| ashu |
Posted
on 31-Aug-00 07:03 AM
More than a month ago, at a party thrown by Kanak and Kunda Dixit's Nepali Times
(a new weekly newspaper that's still in search of writers!) at Soaltee in Kathmandu, I met and had had a long guff-session with Madan Krishna and Hari Bansa -- the famous
Nepali comedians.
Both well remembered their September '99 ko trip to Boston, where they had put on a show
at MIT for the Boston Nepalis. Both were also appreciative of the hospitality shown to them then by Prahlad KC and Basanta Shrestha and their families. At the party,
the Maha duo said then that they would, if need be, help put on a show in aid of the free Kamaiyas (i.e. just released bonded laborers).
That was then:
Recently, with friends, I had an opportunity to watch the duo in action at their "gai jaatra" ko special program at the Academy Hall. Much to my pleasant surprise, I found their "gai jaatra" items, especially their new piece called "Saalik" (or The Statue) incredibly witty, well-crafted, sophisticated and laced with a sort of skit-noir, with black, grim humor.
That the Maha duo could write, act and satisfy their audience with a black, dark comedy (a genre of humor that's very hard to deliver; as an example, remember Stanley Kubrick's movie, "Dr. Strangelove")left me awestruck at how how creative and boldly experimental these guys really are.
Such creativity aside, what has long impressed me about the duo is their
professional and personal togetherness for the last 20 years.
After all, think about this, even communally: Madan Krishna is an enormously talented Newar man (though married to a bahun woman). Hari Bansha is an amazingly versatile talent, a sheer genius at what he does.
Each could have walked out of another's life anytime before, and could have made it big in his own way. Yet neither did that, and have stuck to one another through good times and bad.
And the result is that, today, both remain the best of friends -- personally as well as professionally, weathering ((by their own admission) a few mutual misunderstandings, always bringing out the best in one another.
The result has been that Nepal's comedy
world is much richer and more
sophisticated.
In Nepal and among Nepalis, where silly
egos, (in some cases, inherited) rage, jealousy at others' success, and communal feelings loom larger than talents and productivity, and where most people are not, no matter how highly educated they may be, broad-minded enough to resolve misunderstandings to get on with the business of enjoying
life and friendship, this togetherness of Madan Krishna and Hari Bansha is no small
achievement.
Here's wishing the MaHa duo -- who, happily, are also well-wishers of
the GBNC -- 20 more years of personal and professional togetherness!!
oohi
ashu
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 31-Aug-00 02:41 PM
The most amazing thing about immemorial amity
and unity of Maha is ,of course,the longevity
of the bond, and the uncorrupted
steadfastness of their belief that people
should benefit from the polity, not that
the leaders should benefit from the ignorance
of the people.
They also guide people to remain impartial
in their political belief, and not let any
body(leaders) benefit from the same political
conviction of multitudes.
The tenacity of their bond is commendable in
this era when the people of the same party
engages in endless bickering, and splittism
has been hallmark of big parties.
Another feature of their success is their
unwavering allegiance to people,the down-
trodden and impecunious flock of Nepal. Since
they worked on various social issues,
expressing them in humorous patterns of
acting & couching their words in the most
fathomable dialogues, their commitment to
the amelioration of social life in Nepal
has surely been unquestionable.
They again proved that the art sells even
in the penurious society like that of Nepal.
Other artists need to hone their dexterity to
make themselves known to Nepalese people.Maha
duo are worthy people to emulate.
The only thing that I have problem with Maha
duo is:their unsuccess in movie industry.
They made disastrous movies like "filim", and
they bonded themselves to the same tradition
of movie making that has been fostering in
the non-creative Kollywood.The filim, sadly
interlarded with catchy wishywashy dialogues
and musicale pieces that professes
unrealistic lovestories, was just a reminder
of another mediocre product of Bollywood.
Even "Lovipapi" was not that good.Oh,but
they played well in "Ke ghar ke dera"..
Their commitement to chip in something for
Kamaiya manumission is commendable.But as
you know,you can't just force two bighearted
people to do all the philanthropy.This should
be a national phenomena.Otherwise,it would
be another form of soft-labor.
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