Friday, February 29, 2008

परिवर्तनका लागि यौन स्वतन्त्रता आवश्यक: नायिका विपना थापा

'एकैछिन है...' कुराकानीलाई बीचैमा रोकेर उनि ग्राहकको चित्त बुझाउँन तिर लागिन । यसको मोल यति, अनि त्यसको मोल त्यति । तपाईलाई यति छुट, फेरी पनि आउँनु ल । ग्राहकलाई विदा गरेपछी फेरी कुराकानीलाई अगाडी बढाइन । तर, कुराकानी भने ब्यपारबारे होइन, नेपाली सिनेमाबारे । हो, भाटभटेनी स्थित एक फेसन क्लबमा किनमेलका लागि छिर्नुयो भने विक्रेताका रुपमा नेपाली चलचित्रमा स्थापित एउटा अनुहार देख्नुहुने छ । उनि हुन नायिका विपना थापा । यिनै नायिकासँग फिल्मनेपाल डट कमले गरेको कुराकानीको अंश :

आजकलको ब्यस्तता के मा नि ?

निर्माणाधिन दुई सिनेमामा सलंग्न छु । भरखरै भाटभटेनीमा एउटा फेसन क्लब सुरु गरेकी छु ।
नायिकाकै रुपमा सँधै टिक्न सकिदैन भन्ठानेर फेसन-ब्यबसायतिर मन तानियो कि कसो ?
एउटा कारण त्यो पनि हो । तर, फेसनमा मेरो मन मात्र भरखरै तानिएको भने हैन । सय भन्दा बढि सिनेमामा म आफै फेसन डिजाइनरको रुपमा काम गरीसकेकी छु । नेपाली चलचित्रमा प्रयोग भईरहेको फेसनको शैली र स्तरमा चित्त बुझेन । सिने उद्योगको सुधारका लागि ब्यबसायिक रुपले मैलै थालेको प्रयास हो यो ।
सिने उद्योग ब्यापार मात्र हो वा यसको अरु सामाजिक भूमिका पनि छ ?
पक्कैपनि यो ब्यापार हो । सँगसँगै थुप्रै मान्छेको सोख र रहरसँग यसको सम्बन्ध छ । सजिलै मन छुन सक्ने सिनेमा कला क्षेत्रको सर्वोच्च बिद्या हो । खासगरी सर्वसाधरणको चेतनास्तर बृद्धिका लागि पनि यसले उत्तिकै भूमिका खेलेको हुन्छ ।१
३ वर्षदेखि नेपाली सिनेमासँग नजिक हुनुहुन्छ । यो बीचको परिर्वतनको गति कस्तो देख्नुभयो ?
ऊ बेला बनेका प्रायः सबै सिनेमा चल्थे । केही मार्मिक पक्ष समेटेपछि असफल हुने कुरा थिएन । तर, अहिलेका दर्शक स्तरियता खोज्छन् । यतिसम्मको स्तरियता की, नेपाली सिने उद्योगको स्रोत र साधनले नै थेग्न नसक्ने । त्यै पनि हामी दर्शकको मन जित्न प्रयत्नशिल नै छौं ।
नायिकाहरुलाई प्रायः ग्ल्यामर भूमिकामा उतार्ने चलन छ, गम्भिर वा महत्वूर्ण भूमिकामा कमै भेटिन्छ किन ?
ग्ल्यामर भन्ने शब्द नै केटी मान्छेसँग नजिक छ । नायिकालाई हेर्ने नजर नै अरुलाई भन्दा भिन्न हुन्छ । दर्शकले यस्तै आशा गर्छन जस्तो लाग्छ ।
ग्ल्यामरका नाउँमा पछिल्ला केही सिनेमामा नायिकाहरु अश्लिलतातर्फ उन्मुख भएको आरोप छ नि ।
मलाई त्यस्तो लाग्दैन । यो परम्परागत हेराई मात्र हो । म त यौनमा स्वतन्त्रता हुनपर्छ भन्ठान्छु । समाजको सकरात्मक परिवर्तनको एउटा बाटो यौन स्वतन्त्रता पनि हो भन्ठान्छु । यौनका बारेमा समाज खुल्ला हुदै जाँदा विगतमा भन्दा आजकल बलत्कार, हत्या जस्ता घटनामा कमी आएको छ ।
एक दशक पहिले नेपाली सिनेमामा जो-जो चर्चामा थिए । अहिले पनि उनिहरुकै नाम अगाडी आउँछ । यो क्षेत्रमा नयाँ प्रवेशी आर्कषण गुम्दै गएको हो ?
नयाँ प्रवेशीको संख्या साँच्चिकै कम छ । तर, सिनेमा क्षेत्रमा मात्र यो समस्या होइन । देशको विकासको गति नै सुस्त छ । यसमा असन्तोषजनक स्थिती भने छैन ।
नायिका भएर पनि विपना थापाले राजनीति गरेको भन्ने आरोप सुनिन्छ नि ।
सचेत नागरिकका हैसियतले देशको राजनीतिमा चासो राख्नु स्वभाविक छ । देशको दुर्दशाका हेर्न नसकेर आवाज उठाउँदा कसैले आरोप लगाउँछन् भने मेरो भन्नु केही छैन । साँच्चिकै भन्नुपर्दा धेरै नेपाली सिनेकर्मी राजनीतिक चेतनाबाट टाढा छन् र यस्तो कुरा उठाइराख्छन् । खराब ब्यबस्था र प्रवृति बिरुद्ध लाग्नुपर्छ ।
सक्रिय राजनीतिमा लाग्ने कुनै सोच छ कि ?
तत्कालैलाई त्यस्तो सोच छैन । तर, सरकारी संयन्त्रमा सिने उद्योगको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्नुपर्‍यो भने पछाडी हट्ने छैन । यतिसम्मकी भोली जनताले कलाक्षेत्रबाट मन्त्रीपरिषदमा प्रतिनिधित्व हुनुपर्‍यो भन्ने आवाज उठाए भने पनि त्यसका लागि तयार हुनुपर्छ । राजनीतिक दलका नेता जस्तै हामी पनि दर्शकको मन जितेका, जनताको मत पाएका प्रतिनिधी हौं ।
भरखरै चलचित्र सेन्सरबोर्डमा पाएको जिम्बेवारी त अस्विकार गर्नुभयो रे नि !
खासमा नेपाली चलचित्रका लागि नीति निर्माण गर्ने ठाउँ भनेको चलचित्र विकास वोर्ड हो । जताततै ३३ प्रतिशत महिला सहभागिताको कुरा चलिरहदाँ भरखरै विकास वोर्ड भएको नियुक्तिमा एकजना पनि महिला सहभागी गराईएन । मात्र भक्ता खाने ठाउँ (सेन्सर बोर्ड) मा जानु मैले उपयुक्त ठानिन् । मेरो भन्दा पनि सिने क्षेत्रमा कार्यरत नारीहरुको अपमान हो यो भन्ने ठानेकी छु ।
उसोभए सिनेक्षेत्रमा कार्यरत नारीहरु संगठित भएर विरोधमा लाग्नु परेन त ?
मैले त सबैसँग आहृवान गरेकी छु । तर, अहिलेसम्म वातावरण बनेको छैन । यसमा मिडियाले पनि केही भूमिका खेलिदिए हुन्थ्यो भन्ने लाग्छ ।
यस्तो सिनेमा बनाउन सकेहुन्थ्यो भन्ने कुनै विषयबस्तु मनमा खेलीराखेको छ की ?
स्वर किन्नरी तारादेवीको जीवनमा आधारित सिनेमा बनाउने र अभिनय गर्ने ठुलो रहर छ ।
आगामी लक्ष्यबारे बताईदिनुस् न ।
अहिलेसम्म आफु सफल कलाकार भएको अनुभुति भएको छैन । एउटा सफल कलाकार बनेर समाजमा उदहारण बन्न सकु भन्ने लाग्छ ।
SOURCE: filmnepal.com

Prerana Bazaz (Sweta Tiwari) in NEPALI movie


Actress of the most popular TV serial (Kasauti Jindagi Kay) in Indian Television History, Sweta Tiwari, popularly knowm as Prerna Bajaj, is acting in a movie “Trinetra”. The movie will be made both in Nepali and Bhojpuri language.
On the “Muhurat” of the movie, on Friday, a press meet was organized.

The director of the movie is K.P Pathak. Nikhil Uprety, Sweta Tiwari, Mithila Sharma, Asha Paudel, Ramesh Agrawal and Sampada Giri are acting in the movie.

Produced by Rajiv Gupta, the movie will have Bhuwan Shrestha and Basanta Shrestha in choreography, Manoj Rajbhandari in music, Roshan Shrestha in action and Manoj Narayan story and screenplay.

The movie will be screened in India and amid Bhojpuri community.

US$ 190.59 million grant for NEPAL

Country Programme Action Plan signed : US$ 190.59 million grant assistance provided
Date

Kathmandu, February 25— The Government of Nepal signed the Country Programme Action Plan documents today with UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA for a grant assistance of US$ 190.59 million. UNDP (US$ 94.38 million), UNICEF (US $ 68.21) and UNFPA (US$ 28 million) are providing this grant assistance for the next three years in support of the Government Interim Plan (2008-2010).

Under the broad framework of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Country Programme Document and Action Plan of all three agencies put emphasis on peace and development for an inclusive society, responding to national priorities that are currently identified in the Government’s three-year Interim Plan.

Mr. Krishna Gyanwali, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance expressed his sincere appreciation to the efforts of the UN organisations coming together in the spirit of harmonisation for continued support to the socio-economic development of Nepal. “This is a great initiation towards ‘One UN’ reform agenda”, he said.

Under the Country Programme Action Plan signed today;

UNDP will be implementing its programme towards achieving;
•Increased access to and participation in constitution building and free and fair electoral processes;
•Programmes, strategies, policies and systems that promote post-conflict recovery;
•Increased capacity of government at the national and local level to manage resources and deliver basic services in an inclusive and equitable manner;
•Responsive and accessible justice systems to promote gender equality, social inclusion and the rule of law;
•Enhancement of employment and income opportunities
•Access to financial services, especially for youth and excluded groups
•Mainstream energy and environment issues into national and local development plans and reduce risks of natural hazards

UNICEF will be working towards;
•Decentralised Action for Children and Women
•Social Policy •Child protection (from violence, abuse and exploitation)
•Education
•Health and nutrition
•Water, sanitation and hygiene
•HIV/AIDS

UNFPA Programmes are based on the principle of realization of human rights including reproductive rights and to have access to information and to basic reproductive health services. The programmes are in the sectors of;
•Reproductive health
•Population and development
•Gender

SOURCE: UNDP Nepal

FUEL crisis in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, Feb 18: A general strike in ethnically tense southern Nepal entered its sixth day on Monday, with violence worsening and fuel running out in the capital, officials said.The unrest comes less than two months before the impoverished Himalayan nation is due to hold elections that will determine the country’s political future and most likely end the world’s last Hindu monarchy.The town of Nepalgunj, which experienced deadly clashes over the weekend, remained under curfew on Monday after one protester was killed and 59 police and protesters were injured in violent clashes, officials said.“The acts of violence on Sunday by protesters led to this curfew,” said Narendra Raj Sharma, a senior local official from Nepalgunj, situated in southern Nepal’s restive Terai lowlands bordering India.Last week, the United Democratic Mahadhesi Front (UDMF) called an indefinite strike — a move that has effectively blockaded the capital Kathmandu.The Terai’s Mahadhesi community have long complained of being excluded from Nepal’s corridors of power, and say they were also excluded from the peace deal signed between the government and former rebel Maoists in late 2006. A Mahadhesi leader said on Monday that the unrest was not likely to stop soon.“The state has neglected us, not respected our demands and instead accused us of trying to break the country,” Mahanta Thakur, a UDMF leader, told reporters in Kathmandu.“The state can try and crush us and our movement, but our struggle will continue.”


