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After spending over a decade and a half in theater acting, Krishna Prasad Dhital is making his film debut with Juna: Ek Byatha, set to release on Magh 25 (January 2025). Dhital plays the role of Birkhalal, the husband of the film’s lead character, Asmita Dhakal. He is optimistic about his cinematic journey.
Dhital landed the role while performing in a street play on family planning at Ratnapark. Director Jeevan Century, who was in the audience, was impressed by his performance and found him suitable for a character in the film. “The director liked my acting and thought I fit the role, so he offered me the part,” Dhital recalls.
Most of his theater work took place in villages and rural areas, where he performed street plays with Awaaj Art Creation. His plays often focused on social issues such as child marriage, mismatched marriages, and violence against women. The themes of Juna: Ek Byatha aligned with his previous work, making his transition to film smoother, though he initially found the process challenging.
Having acted in theater and a few television serials, Dhital found film acting to be a different experience. “Facing the camera in a serial was straightforward, but film acting was more technical. I had more creative freedom in theater, whereas in films, I had to work within set boundaries. I feel that in films, the director is the authority, whereas in theater, the actor holds more control,” he explains.
To prepare for his role, Dhital didn’t meet any real-life individuals resembling his character but visualized them in his mind. “Since I had played similar roles in theater, I was well-prepared. The pre-shoot workshop also helped me refine my performance,” he adds.
During the shoot, Dhital weighed 85 kg and had a beard. After filming wrapped, he lost weight, dropping to 52 kg. He now maintains a weight of 64 kg. “People find it hard to believe that I played that character because my look has changed so much,” he laughs.
The film’s storyline drew him in because it resonated with the social issues he had been addressing in theater for years. “Our plays always tackled issues like child marriage, gender violence, and drug abuse. When I was offered a film with similar themes, I believed it had the power to convey a bold message to society,” he shares.
Dhital believes his experience in theater acting helped him embody his film character more effectively. “In theater, I had observed such characters in real life. Audience members often shared their personal experiences after watching our plays. These interactions helped me shape my film character,” he says.
On set, Dhital stayed immersed in his character, even sleeping in the same clothes he wore in the film. “It helped me stay in character throughout the shoot,” he explains. However, looking back, he acknowledges that his acting skills have matured since then.
A stand-up comedian before transitioning to theater, Dhital considers comedian Manoj Gajurel his mentor. He once portrayed Sushil Koirala while Gajurel played Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a Gaijatra satirical skit. Besides acting, Dhital is also the operator of Radio Melamchi in Sindhupalchok. He trained under Sunil Pokharel at Aarohan Gurukul for about a year and a half.
Directed by Jeevan Century and produced by Deepak Prasad Ghimire, Juna: Ek Byatha stars Asmita Dhakal, Krishna Prasad Dhital, Deshbhakta Khanal, Rashmi Bhatt, Kamal Bohora, Asmita Basnet, and Khagendra Neupane.
