Actor Praveen Khatiwada Transforms into Enigmatic Aghori for 'Shivansh' Role

Kathmandu. Matted hair, ash smeared across his body, a rudraksha mala in hand, and a mysterious rage in his eyes. This is the look of the Aghori character 'Hiranya' in the film 'Shivansh'. It is difficult to recognize the actor as this Aghori character. The actor portraying this role is Praveen Khatiwada.

Praveen is an artist who brings depth to his characters when he appears on screen. He is known not for a glamorous or chocolate-boy face, but for the weight and depth of his acting. 'Hiranya' in 'Shivansh' is an Aghori character. This look, revealed with the film's trailer release a few days ago, has sparked curiosity among the audience about the movie.

While the external appearance (getup) alone does not complete an acting performance, in the case of 'Shivansh', his look seems to tell half the story.

Why and for what purpose the Aghori avatar? According to Praveen, the story of 'Shivansh' is based on Hindu mythology and the episode of the Samudra Manthan (Churning of the Ocean). The film's narrative revolves around the search for a powerful 'Shila' (stone) that was ejected during the Samudra Manthan.

Praveen explains that although the character was initially viewed as a simple 'thug' character, it became an Aghori character after discussions with the production team. 'The 'Aghori' form was given with the intention of making the character spiritual and mysterious,' he says.

Creating the Aghori getup required immense effort. Although he had experimented with a similar look in the play 'Rasman' previously, it was easier to create matted hair (jatta) then because his hair was long. During the shooting of 'Shivansh', his hair was short, making the creation of the jatta very challenging. He shares that his life partner helped him at home every morning and evening to prepare this look.

The film is set to release this coming Friday (Falgun 1). He is optimistic about the film, believing it has turned out beautifully. Since it is releasing coinciding with Mahashivaratri, one might speculate that the film has a story related to Shiva. Praveen states that 'Shivansh' should not be narrowly confined as just a Hindu film. 'This is a story rooted in our own soil, intertwined with Hindu myths. People of all religions and cultures will find it to be an original Nepali film,' he says.

As the film approaches release, he is currently engaged in door-to-door campaigning in his home district, Morang. He is not campaigning for the film through this door-to-door activity. He is canvassing for elections. His father is a candidate for the House of Representatives under the direct election system from Morang-1, and Praveen is accompanying him on the door-to-door visits to support him.

Some view elections as a game of winning and losing. He sees it as an opportunity to understand the sentiments of the people. 'Understanding what the people feel is also useful in filmmaking,' he says, 'Understanding public psychology is a big deal for an artist.' He believes that the depth of politics and society he understands while visiting villages during the election will be beneficial for his acting in the future.

Fear of Negative Roles

In the film directed by Santosh Kumar Atreya, Praveen plays the negative character 'Hiranya'. Interestingly, he had refused the offer more than 10 times because it was a villain role, but he couldn't refuse due to relationships.

'Anyone who deeply contemplates the impact of acting on society has to think hard before playing a negative character,' Praveen explains the reason for refusing roles, 'I am someone raising a young daughter. I worry about what perception my character might create in society and what mental pressure my daughter might have to endure.' He recounts facing harsh reactions from the audience for his roles as a human trafficker in 'Loot' and 'Dhuvani' previously.

'After 'Dhuvani', many people started looking at me as if I were a real girl-selling pimp,' he continues, 'We discuss intellectual matters in Kathmandu, but fresh people in the villages cannot separate the screen character from the real person. It hurt when people in the villages scorned me, calling me a pimp.'

To escape this image, he has cloaked the negative character in 'Shivansh' under the guise of an Aghori. His intention is for people to understand that Praveen is not bad, but that Aghori character is evil.

Praveen is an artist who transitioned to film from the stage. Having spent a long time in Gurukul and theatre, he cannot stay away from plays even today. Despite being busy with films, he recently acted in the play 'Bahadurpurko Dantyakatha', where he played the central role. For him, both theatre and film are his professions. He considers theatre superior in terms of learning and understanding. He believes one cannot become a true artist without doing theatre.

'To be a good artist, one must be a good person, and theatre is what makes a good person,' he says, 'Film gives professionalism, money, and fame.' He believes theatre keeps the artist's soul alive.

What has Praveen gained and lost through his artistry? He sounds quite philosophical when asked this question. He says he has not achieved the visible financial progress and luxurious life that society sees through artistry. He doesn't regret that either. What he has gained is more valuable than wealth.

'I am living new lives moment by moment. Being able to live the lives of so many characters in a single life is not possible in other professions,' he expresses his satisfaction.

Praveen considers himself lucky in a way because he is pursuing good artistry under the shelter of his family. His real asset is the experience of the characters he portrays, rather than material comforts. He believes this will be preserved for ages to come.