Mahako Ma, the autobiography of the celebrated comedian and actor Madan Krishna Shrestha was recently released in the US with an event held in Maryland. The release was organised by Nepa Pasa Pucha, an organisation dedicated to preserving Nepali heritage.

Speaking through a video conference from Kathmandu, Shrestha said that the book recounts his childhood memories, ups and downs of his life, as well as the good and the bad aspects of working in the entertainment industry of Nepal.

Shrestha has, over his long-spanning career of more than half a century, worked as an actor, director and writer, and has also been engaged in social activism.

Besides tapping into Shrestha’s partnership with Haribansha Acharya in their journey as the most celebrated comic duo of Nepal, the autobiography also puts light into very personal aspects of the author’s life such as his struggle with the Parkinson’s disease, the aftermath of inter-caste marriage at a time when it was a rebellious step, and the

pain and suffering that accompanied his wife’s cancer diagnosis.

The book, written over six years, is published by Fineprint and was initially launched in Kathmandu in September. The book was released again in the US, according to the organisers, to fulfill the demand of Nepali readers in America.

According to critics, the book is commendable for being free from self-praise and not repeating stories that have been recanted in Cheena Harayeko Manchhe—the memoir of Hari Bansha Acharya—even when the lives of the autobiographers are intertwined.

The book is available in both paperback and hardcover editions.