Kathmnadu, September 10
The new comedy series Ma Ta Marchhu Ki Kya Ho, produced in the United States by comedy duo Sitaram Kattel ‘Dhurmus’ and Kunjana Ghimire ‘Suntali’, will be released to audiences from Friday.
Although the premiere date had been set two weeks ago, Dhurmus postponed the release following the Bhotekoshi floods, which caused extensive loss of life and property.
Produced by Dhurmus-Suntali Media, the series will be released every Friday at 8:15 pm Nepal time on the Dhurmus-Suntali YouTube channel, Sitaram said. In the United States, it will air at 10:30 am on Fridays.
The title Ma Ta Marchhu Ki Kya Ho is taken from one of Dhurmus’ popular dialogues and catchphrases from the past.
The series is based in the Raleigh area of North Carolina. According to Sitaram, who also directs the series, filming took place in Raleigh, Cary, Holly Springs, High Point, Greensboro and Charlotte, among other locations.
Directed by Sitaram and Kunjana, the series features veteran actor Mohan Mishra in a leading role. Dinesh Karki, Shankar Raj Wagle, Sanyam Lamichhane, Manika Chaulagain, Chuda Dhimal, Dharma Bharti and Shubhadra Acharya are also part of the cast. The series also marks the acting debut of Sitaram and Kunjana’s daughter, Subihani Kattel, as a child artist. Actor Jeevan Luitel will appear as a guest artist.
The series has cinematography by Raju KC, vocals by Ashish Abiral, lyrics by Prakash Punj, music by Rajendra Bajgain and editing by Rajendra Manandhar.
According to the production team, the series will not be limited to entertainment. Through comedy and satire, it will portray the struggles, successes, achievements, opportunities and challenges faced by Nepalis living in the United States, as well as their lifestyle, social and cultural environment, activities within the Nepali community and various aspects of life in the diaspora.
Dr Chandra Giri, a scientist and writer working for the US government, said the series is expected to bring real-life situations faced by Nepalis living abroad to audiences through humour.
Giri, who is also an adviser to the series, said it was not easy for artists living abroad to regularly pursue creative work and reach Nepali-speaking audiences around the world. “Starting regular artistic work from abroad is commendable in itself,” he said. “All Nepalis living abroad need to support and help this initiative.”
Sitaram and Kunjana have remained active in the arts since moving to the United States. During this period, they have also produced advertisements for around a dozen Nepali businesses and organisations. “Most importantly, audiences will now be able to watch our series regularly,” Sitaram said. “We want to convey the message that wherever we are, we can continue our art and creative work.”
