes to RTC with here and he becomes a doctor, an eye specialist within three years. Now wouldn't we all like to become eye specialist three years after graduating if that possible?

The male protagonist becomes blind and turns to rags from riches. Poor him, we don't even know where his best friends are right after he becomes blind but the canteen owner of RTC, who had earlier seen him when he was studying, takes care of him.

The actors have done a good job and the songs of the film are worth listening. One of my favorite songs Gawai Jigme, sung by Tshering Dorji is also used in the film.

People enjoyed the film but I personally was not satisfied. I expected more that this.

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