{{short description|2013 Nepali historical drama film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox film | name = Badhshala | image = Badhshala.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | native_name = {{Infobox name module|ne|वधशाला}} | director = Manoj Pandit | producer = Mohaan Dotel | writer = Manoj Pandit | based_on = Nepalese Civil War | starring = Saugat Malla <br /> Dayahang Rai <br /> Khagendra Lamichhane <br /> Anup Baral <br /> Arpan Thapa | released = {{Film date|2013|04|19|df=y}} | country = Nepal | language = Nepali }} '''''Badhshala''''' (English: Slaughter House) is a 2013 Nepali historical drama film written and directed by Manoj Pandit and produced by Mohaan Dotel under the banner of Smashing Apple. It features Saugat Malla, Dayahang Rai, Khagendra Lamichhane, Anup Baral, and Arpan Thapa. ''Badhshala'' concerns the torture done by the Nepali Army to the Maoists during the Nepalese Civil War. It was briefly banned in Nepal but was cleared for screening after filmmakers deleted the "problematic torture scenes".
== Synopsis == The film is based on the tortures carried out by the Nepali Army on Maoists during the Nepalese Civil War (1996–2006). It shows that innocents and Maoists detainees were forced to sign a paper saying that they were Maoists, and they were later killed by the army in a jungle. The army also asks them to reveal information about their leader; if they refuse, they are taken to a jungle where they will see detainees being brutally murdered, implying that they will be killed if they do not reveal the information.
== Cast == {{div col}} * Saugat Malla as Maoist Leader * Dayahang Rai as Captain Rai * Khagendra Lamichhane as Krishna * Anup Baral as Major Sab * Arpan Thapa as Captain Thapa {{div col end}}
== Production == ''Badhshala'' was reportedly made on a budget of four million Nepalese rupees (about US$46,512 in 2013).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=7 March 2013|title=Film on Nepal army torture delayed, director says govt censoring|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2013-03-07-film-on-nepal-army-torture-delayed-director-says-govt-censoring/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021142907/https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2013-03-07-film-on-nepal-army-torture-delayed-director-says-govt-censoring/ |archive-date=21 October 2020 |access-date=21 October 2020|website=TimesLIVE|language=en-ZA}}</ref>
== Banning == thumb|200px|left|Poster for the protest Initially, the Nepali Army objected to the film being screened because the actors are wearing military uniforms without permission.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Rana|first=Trishna|date=2013|title=Arms and the men|url=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Here-We-Go/Arms,93|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015153751/https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Here-We-Go/Arms,93 |archive-date=15 October 2020 |access-date=21 October 2020|website=Nepali Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=Nepal Army urges to ban screening of "Badhshala"|url=http://www.ekantipur.com/2013/01/27/top-story/nepal-army-urges-to-ban-screening-of-badhshala/366184.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130091412/http://www.ekantipur.com/2013/01/27/top-story/nepal-army-urges-to-ban-screening-of-badhshala/366184.html#.UQVqZHqZ9kg.facebook|archive-date=30 January 2013|access-date=21 October 2020|website=Ekantipur}}</ref> Later, the army said that the film could "derail the peace process".<ref name=":1" /> In March 2013, ''Al Jazeera'' reported that ''Badhshala'' had been banned.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=10 March 2013|title=Nepal army bans film charting civil-war abuse|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2013/3/10/nepal-army-bans-film-charting-civil-war-abuse|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015185916/https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2013/3/10/nepal-army-bans-film-charting-civil-war-abuse |archive-date=15 October 2020 |access-date=21 October 2020|website=|publisher=Al Jazeera|language=en}}</ref> Director Manoj Pandit said that he would go to the Supreme Court of Nepal, regarding this as an attack on freedom of speech.{{cn|date=May 2026}} According to the director, the film is fictional but based on historical facts.<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=The disappearance of truth|url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/nepalitimes/pdf/Nepali_Times_641.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317073336/http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/nepalitimes/pdf/Nepali_Times_641.pdf |archive-date=17 March 2016 |access-date=21 October 2020|website=Nepali Times}}</ref> Pandit told the ''South China Morning Post'' that he had given a DVD of the film to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to urge him to release the film.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=7 March 2013|title=Film on Nepal army torture blocked, says director|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1185469/film-nepal-army-torture-blocked-says-director|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021150444/https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1185469/film-nepal-army-torture-blocked-says-director |archive-date=21 October 2020 |access-date=21 October 2020|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}}</ref> The film was cleared for screening in cinemas after the filmmakers deleted the "problematic torture scenes".<ref name=":1" /> ''Badhshala'' was screened on 19 April 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nepal: disappeared and tortured for 500 days|url=https://trialinternational.org/latest-post/nepal-disappeared-and-tortured-for-500-days/|access-date=21 October 2020|website=TRIAL International|language=en-US}}</ref> The film was later selected for 16th Siliguri international film festival in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2015-11-16|title=প্রতিকূলতা সত্ত্বেও আন্তর্জাতিক চলচ্চিত্র উৎসব|trans-title=International Film Festival in spite of adversity|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/entertainment/প-রত-ক-লত-সত-ত-ব-ও-আন-তর-জ-ত-ক-চলচ-চ-ত-র-উৎসব-1.241894|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-24|website=www.anandabazar.com|language=bn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127063730/https://www.anandabazar.com/entertainment/%E0%A6%AA-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C-%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%9A-%E0%A6%9A-%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%89%E0%A7%8E%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AC-1.241894 |archive-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref> {{Quote|text=It's embarrassing to live in a country that sends its troops all over the world on peacekeeping missions but can't respect the basic right to free speech at home [Nepal].<ref name=":0" />|author=Mohaan Dotel|title=Film Producer|source=''TimesLIVE''}}
==Critical reception== Trishna Rana writing for ''Nepali Times'' wrote that ''Badhshala'' is a "flawed historical drama" since it shows only one side of the civil war.<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|id=tt6722986}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Badhshala}} Category:2013 films Category:Films about police misconduct Category:Films banned in Nepal Category:Nepalese drama films Category:Nepalese Civil War films Category:Nepalese historical films
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