Depicting our times: Sansarai Baimani (“Fraudulent World”) an extramural musical

Reporters Club: While music and its art represent entertainment and ease, it goes beyond its traditional parameters and extends itself into attracting the masses towards information that is pertinent with changing times in our society.

The crowd in Mandala Theatre yesterday was witness to one such release that is hopeful of gaining popularity in the coming days. With a powerful message of the world around us and portraying a normal life of an individual in Nepal and his life long struggle, the apathy that is displayed by certain characters and the injustice toward the lead is a situation relatable to all Nepalese.

Sansarai Baimani or translated as “Fraudulent World” brings within it not only the music that one can listen too but with a thought hitting screenplay and direction manages to captivate the audience over its exemplary storyline.

It was well received by the audience in its release yesterday amidst a program held in the Mandala Theatre.

Hosting the program Janak Raj Sapkota introduced the song with a presentation for the audience, and later released the song which was met with a grand applause.

(Anup Ojha and Janak Raj Sapkota)

Speaking on the occasion of the release, Poet Viplob Prateek stated that this song sends out a strong signal to the younger generation in their course of life, and it is a blessing in disguise to be released coincidentally on the Constitution Day of Nepal.

(Poet Viplob Prateek) 

He also said that while it was necessary for “Nepali music industry to flourish, it still hasn’t found its direction in which it can be uniquely identified in the international scenario due to the many genres present which are common worldwide”. Speaking at the program, he also said that “this song and its ruefulness was of the singer’s own struggle that he faced and it has come as a first-person narrative”. He was hopeful that it will be well received by the audience.

Speaking at the same program musicologist Sangam Panta spoke about the surprise elements, and the musicology behind the entire idea and concept of Sansarai Baimani, he too hoped that this would be successful in the coming days as it was a strong message that is being sent out to the society.

(Musicologist Sangam Panta)

Singer Anup Ojha who is a career journalist spoke about his struggles and his objectives toward singing and wanting an audience to hear the message he had. This is his second song after his debut “Wariko Dadama Ma”(On the other side of the Hill) which has over 2 million views.

Ojha has a similarity of creating a thought conscious society towards the disparities Nepalese individuals face. While speaking in the program he recalled his experience as a Tootle rider, in order to save money to make his second release alongside thanking his motivator and friend Fursang Lama in this endeavor.

Sansarai Baimani portrays the struggle of a common village boy in Nepal, who lost his father due to the insurgency that had inflicted the nation. As most common Nepalese this song shows the individual struggle of leaving his family and going abroad through an agent in order to secure his livelihood. Throughout this entire process he is cheated in every step and is frustrated that although he is ethical enough, to be honest, he is met with frauds, and con men that cheat him. This real struggle is shown in a part humorous and entertaining background score where even the almighty is steeped in corruption ignoring the plight of the common man.  It vividly brings out the struggle of a Nepalese man in his lifetime alongside a contemporary setting.

(Still frame from the video featuring Anup Ojha and Director Safal KC) 

As our society gears up for the festivities in the coming days, we hope that songs like these serve as a reminder not to lose our ethics and realize the value we share as citizens.  Singer Anup was supported by Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal and Jhuma Limbu in the vocals.

Shot in Champadevi village, this musical is charismatically captured by cinematographer Murtaza Shah, while it is directed by Pratik Gurung and Safal Kc. The latter directed a critically acclaimed movie titled “Hari” in 2018.

This musical was created by Madhouse Productions, and it features Bijay Baral, Prakash Gandharva, Prakash Dahal, Bhawna Thapa, Suraj Chaulagain, Deeprakj B.K ( child artist), and the singer Anup Ojha in the lead. The story was originally framed by Roshan Sedhai.

Speaking to the team of the Reporters Club, the Director duo Pratik and Safal stated that ” they had an amazing and enriching experience directing this song, although there were budget constraints in order to entirely implement their idea, nevertheless things did work out well in the end”. The duo too hopes for its grand success.

Music is important as stated earlier not only for entertainment but the purpose it serves in order to send out a message to the society that would really captivate them and enable them to think. Sansarai Baimani has hit the right chords, with a powerful message as this and a clear conceptual framework of the Nepalese society it is validating enough that it will be well received by the audience. We have our perspective of the society and so does this video that brings in one and nothing can be more attentive in our times as this line in the lyrics, “hami nai raichau iman ma chalne yo sansarai baimani” (we move in line being honest while this world is fraudulent).

Watch the video here: