Bulbul, an upcoming Nepali feature film starring Swastima Khadka in the lead role, has wrapped up principal photography and has announced its release date.

The film, which features Khadka as a tempo driver, is directed by Binod Paudel, principal of Oscar College of Film Studies. Paudel said that shooting for the film had been completed in 25 days. One song sequence remains to be filmed, which will be done after Dashain vacations.

Bulbul is Paudel’s debut directorial. Prior to this, he had written the screenplay for 2013’s well-received drama Sanghuro. “In Bulbul, we have tried to portray the reality of a certain class living in Nepal’s urban area. If nothing else, you’ll find sincerity in the work we do,” said director Paudel.

In a fresh departure from the male-dominated Nepali film industry, Bulbul has Khadka playing the female lead as a tempo driver, which itself is a character seldom seen on Nepali screens. The film also co-stars Laxmi Bardewa.

Khadka has said that the film is special for her, as it “is not about glamour but about exploring a character.”

Alongside Khadka and Bardewa, Bulbul will feature actors Buddhi Tamang, Mukun Bhushal, Ujjwal Adhikari, Deepak Chhetri, Joes Pandey and Ashika Pandey, with a background score by Koshish Chhetri and Udgam Pariyar. Rajina Rimal and Nischal Basnet have lent voices to the film’s songs.

Bulbul will release on February 14, 2019, on Valentine’s Day.