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The grand premiere of the Nepali film ‘Anjila’, based on the life of Angela Tumbappo Subba, the captain and goalkeeper of Nepal’s women’s football team, was successfully held at Empire Hall in Aldershot, UK.
The Nepalese Ambassador to the UK, Chandra Kumar Ghimire, was the chief guest at the premiere, which saw a large turnout of Nepalese filmmakers, business people, and general audience members residing in the UK.
From Nepal, the film’s cast member Srijana Subba, producer and actor Prem Kumar Shrestha, co-producer Binod Agarwal, and director Milan Chams attended the event.
Additionally, the General Secretary of the Film Directors Society, Arun Kumar Pradhan, and announcer Naresh Bhattarai were present. Due to ongoing international sports events in Nepal, Angela Subba could not attend the premiere in person, but her video message was played during the event, where she wished the team good luck and thanked the audience. A short introduction video of Angela was also shown.
During the premiere, Ambassador Ghimire congratulated the film team and expressed confidence that the film would have a positive impact on Nepal’s sports sector.
“I am truly proud today. They have brought such a good biopic that is going to have a big impact on the sports world. Movies are now being made about emerging athletes from Nepal’s rising sports sector, marking a new chapter in history,” said Ambassador Ghimire.
Director Milan Chams shared that the film was made to highlight the development of the sports sector and the struggles of athletes. He emphasized that Anjila was created to promote Nepali sports and tell athletes’ stories to the audience. “For the first time in Nepal, we are making a movie based on a football player’s life. This film is made for the advancement of sports,” he stated. He also mentioned that there are many more stories in Nepali sports that could be showcased to the world through films.
Audience members who watched the film shared that Anjila was very impactful and inspiring. Some mentioned that after watching the film, they realized how difficult it is to become a player in Nepal, and several viewers mentioned tearing up during the film.
Producer Prem Kumar Shrestha shared that the UK audience responded very positively to the movie. “The premiere was also held in Hong Kong, where it received high praise. It was very difficult to have a ‘real player’ portray their own life in a ‘real story’, but we spent 4 years making this film. We are excited by the reactions we’re getting now,” said Shrestha. The film will also release in America, Australia, and Japan before its Nepal release.
Shrestha further mentioned that all the funds collected from the premiere would be used to build a home for Angela. He said that this initiative was aimed at inspiring Angela to continue playing for the country. He believes this campaign will motivate other athletes as well. Angela plans to eventually convert the house into a football academy.
Anjila is set to release in Nepal on Falgun 29.
Recently, a teaser of the film was released, which showcases Angela’s struggle to leave her home and her journey to becoming the captain. Angela herself plays the main role in the movie, while Sunil Thapa, Dayahang Rai, Vijay Baral, Srijana Subba, Mao Tse Gurung, and Budhi Tamang also appear in the film. Prem Kumar Shrestha also plays a key role in the movie. The film was shot in Itaabare, Jhapa, and Kathmandu, Angela’s hometown in Ilam.
The cinematography of the film was done by Sudip Baral, and the editing was handled by Milan Shrestha. The film was produced under the banner of Mun Love Entertainment, with Prem Kumar Shrestha as the producer, and Tubendra Limbu, Binod Agarwal, and Rajesh Bagdiya as co-producers. Binod Subedi Kshitij played the role of production controller.
Since Anjila is the first biopic made in Nepali sports, it holds significant historical value. Director Chams mentioned that if the audience supports this film, it will increase the likelihood of other movies based on the lives of athletes being made in the future.
