Mask of Desire

Set in contemporary Nepal, the drama unfolds within urban Kathmandu’s rhythm: busy streets, religious rituals, and the dynamics of a modern family. Rituals and festivals punctuate the narrative, suggesting a culture where divine intervention is a common response to personal troubles. The interplay of work, marriage, and tradition drives the characters’ decisions, highlighting timeless themes amid a modern backdrop.

The story unfolds in Kathmandu, Nepal, framed by traditional temples, river shrines, and dense urban life. The city’s ritual landscape—shiva linga shrines, a riverbank shrine to Tripura, and crowded festival scenes—forms the backdrop for intimate family drama. The modest two-room apartment and everyday streets reflect a society where faith, fate, and social expectations shape personal choices. The setting captures a culture where sacred practice and family life intertwine in daily existence.

🌗 Desire, Fate

Desire drives parental longing for a son and the healer’s deeper yearnings, linking personal wishes to perceived destiny. The film ties prayers, rituals, and divine intervention to the turning points in the characters’ lives. This interplay shapes choices, creates tension, and questions where agency ends and fate begins.

⚖️ Guilt, Depression

The death of a child casts a long shadow, triggering guilt, illness, and a downward spiral into depression for Saraswati. Social expectations and the stigma of failure amplify her inner torment. Healing rituals become both solace and a catalyst for unsettling self-doubt.

🎭 Power, Control

The jhankrini’s sacred authority sits beside personal longing, creating a tension between duty and desire. The power she channels exposes vulnerability and the risk of being consumed by the energies she wields. The climactic struggle tests who controls the sacred and who remains free from its grip.