‘PARASTREE’ Making Waves

By Our Film Critic

‘Parastree’ which translates as “Other’s Wife” is an Indo- Nepalese film that revolves around the depraved fetishes of a man and his wife’s extra marital affair. The film has a unique and spine-chilling storyline which is deeply seated in the world of love, lust and crime. While it is an erotic crime thriller movie, it highlights the complexity of human relationships, focusses on adultery. It also depicts how awkward relationships can sometimes go horribly wrong and turn violent and how people turn cruel and kill in the name of love and lust. Highlighting the treacherous human behaviour, ‘Parstree’ is a gruesome reminder of how people should not cross the nuptial boundaries.

To be specific while the hubby is busy away on work, adultery is at play at home, with young stud Aayan (Gaurav Bista) wooing Aavya at the local gym. Making romantic overtures to the  disenchanted  wife on the radio show that she  hosts,  he  manages to whisk her  away  on his bullet to the hills, where one of the movie’s two forgettable songs unfold. The backdrop of rivers, rocks and clichéd lyrics of “Aankon mein ho tu” appears to be a throwback to old filmy musical sequences. But then, the film abruptly returns to the narrative, where a love triangle leads to revelations and resentment, which in turn, heads for a bloody end.

It is interesting to know that this Indo-Nepal production stars artists from both the countries. The film stars Shilpa Mashkey, Koshish Chhetri and Gaurav Bisht in pivotal roles. Sooraj Pandey has brilliantly directed this love, lust and crime saga.

The film is made with the noble intention of entertaining both Hindi and Nepali audiences. This co-production is also an effort to set an example for others so that more and more films are produced jointly by both the countries and cultural exchanges can be encouraged through such films.’Parastree’ has been shot in various beautiful locations of Nepal. It  was  released in 500 screens across the world including 350 in India alone on June 30.

It is soothing that Parastree is coming after Hindi film Adipurush, and all Hindi cinemas were banned in Nepal in June following a controversy over the former’s dialogues, including  mention of Sita of Ramayana as” India’s daughter”. Sita, also referred to as Janaki, is believed to have been born in Janakpur in southeast Nepal. As controversy spiralled over in India over certain dialogues, Adipurush writer Manoj Muntashir  Shukla assured that makers of the movie had decided to” revise some of the dialogues” after the film was criticised heavily for its pedestrian language.