Bum Batha Chenmi Rinzi

Yangki saw the movie ad on the local channel and explained us graciously that the movie was being re-screened upon the public demand. And sad enough she couldn’t remember the name of the movie…hehe. She was explaining that the main character was my favorite male actor which meant Tshering Gyeltshen. Well,Tshering Gyeltshen is one Bhutanese actor whose movie we don’t get to see that frequently. But every time he hits the screen, he never fails his audience with his perfect dosage of acting. This movie is no exception.

So we planned this movie, whose name I am sure that both of my friends still cannot tell properly, Bum Batha Chenmi Rinzi, was a 9 PM show at Lugar theatre starring the most popular female star, Tandin Bidha along with Tshegyel (Tshering Gyeltshen) with the veteran actor Ngidup Dorji. The movie comes in an ancient setting, probably during the time when the powerful local chieftains ruled and executed their powers in their locality. Bum Batha Chenmi Rinzi played by Tandin Bidha and Namgay Phuntsho portrayed by Tshegyel are the two lovebirds hit by the powerful Jala Tenzin Drugyal who is no other than actor and singer Ngidup Dorji. Kinzang Dorji who is also one of the veteran actors in the Bhutanese cinema, popularly known for his character of Rangdol (in Rangdol and Yangdon) is seen in this movie as a supporting cast.

Namgay Phuntsho is a poor but hard working young man while Rinzi comes from a well-to-do family in their village. Rinzi and Namgay have been together since their childhood days and when they become of a marriageable age, Rinzi’s parent marries off their daughter to the power local chieftain Jala Tenzin Drugyal who bears no mercy in executing his own right. And the audiences are made to go through the painful departure of Namgay and Rinzi. As the story climbs the climax, the actor’s perfect expressions with unexpected twists bring out the real flavor.

The movie is loaded with lots of heart breaking dialogues and eye-soaring scenes, traditional norms on slaves and slavery trodden under powers, masculinity those days and of course, the melodic voices (especially of Mam Dechen Pem which I loved the most). “Good wins over evil” as the three hour movie has been tagged with a happy ending. It is a sure package of grand entertainment for a weekend with friends and family.