Two young women come close to each other due to the earthquake. Love blossoms between the two, but their relationship does not find a destination. These two are middle-class - they have to work hard to earn!

Vikas runs Tootle. Sonam works in a consultancy. She is preparing to go to Australia on a dependent visa. Not with Vikas, but with another man whom she cannot accept as her husband. The husband shows mercy, not love, towards Sonam. However, Sonam has chosen the dream of Australia to rise from her situation and poverty.

On the other hand, Vikas is also forced to earn. He loves Sonam, but the two cannot be together. Why?

The 28-minute long film 'Sapnako Awaaz' shows the answer, the constraints and complex relationship of these two! Even though they are far from each other, Sonam and Vikas are bound by unforgettable memories. Sonam chooses a foreign dream, while Vikas keeps trying to meet Sonam in a lucid dream. When 'The Voice of Dreams' premiered at the Nepal International Film Festival (NIF) - the director's name surprised everyone for the first time. How can a foreign eye show this deep reality of Nepali society in such detail? However, in this single film made by Kalani Gakkan, who is closely connected to Nepali society, its culture and art, his inclination towards Nepal, closeness to the subject matter and the enthusiasm of telling Nepali stories are found. Australian filmmaker Kalani is a true Nepali in terms of storytelling. Kalani has been showing Nepali society in his films through complex relationships, the pain and suffering it causes. In 'Sapnako Awaaz', the compulsion of Nepalis to go abroad is told through a beautiful love story. For example, in this film, Sonam and Vikas love each other very much. They miss each other, but circumstances have forced both of them to separate. The film does not spend much time showing the love of these two. However, the compulsion to go abroad while standing in the pain of separation is touching.

Sonam dreams of a big city from a small room. That is why she gives up love and chooses Australia. Vikas, who has been supporting his family by running a taxi, chooses domestic labor. Through 'Sapnako Awaaz', Kalani has examined the compulsion of Nepalis to go abroad and the sense of compromise that must be made.

When viewed through foreign eyes, Sonam and Vikas' world does not appear beautiful and neat. Rather, it is cramped, just like their situation. One room, one bed. Sleeping in the same bed with her mother and sister, Sonam dreams of Australia.

On the other hand, Vikas, who is forced to take on the responsibilities of his mother and brother, also lives in a cramped room. Their world does not seem to be neat. Kalani has not failed to show the middle class. In this film, the love between the two is shown through the coincidence of a letter and a chat. However, the topic of Tootle being used at the time of the earthquake does not seem realistic. Even though the situation is shown a year after the earthquake, Vikas and Sonam meet in Tootle. Was Tootle already in use at that time? Kalani seems raw in some factual aspects. However, this film captures the pain of the middle class of Nepali society through the compulsion, love and dreams of the two characters. Songs and music are not spared in Kalani's films. Sonam sings before going abroad in 'Sapnako Awaaz';

Where am I saying these days, I am learning to fly even without wanting to

As you can see outside, I have endured the change in the weather 

Even without wanting to, I am trying to understand the feeling…

In the short film of the same title, which was released before Sushant KC's song 'Yastai Raichha', a beautiful combination of song and story is found . 'Yastai Raichha' was also directed by Kalani . The short film 'Yastai Raichha', which was released before KC's song, is actually a prequel - of the song 'Yastai Raichha'.

The story of the film comes before Sushant's song . In this 12-minute-31-second film, there are also two characters at the center .  The male character visits the girl's house every day . The mother opens the door and takes the female character (Thinle Lhamo) to the place where she is, and asks her to fix the broken electricity . The male character acts as if he is making another plug next to the electrical plug. However, this character always repeats the act of reaching the girl's house and doing some repairs in the same way.

The same thing happens in the female character's room. She is sitting concentrated, but the arrival of the male character breaks her concentration. And, making reference to the T-shirt with the music band 'Beatles' on it, she asks - Do you like the Beatles? Then the two talk about the band and music. The female character hums a Beatles song.

In this way, the male character changes his clothes every day and reaches the woman's house in the same way. The act of making repairs and the dialogue about music repeats itself. However, the female character never recognizes the male character. She doesn't really know anyone. Love is shown in the film through such a delicate act done by a man to bring his girlfriend back to her senses.

Sushant's song 'Yastai Raichha' is a continuation of the same story of the film. What does the lover do here to bring his girlfriend back to her senses by repeating the same memory? The love of the lover is revealed in those acts. At the beginning of the video of the song, it is shown that the love between the two remains the same despite the passage of time, keeping these two at the center. As this song brings the story back to the present, the frame becomes wider. It is as if their love has accepted a different shape.

Singer Sushant has acted in both the video and the film of this song, which is told from the perspective of a male character. His character seems to be trying his best to bring his girlfriend back to the present by recalling old memories. That is why this character sings in the video of the song;

Look back, when we part;

Look back

Again, forgetting this heart,

This heart stopped beating,

When I was alone and crying,

No one came,

This is how life is,

Like the Tamang language film 'Family Man', there are no such beautiful scenes in 'Yastai Raichha'. There is no novelty in the story and scenes of 'Yastai Raichha'. However, 'Family Man' contains beautiful scenes. In this film too, the main role of songs is seen. Kalani uses songs as the main element to tell the story. Kalani reaches Gatlang in Rasuwa to tell this story of a Tamang family. And he makes 'Family Man' to show the effect of a missing 'man' on two women. This film is the story of a family that is waiting for a character who has disappeared in the fog of a lake.

The only members of the family are the mother and daughter. The father has been missing for years. The mother and daughter have become so accustomed to their daily lives that they have stopped waiting for their lost relatives for years. But, what a coincidence! One day, the missing character returns home through the fog. With his arrival, the mother and daughter's daily life begins to collapse. The character has remembered home, the road. The clothes he wears. But looking at his appearance, it seems that he has forgotten everything he needs to remember. He has forgotten the love he has for his daughter - the love he has for his wife. He remembers only one song.

This film shows the impact of the lost. The mother and daughter are waiting for those who have lost their way and are lost. They are looking for him in the same songs and rhythms. But, the emptiness caused by the Harijans cannot be erased. The mirror that looks at the wounds and injuries caused by them is 'Family Man'. Through this mirror, one can see the pain of those who wait.

All three films were shown at a program organized by the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu last week. It is said that the new film being made by Kalani, an Australian citizen living in Nepal and making films, will also tell the story of the relationship between Kathmandu and Australia.

Kalani's relationship with Nepal

Kalani's relationship with Nepal was connected by the earthquake. In 2015, he set out to visit India. However, when he reached Gorakhpur, the fatigue of the journey increased. He could not find a hotel to rest. He thought of going to the train station and sleeping. At that moment, a child standing in a car was shouting, 'Kathmandu, Kathmandu'. He got into the car with the desire to catch up on sleep. When he opened his eyes, Kathmandu. When he reached Kathmandu, the second aftershock after the great earthquake had passed. He thought, 'Maybe I'm touching some reason for coming here'. Before that, he had no idea about earthquakes, so he made a documentary called 'Earthquake'. The documentary presented the earthquake from the perspective of children.

Then in 2018, he made a documentary about migration, 'Journey to the Center of the Heart'. The documentary, which followed foreign characters migrating to Nepal as a large number of Nepalis were leaving, won the international award at the Kimfma that year. In the meantime, he also worked in Nepali films. The Australian colony now prefers to stay in Nepal. He does not have a deep connection with Nepal. But his films and documentaries started in Nepal. 'It's been nerve-wracking to make films in Nepal,' the 27-year-old Kalani says with a laugh, 'The experience of making films in Nepal is different than making films abroad.'