Shooting of Anjila begins

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 31:  Shooting of  ‘Anjila’, a film inspired by life of Anjila Tumbapo Subba, the celebrated goalkeeper of the women's national football team, has begun.

 The inaugural shooting was held at Aitabare, Anjila’s hometown in Ilam, on Monday.

 Directed by Milan Chamling Rai (Milan Chams), the film will be shot in Ilam, Jhapa, and Kathmandu.

The opening scenes were shot with actors Maotse Gurung and Sirjana Subba. 

Anjila will star as the lead, marking her debut as an actress. Dayahang Rai, Miruna Magar, Srijana Subba, Pashupati Rai, Maotse Gurung, Buddhi Tamang, Bijay Baral and Hari Khadka are featured in the film.

The narrative will span Anjila’s early years to her professional footballing career, highlighting her perseverance and resilience that paved her path to success.

Director Chams said that the film covers 75 per cent of Anjila’s life story, but it is not her pure biopic.

Producer Prem Kumar Shrestha said that the film will depict Anjila’s journey from a challenging childhood to her eventual success.

 Having supported and looked after Anjila for 14 years as a guardian, Shrestha brought her from Morang to Kathmandu with the intent of nurturing her athletic talent. He believes that Anjila’s story of perseverance and triumph will serve as an inspiration to many, and thus, he is driven to bring it to the silver screen.

Born in 1996 in Panchthar district, Anjila began playing football at the age of 13. She made her international debut in the AFC U-14 Girls Regional Trophy held in Sri Lanka in 2014 and joined the national team the same year.

 However, she spent two years’ confined to the bench. Since then, Anjila has emerged as a reliable goalkeeper for the women's national football team. 

Additionally, she was nominated for the People's Choice Award at the 'Pulsar Sports Award 2077'. She is distinguished as the only football player to receive a nomination in this category. 

Besides her sports achievements, her influence extends into the world of fashion and endorsements.

Written by Pradeep Bhardwaj and Yam Thapa, the film will be edited by Milan Shrestha.