Chhakka Panja is a 2016 Nepalese dark comedy drama film directed and produced by Deepa Shree Niraula. The film is Niraula's directorial debut and features Priyanka Karki, Deepak Raj Giri, Jeetu Nepal, Kedar Ghimire, Buddhi Tamang, Shivahari Poudel, Barsha Raut and Namrata Sapkota. The film received highly positive reviews for its screenplay and story, performances, humor and its social setting. However, due to piracy problems, the movie was released on YouTube. Due to the piracy, the international screening of the movie was highly affected. The film was " All Time Blockbuster " and is the 2nd highest grossing Nepali film of all time overtaken by its 3rd part. The film had two sequels :- Chhakka Panja 2 and Chhakka Panja 3, both of which were commercial blockbusters. Thus, it is the highest grossing Nepali movie franchise. Chakka Panja 4 is scheduled to release in Dashain 2077.
Plot
Raja is a rich but illiterate man enjoying his life with his friends Ateet, Saraswati, Magne and Buddhi. He is not willing to marry despite his mother's repeated requests, citing his neighbour's condition after marriage. Ateet is jobless but after falling love with Brinda asks her father for marriage. Brinda's father refuses at first, but relents after Ateet is chosen to receive a US Diversity Visa. He marries Brinda and goes to the US, promising to take Brinda when her papers are ready. However, Brinda falls in love with Raja and they have an affair. Magne stays with his mother, who becomes sick, after which he knows that the mother loves him so much. He then vies for employment abroad. Saraswati blames his father for his feminine name and loves a village girl Bishnu. Saraswati goes abroad for employment after Bishnu's father challenges him to earn money. Buddhi is married but jobless. Buddhi is incited to beat up his wife by his friends by drinking alcohol. This leads to serious row between the couple and Buddhi's wife goes to her brother's house. While taking revenge on Buddhi's brother-in-law, Champa criticises Raja. However, she accepts Raja's clumsy marriage proposal. Champa succeeds at bringing Raja into the track and bring happiness to his family. But in the twist of the story, Champa and Aryan try to kill Raja and they elope. Raja, infuriated, looks for the duo and moves to Kathmandu. Raja finds Magne in Kathmandu, unable to go abroad because of manpower agency and now a goon. Raja with his friends Saraswati, Magne and Buddhi locate Champa and Aryan, only to get surprised with Ateet as the bride for his wife Champa. Ateet reveals that after his return, he knows about Raja and Brinda's relationship and planned the plot to make Raja feel when you lose someone you dearly love. In the end, Ateet marries Champa and Raja becomes a hermit while Brinda stays at Raja's house and gives birth to a baby. Sarawsati marries Bishnu and Buddhi reconciles with his wife before going for foreign employment. Magne now with his mother proposes Deepa for marriage.
On 12 January 2017, actor and producer Deepak Raj Giri revealed that the movie was leaked on Facebook. Later on 13 January 2017, a person committed suicide after he was implicated in the piracy but the police found that he was not connected. Actor Deepak Raj Giri posted on his Facebook page that he felt sorry for the boy who committed suicide.
Sequel
After the huge success of Chhakka Panja, the director and writer i.e. Deepa Shree Niraula and Deepak Raj Giri announced a sequel. Some familiar faces as well as new characters would appear, but audiences were assured a fresh story with Chhakka Panja 2. After the release of songs for Chhaka Panja 2 the singer Almoda was accused of stealing the song "Ye Daju." A lawsuit followed, and rumours suggested that Chhaka Panja 2 would not be as successful as its predecessor. Additional troubles occurred as the popular actor featured in Chhakka Panja, Rudra Prasad Bhattarai aka "Lajalam," died.
