Kathmandu, July 18
A group of Nepalis living in London are producing an animated movie on Nepal’s first formal diplomatic visit around 170 years ago.
The then Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana had visited Britain in 1850s and taking that into background, the Yantrakala Studios, an art company which operates both in Kathmandu and London, is producing Majipa: Lakhay.
Veteran cultural expert Satya Mohan Joshi has written the story for the movie with a focus on the Lakhay cult of Kathmandu Valley.
It will be the second production of Yantrashala, which in 2016 had produced Shankhadharaya Bakha:, the first animated movie in Nepali language.
The movie was produced in Nepal Bhasha (Newari) and Nepali languages and shown in various cities around the globe.
Sanyukta Shrestha, who is leading the second production as director, says the team will study for next three years to present socio-cultural situation of Kathmandu around two centuries ago in Majipa: Lakhay as realistically as possible.
The team has planned to release the movie in May 2020 on the occasion of the 101st birthday of author Joshi.
Nepali artists Manish Shrestha, Priyanka Karki, Sunita Juju and Madan Das Shrestha will give voice to the movie.
The movie’s two-minute teaser was release in London and Kathmandu simultaneously last week.
