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“Samhalie Ko Jati”: Nepali Film on Bhutanese Refugees set to be premiered

United States: The production team of the Nepali movie “Samhalie Ko Jati” is set to begin screening in various movie theaters across the United States. The film, based on the stories of Bhutanese refugees, will premiere on May 25 in Ohio.

“The movie aims to preserve the history and life of Bhutanese refugees for future generations,” said director Santosh Ramdam in a phone conversation with The DMN News reporter Arjun Pradhan. Ramdam added, “International screenings will begin in July, starting with Nepal, the Middle East, and Europe, followed by New Zealand and Australia.”

“Samhalie Ko Jati” was 70 percent shot in the United States and 30 percent in the Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal. The production team has completed all work on the movie, which includes performances by main actors Bikram Biswakarma, Deepak Pariyar, Martha Ghimire, Lokesh BC, Anu Ramdam, and others.

The screenplay and direction were handled by Santosh Ramdam, with the U.S. filming managed by SJ Production and the Nepal shooting by Koshi Vision Production.

The film depicts the struggles of life in refugee camps, the pain of statelessness, and the journey from Nepal to resettlement in the U.S. 

Since 1990, Bhutanese refugees have been living in the eastern part of Nepal, in camps located in the Morang and Jhapa districts.

Director Ramdam, who is a Bhutanese musician and lyricist, has written and composed over 50 songs and created more than 30 music videos. His films include “Jupadiko Jindagi,” based on true refugee events, “Mukti,” “Upsana,” the post-resettlement film “Shuruwat,” the social film “Gatho,” and the Christianity-based “Yeshu Ma Ananta Jeevan.” Ramdam has produced seven movies in total.