‘12 Gaun’, directed by Biraj Bhatta and marking Sameer Bhatta's debut as an actor, became one of the most anticipated Nepali films recently. The buzz surrounding its trailer set high expectations, and I walked into the theatre eager to see what it had to offer. Unfortunately, my expectations were not met even though the actors performed well. The movie felt like a Nepali-dubbed version of a South Indian film, filled with repetitive plot points and overused tropes.

The story revolves around a secluded village ruled by the ruthless antagonist, Gajendra (Murali Dhar), who controls the village with the help of corrupt politicians. The plot bears striking similarities to the South Indian hit ‘KGF’, with the central conflict focusing on a couple’s desperate attempt to escape Gajendra’s tyranny for the sake of their unborn child. When the husband is killed, and the pregnant wife curses Gajendra, it sets off a revenge arc, but not before the child is gruesomely murdered in front of the entire village.

Fast-forward 22 years, and we meet the protagonist Ajay (Sameer Bhatta) in a fight scene straight out of a South Indian action flick set in Banaras. Ajay saves a woman (Sonu Chandrapal) from gangsters, and she immediately falls for him—a typical love-at-first-sight moment, followed by an imaginary love song. The music and lyrics felt cringy, and again, at the risk of repeating myself, they were heavily influenced by South Indian cinema.

The film keeps the audience guessing about Ajay’s true identity, especially since the child was supposedly killed, allowing viewers to piece together their theories. However, this is the movie's only real suspense, and even that falls flat. The eventual revelation is neither shocking nor impactful, as it can be easily predicted long before the truth is unveiled.

The film introduces another central character, Arjun (Biraj Bhatta). Initially portrayed as a villain involved in trafficking, Arjun turns out to be a hero fighting against the crime. This attempt to highlight social issues like girl trafficking is noble, but it’s buried under clichéd storytelling and underdeveloped characters.

Although Ajay is presented as the main protagonist of ‘12 Gaun’, his character frequently overshadows him, leaving the audience unsure who the story's main hero is. Furthermore, the film centres heavily on its male protagonists, with the female characters playing minimal roles. This sidelining of women characters is another echo of South Indian cinema’s formula, where women often serve as love interests with little impact on the overall plot. However, the character of Nancy Khadka is on the bold side, which is new to Nepali cinema.

The movie also features Suleman Shankar (IKU) as the typical comedic relief character whose sole purpose is to inject humour between the intense, action-driven sequences. However, like its Indian inspirations, the humour often feels forced and doesn’t blend well with the film's overall tone.

The plot is predictable and lacks the suspense and intrigue to keep audiences engaged. While there are efforts to create compelling action scenes that are decent compared to the usual Nepali films, the overall originality needs to be added. The performances of the actors are praiseworthy. Sameer Bhatta's debut acting is far better than that of most well-known Nepali actors. On the other hand, the Hindi dialogue delivered by certain characters felt unnatural and added to the film's awkwardness. In several scenes, the dialogue seemed to be directly taken from Hindi films and merely dubbed into Nepali, resulting in a lack of authenticity.

While diverse and new to Nepali cinema, the movie’s background score directly imitated Indian soundtracks. Though it matched well with the scenes and added depth, it failed to bring any sense of novelty. The cinematography, camera angles, and video edits were a step up from many mainstream Nepali films. Still, they couldn't save the movie from feeling like a mimicry rather than an original work.

Despite the packed theatre and excitement surrounding ‘12 Gaun’, it ultimately failed to meet expectations. While it represents a technical improvement in Nepali cinema, mainly in the field of action, the overwhelming reliance on South Indian templates and the lack of a unique voice left much to be desired. Fans of South Indian action dramas might appreciate this film, but for those looking for something fresh and innovative in Nepali cinema, ‘12 Gaun’ is a missed opportunity.

In short, the movie did justice to its action scenes, setting the bar high for other Nepali action movies, but it falls flat in originality and storytelling. It’s a visually improved film but suffers from an identity crisis, which makes it feel like just another copycat rather than a groundbreaking Nepali movie.

12 Gaun

Director: Biraj Bhatta

Cast: Biraj Bhatta, Sameer Bhatta, Sonu Chandrapal

Duration: 147 minutes

Year: 2024

Language: Nepali