'Idol' forays into Nepali movies

The 26-year-old from Darjeeling has been camping in Nepal, from where his ancestors hailed, to kickstart a new career in acting with the Nepali film Gurkha Paltan (The Gurkha Brigade).

Prashant, who became a youth icon in Nepal after winning the third edition of the music reality show against formidable odds, is shooting for the movie in picturesque Palpa district in central Nepal, which is known for its hand-woven cloth and the valiant Gurkha warriors who make their way to the British and Indian armies.

Nepali singer Narayan Rayamajhi is making his debut as a director with Gurkha Paltan, the tale of young Nepali men being forced to join foreign armies. Rayamajhi was looking for actors with an army background and he found Prashant. With his police career, Prashant was perfect for the role.

One of the recent sequences that he shot includes the return of Nirman to his village on leave when he gets married to a girl from the village, played by Nepali actress Ranjita Gurung.

Prior to this, Prashant was expected to make his debut with a biopic by debutant Nepali director Dinesh Raj Sharma, but the project is yet to go on floors. Rayamajhi and Sunil Thapa, the veteran bad man of the Nepali film industry, say they are happy with Prasant’s acting skills. If Gurkha Paltan enjoys reasonable success, Prashant will have a new career in the Nepali film industry, the films of which are also watched by the diaspora in Mumbai, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Hong Kong, London and the Middle East.