Jyoti, a film directed by the comedic duo Sitaram Kattel (Dhurmus) and Kunjana Ghimire (Suntali), was screened amid a function held at the Tundikhel ground, in Chautara, Sindhupalchok, over the weekend. 

Along with the actor duo, Jyoti, written by Deepak Acharya, features actors Surbir Pandit, Kamal Mainali, Yaman Shrestha, and Januka Poudel KC, in lead roles.

Thousands of locals thronged to the Tundikhel ground to watch the movie on Friday. The screening of the film was organised to raise awareness among the public in order to establish Sindhupalchok as an environment-friendly, children-friendly district. 

“Leading a society into a positive direction requires a lot of determination and perseverance,” said Kattel, “If we are to make our society children-friendly, we need to work in the grassroots level, by making an impact on the psyche of children themselves and of those who take care of them.” 

Kattel added, “If we can infuse certain qualities on to the children’s tender mentality we can go a long way. That’s how we can produce a qualified human resource in the future.”

Speaking to the Post, Sabita Thapa, a resident of Jalbire VDC, who attended the screening, shared, “The film portrays a real picture of our society. It not only made me brim with tears but also gave me reasons to laugh.” 

“The film made me aware,” she went on, “how the children if properly raised can go on to change the face of our society and the nation. Dhurmus and Suntali have presented a vision of how we can develop the nation.” 

Speaking to the Post, the chief of the Reconstruction Authority Special Correspondence Bureau, Sindhupalchok, Bhuwaneshwor Lamichhane, vowed to declare the Chautara municipality a children-friendly municipality by next year. 

The ongoing campaign was born out of the comedic duo’s exemplary efforts in the reconstruction works in the district. Last month, the actor duo handed over a model settlement in Girounchaur VDC. Prior to this, the duo also handed over a model settlement with 65 residential buildings to locals in Melamchi.