Saugat Malla Says ‘Jaar’ Is a Film He Dreamed of Doing Two Decades Ago

KATHMANDU: Actor Saugat Malla has revealed that Jaar is a film he had wanted to be part of for over two decades. He shared that ever since reading Indra Bahadur Rai’s story Jaar, he had longed to perform in it. Acting in Jaar feels like the fulfillment of a dream he had held for 20 years.

“I watched the play Jaar at Gurukul 27 years ago, but I didn’t get the opportunity to act in it,” said Malla. “However, I read the book multiple times. Some stories or novels won’t let you sleep for days—and for me, Jaar was one of them.”

Malla added that he would have been willing to act in Jaar regardless of whether it was the lead role or not. He recalled being so deeply moved by the character he now portrays in the film that reading about him in the book gave him goosebumps. “After playing the role in Kagbeni, I had mentally set Jaar aside as a dream project,” he said. “When Indra Bahadur Rai came to Gurukul, he asked if I would be interested in acting in Jaar. But I had already signed other films, so I couldn’t take it up at the time.”

He had promised himself that if a film were ever made based on Jaar, he would play that role. Malla shared that after reading the story, he remained mentally immersed in the character for three months. “The story pulled me in so deeply that I felt as though I had already performed it. When you connect deeply with a story, just imagining it makes you feel like you’ve already acted it out,” he explained.

Calling it a fortunate coincidence and a matter of fate, Malla said he feels lucky to be able to work on a film he once only dreamed of. He expressed joy that the enthusiasm he felt 27 years ago upon reading the story has now been fulfilled through the film.

“Although I didn’t get to act in the play, the dream was fulfilled through the movie,” said Malla. “While working on this film, I even felt as though Indra Bahadur Rai himself was watching me perform.”

Jaar is based on a story set 225 years ago and stars Saugat Malla, Anup Bikram Shahi, and Geetanjali Thapa. The film has been directed by Phurba Tsering Lama and releasing on the 26th.

The film is produced by Feri Tale Pictures in cooperation with Hope Reels, LA Seven Shorts, Baral Studio, and Kewa Production. The executive producers are Trilochan Pandey, Neeraj Rai, Nursang Bhutia, Jyoti Kshetri, and Pema Rinzin Lepcha.