Home to around half of Nepal’s 27 million population, the Terai region is known as the country’s bread basket and is where most fuel imports come through from its sole supplier, India.The strike has caused nationwide food and fuel shortages, with tanker drivers refusing to work because of ongoing violence.Fuel supplies had already been limited for several months because of Nepal’s non-payment of its fuel bill — but the strike has seen even the black market begin to run dry.An official said that authorities have issued additional curfews to try and ensure the tankers safe arrival in the capital.“Curfews have been imposed this afternoon in two districts of southern Nepal to allow the tankers to get to Kathmandu by Tuesday afternoon,” said Ekmani Nepal, assistant spokesman for the Home Ministry.Former US president Jimmy Carter, whose Carter Centre employees are assisting in the monitoring of the April 10 polls, urged the government and Mahadhesis to settle their disputes amicably to allow the crucial elections to take place.
—AFP

UNEP-WCMC Chevening Scholarships in Biodiversity

UNEP-WCMC Chevening Scholarships in Biodiversity

The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, in collaboration with the
Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the British Government, is pleased to
offer up to six UNEP-WCMC Chevening Scholarships in Biodiversity,
beginning in October 2008.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to spend a full year at
the Cambridge-based Centre, where they will work alongside our
international experts to help build the knowledge base on biodiversity
that supports international policy and decision-making in the UN
Environment Programme, multi-lateral environmental agreements, and the
private sector.

As with all Chevening scholarships, candidates are expected to be of a
high academic calibre and to show leadership in their field. Applicants
for this prestigious award will be expected to demonstrate their
commitment to a future working in national and regional policy development
and resolving biodiversity-related challenges.

To read application guidelines and download an application form, please
see www.unep-wcmc.org.

Application form
The closing date for applications is 14th April 2008

About the Chevening Scholarship

Chevening Scholarships bring students from all regions of the world to
work for one year at the Centre in Cambridge. Scholars are expected to
work with the Centre’s staff on programmes ranging from managing data
about ecosystems and biodiversity, to interpreting and analysing that data
to provide assessment and policy analysis. The work will contribute to and
help to shape national and international decision–making processes and
help to place authoritative biodiversity knowledge at the centre of
decision–making.
Aims:
This scheme aims to help young researchers to prepare for a role in
national and regional policy development and decision–making to resolve
ecosystem and biodiversity–related challenges. With support from the
Centre’s staff each scholar will select a range of subjects as a focus for
their work.

Eligibility:
Scholars can be drawn from any country, except those in Europe, North
America and Canada. Candidates must be between 25 and 35 years of age and
be fluent in English (IELTS band 6.5 or above). They must hold a good
degree, and preferably also a postgraduate degree, in a biological or
environmental science or one related to economics, GIS and the
environment. The Centre does not award formal qualifications and the
scheme is not intended for those seeking higher degrees.

Funding:
Each scholarship is currently worth approx. £9,139 per annum, including
all allowances (under review). In addition one economy class air fare to
and from the UK will be paid and a small sum is available for local
travel. The scheme is supported by the UK Chevening Scholarships
Programme. Sponsors include the British Council, the British Foreign and
Commonwealth Office, the Salters' Company and UNEP.

Subject areas:
Applicants are free to propose biodiversity-related subjects of particular
interest to their region, and successful candidates will be encouraged to
bring supporting information resources. Preference will be give to
applicants whose interest closely matches the current work and expertise
of UNEP-WCMC. Please refer to our website for current subject areas of
interest.

All studies will be based in Cambridge and there will be no opportunities
for fieldwork.
How to apply:

Candidates should apply on the Chevening Scholarships form attaching a
c.v., publications list and covering letter explaining why they wish to
spend a year at the Centre. Application forms are available from, and
should be submitted through, any UK Embassy, High Commission or British
Council office, or to:

Chevening Administrator
UNEP-WCMC
219 Huntingdon Road
Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK.

Tel: +44 1223 277314
Fax: +44 1223 277136
E-mail: chevadmin@unep-wcmc.org.