Reasons why Kabaddi 4 is the highest grossing Nepali movie
At a time when Nepali films are facing a series of dud with even Anmol Kc’s movie ‘Eh mero Hajur4’, Kabaddi 4 has managed to do the impossible. In less than 3 weeks, the movie managed to earn more than 200 million. Here is why Kabaddi 4 has managed to break the box office slumber of Nepali movies and has managed to become the highest-grossing movie of Nepal!
A distraught middle-aged man who has experienced multiple failures in love sets out on an ascetic journey only to be pulled back by his family into the mundane world. He is dragged into an unfavorable situation, as he unwillingly performs the role of board chairperson in a local school.
Hopelessness abounds as he is convinced that he is not fated to marry the girl of his liking. In a sudden twist of fate, a new damsel, who is the perfect embodiment of feminine attributes, emerges into the scene and develops a liking “Bir Kazi”, which eventually culminates into a full-blown love. While Bir Kazi, who is wounded by his past encounters, is quick to shrug off the romantic advances from this new damsel, “Bom Kazi” is relentless in his amorous pursuit and ends up kidnapping the damsel after multiple rejection. Bir Kazi, upon realizing that he has had a lapse of judgement rallies his two minions and decides to free the girl from the clutches of “Bom Kazi”.The story is pretty standard and as cheesy as it can get. However, the movie has been able to appeal to the Nepali audience.
In an industry where more than 70 percent of the movie-makers end up making less than the production cost of the movie, the sweeping adulation that Kabbadi 4 has received from the Nepali audience is noteworthy. The movie has been able to trump the earnings by “Chhakka Panja 3”, which was a little over 200 million, in a short span of 3 weeks. Needless to say, “Saugat Malla” and “Daya Hang Rai ” rose to towering height in the eyes of the Nepali audience with the screening of loot. It is this stardom that has paid dividends in the future movies that they have starred in. Clearly, the film has made no attempt whatsoever to delve into the grave issues facing the Nepalese society. Despite the obvious nonchalance and the screenplay devoid of novelty, what made the Kabbadi movie an unprecedented success? This article attempts to shed light on factors other than the sheer face value of actors that has led to a huge blockbuster success of Kabbadi 4.
Use of Colloquial Language
The shift in the colloquial tone in the mainstream movies accelerated after the loot movie by Nischal Basnet in 2012. Since this movie, the mainstream movies have emphasized heavily on the using local dialect with a touch of colloquialism. This strategy of showcasing non-formal style of conversation has been well received by the Nepalese audience who have grown tired of the rhetorical style of conversation in the movies. The perfect depiction of colloquial language has been done in the movie “Kalo Pothi”. Set in the rural village of Mugu, the movie features two small chaps who converse with each other in the Khas language. They set out on a mission to recover the lost hen in the midst of looming conflict. The same use of colloquialism has also been reflected in Kabbadi 4. Bijay Baral and Buddhi Tamang breathe life into the movie by delivering a usual humor-infused performance and their non-formal style of conversation upholds the entire brand value of Kabbadi despite the mediocre storyline.
Emphasis on Character Development
With Kabbadi 4 being the 4th iteration of the Kabbadi franchise, no wonder people have developed deep emotional connect with the characters. Bir Kazi’s misfortune with beautiful damsels ends on a sweet note in this movie as he finally marries the beautiful one. In many ways, the audience wanted to see him get the right bride, and this movie gives the audience exactly what they had been asking for. Saugat Malla as “Bom Kazi” is perhaps the biggest redeeming factor of this otherwise mediocre movie. His over-the-top acting and villainous role entertains the audience throughout the length of this movie. The actor has a penchant for morphing into a character that the audience inevitably end up adoring.
Kesari Song
The songs have always been an indispensable component of Nepali movie. The movies that have attained huge commercial success have ,more often than not, incorporated amusing songs in their screenplay. Chhaka Panja franchise had riveting songs like “Purba paschim rel” and “Pahilo number ma” that was very endearing to the Nepalese audience. Following on the same vein, previous iterations of Kabbadi had “Lappan chhapan”, “Dubo phulyo”and “Maya pirati”. Similarly, Loot’s sequel produced item numbers like “Udreko Choli” and “Thamel Bazaar” that is as relevant today as it had been during the time of its release. Replicating the success of other franchises, Kabbadi 4 has delivered a highly engaging song by the name of Kesari; the song kicks off with a poetic monologue by “Bom Kazi” and takes the audience on an idyllic musical tour.
Cultural and Geographical Exploration
The movie makes an attempt to shed light on the cultural aspects of Thakali community. The prevalence of elopement in the Thakali tradition has been explored in the previous iterations of Kabbadi and the same depiction has been done in this iteration as well. Similarly, the belief in shamanistic rituals amongst the Mustang dwellers has also been highlighted in this movie. Although it has been presented in a more light hearted and nonchalant manner, the attempt has been made to delve into the anthropological aspects of mustang dwellers.
Likewise, the stunning topographical elements have been captured well throughout this movie and the entire drama unfolds against the backdrop of the scenic terrain of Mustang. Along with the snow clad mountains, the movie also takes the audience on a visual tour of Mustang by showcasing the perennial “Thak Khola” and the landscape chiseled by the relentless winds.
Summing up
While all the fore-mentioned factors have certainly contributed to the unforeseen rise of Kabbadi 4, the biggest contributor by far is the inclusion of star-studded cast members and brand value of the franchise itself. Not taking anything away from the movie, another favorable factor behind its success is the opportune timing of the release which did not coincide with the release of other potential blockbusters. Given the brand value of the movie, it seems that the movie would have attained success anyhow, even if the story telling and screenplay was incoherent. Were it not for the recent scandal involving Miruna Magar and Phurba Lama, Kabbadi would have attained an even greater success and set a very high benchmark for the movie fraternity. Whatever be the case, props to the entire Kabbadi team for their monumental commercial success despite the apparent lack of novelty and the same dragged on storyline.
