Movie Review : Jhola

A Film Review : Jhola

Garima panta as kanchi
Sujal Nepal as Ghanashyam (Kanchi's son)
Dipak Chhetri as Kanchi's old husband
Desh Bhakta Khanal as Kanchi's brother-in-law
Laxmi Giri as kanchi's sister-in-law
Krishna Dharabasi (Himself-Special Appearance)

Jhola is a 2014 Nepali film based on a story written by Krishna Dharabasi. It is about Sati culture that was prevalent in the Nepalese society until the 1920s in which wife had to immolate herself upon her husband's death, typically on his funeral pyre. The film is rooted in the no longer adhered to Hindu tradition in which a woman would have to kill herself through self-immolation upon her husband's death. It features a beautiful woman whose husband is 40 years older and dies before her. Despite having to leave her young son as an orphan. she throws herself on her husband's funeral pyre, but survives and hides in the forest.

Kanchi is a young woman who was married to an old husband who is 40 years older than her. In present, Kanchi's husband is ill because of his old age and finally dies naturally. Now, as per the social rules and ritual, Kanchi had to go Sati where she should burn herself with her husband's deceased body. But, the fate is on her side and she manages to escape from the pyre and survives. She starts to live in the cave of nearby jungle. Ghanashyam being lonely in the absence of his loving mother, visits the jungle and finds his mother hiding in the cave. Kanchi unites with her son but they are unable to stay in the same society because the society would kill the women even though they have survived Sati in any means. Ghanashyam makes a plan of leaving the village and getting settle in other place so that they could make a new beginning. He asks his mother to stay in the jungle and goes home to bring their belongings. Later, Kanchi's brother-in-law and his wife join and assist them to leave the village. As Kanchi with son Ghanashyam are going to leave the village, they witness a woman, who is to be Sati but couldn't do so and runs away, being killed by the people of the funeral.

Sati custom is an ancient practice of burning a widow on her deceased husband's funeral pyre or burning her alive in his grave. According to Hindu Scriptures, the custom of Sati was a voluntary practice in which a woman voluntarily decides to end her life with her husband after his death. But later the practice was abused and women were forced to commit Sati or were even dragged against their wish and put into the burning pyres. Historical accounts show that several Royal and common women were burnt alive through this savage practice. In BS 1977 Ashad 25 (1920 AD), Chandra Shumsher J.B.R. officially abolished the Sati system from Nepal.

"Jhola" is only the sixth film to be entered into the Oscar race.

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