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By SUDESHNA SARKAR
His father was prime minister of Nepal four times. But 23-year-old
Bhupen Chand, youngest son of former premier Lokendra Bahadur Chand,
wants to play a different role, away from politics. And so, in
October, he will make his debut on the silver screen, courtesy
veteran director Tulsi Ghimire.
When Nepal celebrates Tihar, Bhupen's first film, "Dui Kinara" is
scheduled for release. This is Ghimire's 17th film with at least
three of his earlier creations having enjoyed a silver jubilee.
Ghimire was looking for a fresh face for "Dui Kinara", a love story
where the hero loves a married woman abandoned by her husband.
Besides the right look and talent, he wanted someone who would bring
education and culture into the industry.
"For months, I was meeting Tulsiji four times a week to see if he
had something for me," Bhupen said. "After school, I went to Texas
to train as a pilot. But when I received my private pilot's license,
I realized I didn't want to fly. I wanted to be an artiste."
When he started approaching directors for a role, his father was
prime minister of Nepal and roles would have been his for the
asking. But Bhupen decided to go incognito.
"I wanted to see what happens to a newcomer who has no connexions,"
the 23-year-old says. "I called myself Bobby and didn't let on about
my family background.
His efforts paid off when Ghimire decided to cast him opposite
actress Neeruta Singh. And now, the 52-year-old director predicts a
bright future for his new protégé.
"The boy will become number one in Nepal's film industry one day,"
he says. That would be balm for Bhupen's family that initially
didn't approve of his career choice.
Bhupen's eldest brother is aspiring to follow in their father's
footsteps and is a member of the ruling Rastriya Prajatantra Party.
The second too trained to be a pilot but now has turned to business.
The third studied to be a computer engineer.
"My father came around because he too is an artiste," Bhupen says.
Lokendra Bahadur Chand, who resigned from his post this May, is a
poet and a football aficionado.
Bhupen's favorite heroes are Tom Cruise and Al Pacino in Hollywood
and Dev Anand, Amir Khan and Nana Patekar in Bollywood.
His weak point, he says, is his dancing. He has a dance sequence in
"Dui Kinara" and is keeping his fingers viewers will like it. The
drawback stems from the fact that he doesn't frequent discos or
parties to shake a leg.
"I am a home body," he says. His strength is his ambition. From
Kollywood, one day he wants to make it to Bollywood. Manisha
Koirala, granddaughter of Nepal's first elected prime minister B P
Koirala, made the transition with a bang. Time will show if the
Chand clan can upstage the Koirala clan, in theatrics if not in
politics. |
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Photo provided
by Bhupendra Chand. |
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