Keran-Please can you clarify your name karuna or Suzeeta Gurung?

There is nothing to clarify about my name, but yeah people do get confused as to why I have two names.Karuna is my birth name and Suzeeta given name by my dad. Karuna is

more like professional , though I prefer Suzeeta…

Keran-Since when and what got you into film making?

I have always been fascinated by different forms of media, from cartoons to Bollywood and Hollywood movies. I realized that it left a strong impact on my life. I also realized that it was a strong medium reaching out to people on different walks of life. Since I was into music and poem from childhood, it didn’t took me long to submerge myself into another art form-Cinema. I am not the kind of person who sits back on the receiving end, so here I am on the giving side or let’s say “FLIM MAKING”

Keran-Being a Nepali girl and choosing this career how much support and respect did you get from your family and others?

Well I was brought up in an army environment and when you are the youngest daughter, you get all the freedom to do whatever you feel like. I fall in this category and I feel blessed to have very free spirite, open minded parents like mine. They have always supported me since day 1.We have very strong bonding and there’s a thing called “TRUST” and it's more then enough for me to go on. In fact when my dad knew I had a talent in music he gifted me a guitar. We have a very large family and my 23 cousins and nephews are either into business, army, doctor or engineer and here I am suzeeta who is into FILM MAKING. They call me “ROCK STAR”  since I’m so different than my other cousins .I’m like the talk things among my relatives.Bottom line is that I have the perfect family with perfect parents. I’m full of surprises even to my parents and for that my dad calls me”FUNTOOSH” and I love it.

Keran-Could you please share few of your filmmaking experience?

Well I am just a beginner and I still got a long way to go. During this learning phase, I’ve acted in few short movies and also worked as an assistant director. Recently I’ve had a chance to work on some good project. A career seems a long way uphill but I’m glad I’ve finally landed in the professional circuit of filmmaking. I’m interested in life changing motivational stories…that could be anything from our society. So it’s obvious that a liberal and rebellious person like me heading towards bringing about that much needed change.

Keran-Beside filmmaking you are into poem, music and photography, what work have you done recently?

Poems, Music….Photography are all the different forms of art and I must say it was all in me since I was born….well I had been to Pokhara to record a song and it has come out pretty well. Since I’m into so many things, I hardly have time for music these days but my short summer vacation proved to be a little help for me. I don’t intend to come out with album commercially. I’m just recording songs for myself and for my close people so that when I get old I can always play my songs and feel content and be AWESTUCK thinking that was ME..DAMN…..

Keran-What kind of film you are interested to make?

Rather then the glamorous mainstream movies, I’m more inclined towards story telling independent films.

Keran-what is important to make good film?

People have very wrong ideas about filmmaking. Well I say we don’t need large budget, famous actors….huge sets to make movies…..its all about presenting the vision and reaching out to the mass. Originality is another factor to keep up with not forgetting to add the essence and newness, something that makes your movie stand out amongst others……Film making is all about teamwork, patience, sweat, sleepless nights(on positive thought ,lets not talk about the negative). Pre-production period is the vital part…..once you been through that phase then the rest follows accordingly !! Once the discovery part is completed then another bug thing, which we call “EXPLORING”, is still yet to come!!

Keran-Who is your influence in filmmaking?

I love the work of Ingmar Bergman, Roberto Rosesellini, Francis Ford Coppola, Kim Ki Duk, Martin Scorsese…..they have been influential but again every director have their own uniqueness and it’s hard choosing few out of so many talented people.

Keran-Where do you see Nepali filmmaking now and what changes do you think that can make Nepali movie better?

I think it’s just the victim of normal Nepalese nature of thinking like you say in every sector be it a politic, culture, living style etc which has always been traditional and conventional. A Nepalese person seems to fear the change so I believe movie making is one of its victim. Since fiction Bollywood movies are very much popular in our society, Nepalese filmmakers have been trying for the easier success rather than upbringing originals ideas and creativity of their own. But we can see the modern Nepalese film makers making a breakthrough in short movies. We have yet to see it on the Nepalese mainstream movies.

Keran-What’s your favorite theme in photo shoot and what will be the reason behind?

I don’t do brain storming session for any shot. If I am working for somebody then I will discuss it before the shoot, like for what purpose and stuff. But I click whatever that

captures my eyes and inner soul. Everybody have different perception for different things. I’m like a white sheet of paper, capturing moments of anything…..sound of raindrops,the smell of wet earth, it could be old women waiting for her death's arrival, a child crying over an expensive toy, a politician manipulating uneducated poor people, a heartbroken lover waiting desperately for a phone call or least a missed call,a trouble teenager unable to voice his frustration and discontent!!! These are some of the few things I’ve captured till date……I live for today…Each day's own evil is sufficient…there maybe trouble tomorrow but who cares about it when u have so many exuberant memories to cherish about love ,romance ,friendship, happiness, tragedy, pain everything that makes it more beautiful to breath each second and think that it was you in that very moment…

Keran-where will you see yourself in coming few years time?

I don’t predict anything for future. I enjoy life everyday and feel blessed ,live it for the moment. I love my country and young people like us should stay. If you have talent then you don’t need to go to some foreign land rather stay back and live. Work happy and enjoy with DIGNITY.

Keran-Last words to our viewers of bagaicha.com and your fans out there?

Thank you keran didi .I really admire whatever you are doing ,Most important works of young talents are heard and seen through this website.Well I don’t know about my fans part …ha..ha…but yeah wait  for my new song and thank you all for supporting and appreciating my work, be it music or photography. Always believe in yourself and if you have dream, don’t hold back!!!!!

Interviewed by Keran Limbu for www.bagaicha.com