Seto Surya

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Ganesh Neupane (Munal) as Kaaji
• Dayahang Rai as Agni / Chandra
• Asha Magrati as Durga
• Rabindra Singh Baniya as Suraj
• Sumi Malla as Pooja
• Amrit Pariyar as Badri
• Pramod Agrahari as Police officer
• Deepak Chhetri as Priest
• Deshbhakta Khanal as Uncle

Storyline:

When his father dies, anti-regime partisan Chandra must travel to his remote mountain village after nearly a decade away. Little Pooja is anxiously awaiting the man she thinks is her father, but she’s confused when Chandra arrives with Badri, a young street orphan rumored to be his son. Chandra must face his brother Suraj, who was on the opposing side during the Nepali civil war. The two brothers cannot put aside political feelings while carrying their father’s body down the steep mountain path to the river for cremation. Suraj storms off in a rage, leaving Chandra with no other men strong enough to help. Under pressure from the village elders, Chandra must seek help from outside the village to obey the rigid caste and discriminatory gender traditions he fought to eliminate during the war. Chandra searches for a solution in neighboring villages, among the police, guests at a local wedding, and rebel guerrillas…

About Movie:

Seto Surya (White Sun) is a biographical war drama film directed by Deepak Rauniyar and co-written by Rauniyar and David Barker. The film stars Dayahang Rai and Rabindra Singh Baniya in lead roles, alongside Asha Magrati, Sumi Malla, Amrit Pariyar, Deepak Chetri, and Deshbhakta Khanal. It is set against the backdrop of the Nepalese Civil War, focusing on the conflict between royalists and Maoists.

Seto Surya premiered in the Horizons section at the 73rd Venice Film Festival and was later screened at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. It was selected as Nepal’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards but did not receive a nomination.

The film received positive reviews for its poignant storytelling and strong performances, particularly highlighting the emotional depth of familial relationships amidst political turmoil. Critics praised its cinematography and music as well.