Gharjwai

Nepal may be small in size, but it is rich in diversity, with numerous castes, each possessing its own unique culture, norms, and values. As a religious country, Nepal holds its traditions and customs dear. However, in recent times, there seems to be a decline in our adherence to these cultural practices.

The movie Gharjwai portrays the culture of the Magar caste. As a Magar myself, I feel fortunate to relate to this movie. It was filmed in the Rukum district of Nepal, a place I’ve never visited, so I’m not fully familiar with the area.

In my community, the Magar people can marry the daughter of an uncle on the mother’s side. A man has the first right to marry his sister-in-law (Sali). In a Magar family, marriage by elopement is accepted, and it is common to have a formal ceremony later with the approval of both families.

In Gharjwai, Dayahang Rai plays a Magar boy, and his love interest, Miruna Magar, is also the daughter of a Magar family. Shishir Bangdel plays the role of her father.

Dayahang Rai’s character falls in love with her, and she begins to reciprocate his feelings. He wants to marry her, but she is very devoted to her father. She tells him that he must seek her father’s permission; if he can convince her father, she is ready to marry him. This is where the central conflict of the film lies. Her father insists on having a Gharjwai (a son-in-law who lives with his wife’s family) because she is his only child, and if she moves to her husband’s home after marriage, her father would be left alone. Dayahang Rai’s character refuses to live in her house after marriage, so her father denies the marriage request.

A few days later, Dayahang Rai’s character forcibly takes her to his home. This leads to a meeting in the community with a communist leader. The decision is made that Dayahang Rai must convince her father and stay in her house until he succeeds. The movie then takes a dramatic turn. You’ll have to watch the film to find out how he convinces her father. What did he do? Did he succeed? What did he lose, and what did he gain?

The film features two beautiful songs, “Binjuri” and “Yanimaya,” both of which are love songs. I really love these songs; in fact, they were what drew me to the theater in the first place.

The work of all the actors and crew was excellent. The main actors are very talented, and the performances of the entire cast are top-notch. The pairing of Dayahang Rai and Miruna Magar is truly a good match. While some people say that Dayahang Rai’s movies have become repetitive, this one stands out as quite different. I noticed that the role usually associated with Buddhi Tamang was somewhat taken over by Kha Ba Pu, which is impressive for a newcomer like him to stand out among such legendary actors.