Roshni Karki Debuts as Lead in 'Lalima,' a Challenging Film on Sex Workers' Lives

Kathmandu. Many enter the film industry driven by the hunger for commercial success and fame. For Roshni Karki, it was a test of her acting abilities. The film Roshni chose to gauge her potential is 'Lalima,' which hit cinemas last Friday. She debuts as the lead actress through this movie.

'Lalima' is a film based on the story of sex workers. Roshni plays the role of a sex worker in the film, which was the most challenging and sensitive role for her to date. She worked hard to understand society's perspective on them and the psychological aspects of the character. She states that she chose this film because it offered ample scope to showcase her skills as an actress.

"Once you become an actor, you must be able to work without 'judging' the character," Roshni says, "This film has some difficult scenes, which are challenging for an actor. Many actors are afraid to take on such roles, but I needed refinement in my acting." She explains that she chose the film 'Lalima' to find out the extent of her acting capability.

In the film, she plays the role of a sex worker named 'Lalima.' To bring her character to life, she spent time with real sex workers. Although she initially felt uncomfortable talking to them, their experiences moved her deeply. "Spending 4-5 hours talking to them revealed aspects of life that society never sees," Roshni shares. She believes 'Lalima' is a mirror to society.

The film stars Usha Rajak, Shishir Bangdel, Jeevan Bhattarai, Sabin Kattel, Ghanshyam Joshi, and Sushma Neupane alongside Roshni. The film is directed by Roshan Miraj.

• Film After Theatre and Music Videos

Before entering films, Roshni had honed her skills by working in over 300 music videos. While music videos became her means of commercial survival, she always sought a role that would do justice to her acting potential. She says that search was fulfilled with the film 'Lalima.'

Roshni, who spent 11 years in theatre, began her acting career at Mandala Theatre. She worked in plays there continuously for four to five years, learning and working. Concurrently, she started working in music videos and some advertisements. Subsequently, she played supporting roles in films like 'Pardeshi 2,' 'Blind Rocks,' 'Shree Bukuro,' and 'Sushri Sampatti.' The success in supporting roles fueled her desire for a lead role on the big screen. That is why she chose 'Lalima' for her debut as a heroine.

'Lalima' happened because of her theatre background. At that time, she was performing the play 'Montage.' While she was at the theatre for the play, she learned that established theatre figures were conducting casting. It was during this time that she received the offer for the film.

"Initially, I felt I should do it because it was about a female subject," Roshni says, "But after seeing the storyline, I felt even more strongly that I must do it." She shares her experience that the way society looks at her has changed now that she is appearing on screen as the main actress after playing supporting roles.

"Yesterday, when I played a supporting role, nobody paid much attention, but today, appearing as the main character, I feel the weight of responsibility," she says, "The expectations people have are both a challenge and energy for me." She mentions that she is receiving positive feedback from all quarters for her debut film performance.

It is true that many families in Nepali society are still hesitant to accept acting as a full-time profession. However, in Roshni's case, her family's mental support has been present from the beginning. "Although there wasn't significant material support, my family never crushed my aspirations, which is why I am here today," she credits her family for her success. Lately, many youths want to enter acting seeing the glamour, but she advises them to only come after strengthening their foundation and training. She recommends that the new generation attend theatre at least once before pursuing film acting. She believes theatre helps people recognize their potential and clarify their career path.

• She Came to Kathmandu to Become a Dancer

Roshni, who grew up in the cool climate of Ilam, arrived in Kathmandu in 2071 BS. Her objective for coming to Kathmandu was to complete her 'Plus Two' education and become a professional dancer. She was a renowned dancer in Ilam and came to the capital with the dream of making her dance global. However, the high cost of living in Kathmandu made her initial days difficult. Due to a lack of money, she had to put her dream of learning dance on hold and focus only on her studies. Around that time, through an acquaintance named Sanyog Guragai, she got the opportunity to watch a play called 'Zero Zero Z' at Mandala Theatre. That single play changed the direction of her life.

"After watching that play, I realized my happiness lay in acting," she recalls those days, "The vibrant presentation on stage captivated me so much that I traded my dream of dancing for acting." Her theatrical journey, which began then, has brought her to the lead heroine role on the film screen.

Roshni has acted in over 15 plays, including 'Montage,' 'Shilpini,' and 'Klesha.' She took the play 'Klesha' to India's prestigious 'Bharat Rang Mahotsav,' which she is proud of for introducing her acting on an international stage. She plans to continue film acting but wishes to keep working in theatre.