''Gaja Baja'' is a 2018

Nepali Nepali or Nepalese may refer to : Concerning Nepal * Anything of, from, or related to Nepal * Nepali people, citizens of Nepal * Nepali language, an Indo-Aryan language found in Nepal, the current official national language and a language spoken ...

independent comedy film, written and directed by Ganesh Dev Panday. The film was produced by Goma Bista and Dipendra Regmi under the banner of Tuka Entertainment. It stars Sushil Sitaula, and Anupam Sharma in the lead roles alongside Rabin Thapa, Barsha Siwakoti, Uddav Bhattari, Raksha Shrestha, and Ambar Subedi. ''Gaja Baja'' is about two stoners who face many challenges while seeking

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

in Kathmandu. The film's release was delayed due to the controversial use of the word ''gaja'', which is associated with marijuana. ''Gaja Baja'' received a generally positive critical reception.

Plot

Best friends Dadhe (Anupam Sharma) and Gorey (Sushil Sitaula) love to smoke marijuana. They face many challenges while seeking marijuana in Kathmandu. They borrow money from gangster Dhude (Rabin Thapa). Unable to pay him back, they are pursued by Dhude, who is himself sought by mysterious men.

Cast

* Sushil Sitaula as Gore * Anupam Sharma as Dadhe * Rabin Thapa as Dhude * Barsha Siwakoti as Gore's girlfriend * Uddav Bhattari * Raksha Shrestha as Putali * Ambar Subedi

Production

Filming took place in Kathmandu, with shooting completed by May 2016.

Censorship controversy

The

Film Development Board The Film Development Board is a government body responsible for the development and promotion of motion picture sector in Nepal. The board is under the Ministry of Information and Communication Nepal. History Film Development Board (FDB) was e ...

(FDB) of Nepal refused to register the name ''Gajabaja'' or to issue a production license for the film. FDB President Raj Kumar Rai stated, "We can't give consent for movie related to drug abuse". A particular concern was that the word ''gaja''—a term for 'marijuana'—could promote use of the drug. Director Ganesh Dev Panday filed a writ in the

Supreme Court of Nepal The Supreme Court of Nepal ( ne, सर्वोच्च अदालत) is the highest court in Nepal. It has appellate jurisdiction over decisions of the seven High Courts (including eleven Benches of the High Courts) and extraordinary origin ...

in May 2016, citing freedom of expression. Nepali filmmakers Nischal Basnet, Khagendra Lamichhane,

Sunil Pokhrel Sunil Pokharel ( ne, सुनील पोखरेल; born on 16 June 1963) is a Nepali theatre artist and director. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern Nepali theatre. He is a graduate of National School of Drama, India (1987).H ...

Sunil Thapa Sunil Thapa ( ne, सुनील थापा) is a leading Nepalese actor who has appeared in Nepali, Bollywood and Bhojpuri films. He started his career with the Bollywood movie ''Ek Duuje Ke Liye''. He is an enigmatic figure in the Nepal ...

, and Deepak Raj Giri protested the board's decision. Panday felt that the title spoke to "the soul of the movie", with ''gaja'' for 'marijuana' and ''baja'' for the film's music, and did not wish to alter it. The FDB was criticized for not clearly defining content guidelines for films, making its censorship decisions appear arbitrary, and for not developing a rating system for mature content. Panday and production house Tuka Entertainment won the two-year legal battle. In March 2018, the FDB approved the film's release under an adult certificate, with all of the "vernacular dialogues" to be muted. ''Moviemandu'' reported that the film trailer had been bleep censored.

Release and reception

The film was released domestically in theatres on 9 March 2018. A review in ''Online Khabar'' stated: "Overall the movie is entertaining" and praised the two lead actors and the bonding between their characters. It found the dark comedy to be engaging, particularly in the first half, but felt that the ending was too sudden. Timothy Aryal of '' The Kathmandu Post'' said ''Gaja Baja'' was one of four independent Nepali films released that year which broke from foreign formulaic narratives, describing it as "a trailblazer in its own right, for it brought a new genre—the stoner comedy—to the Nepali film industry". Sunny Mahat of '' The Annapurna Express'' said that ''Gaja Baja'' is a "must-watch".

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=tt7991418 2018 films Films about cannabis 2010s Nepali-language films Obscenity controversies in film Films shot in Kathmandu Nepalese crime films Nepalese comedy films