Kushbahadur (Rajkumar Pudashaini) and Chhalimaya (Aruna Karki) are an old couple waiting for their son, Hari, since he disappeared during insurgency. Hari’s single photograph is the only memoir they have of their son.[break]
The greedy society of media, politicians and people from different organizations, though, are shown eager to take advantage of their tragedy. However, the couple, which has long given up on these people for any kind of help, shuns them with placards and dispel them with its silence.
Radha (Pashupati Rai), childhood sweetheart of Hari, helps around with the household chores of the old couple which adores her as its future daughter-in-law. But as Radha’s parents arrange her marriage, the couple sadly gives its consent.
As her marriage approaches near, Radha, who is still in love with Hari, is reported missing from her home. At the same time, the only photo of Hari also disappears and the elderly couple is left lamenting for their loss.
Lamichhane, director and playwright of Paaniphoto, has stepped forward with this simple plot as his first attempt to direct a group drama. Prior to this, he has done two solo performance plays.
However, the simplicity of the story without any dramatically heightened climaxes, does not take away the minimalist charm of the play. Lamichhane surely should be grateful to the splendid performance by the actors for they literally brought the play to life.
Rajkumar Pudashaini and Aruna Karki have superbly moulded into their roles of a quarrelling elderly couple. Other actors, too, carried out the comic timings and the sentimental moments remarkably.
Set in the rural backdrop of Nepal, Paaniphoto does not raise any exceptional issues. But the way the entire team has presented the hopes and despair of ordinary Nepali people surely is exceptional.
An hour and 15 minutes long, Paaniphoto will be staged until March 13 at 5:30 p.m. except on Mondays at Gurukul.
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