The characters of ‘Kabaddi’ have created a world of their own: Rambabu Gurung

KATHMANDU:- When the fourth installment of the popular ‘Kabaddi’ film franchise was titled ‘The Final Match,’ many assumed that Kaji’s story had come to an end. However, the story had not concluded, nor was it the final installment. Four years later, ‘Kabaddi 5’ has been produced to tell the remainder of Kaji’s story, and it is set to be released this coming Friday—October 23.

According to director Rambabu Gurung, only one chapter of Kaji’s love life had concluded in ‘Kabaddi 4’. ‘Kabaddi 5’ has been produced to carry the story forward from that point. He says, “The reason the fourth installment was titled ‘The Final Match’ was to bring one chapter of Kaji’s love life to a close. But the story continues beyond that, doesn’t it?”

According to Gurung, the fifth installment was created to explore the practical side of Kaji’s life, following the conclusion of a chapter in his love life in ‘Kabaddi 4’. “It was the encouragement from the audience that sparked the idea to delve into the practical aspects of Kaji’s life. In that context, I discussed a fifth installment with Dayahang. Once he agreed—saying, ‘Let’s do it’—I immediately began the writing process,” he shared.

He states that there was no compelling pressure to create a fifth installment. According to him, the positive response from the audience provided the encouragement to make ‘Kabaddi 5’. He explained that the foundation for this fifth part was built upon the maturity the characters have gained over time, their experiences, and the desire to take the story further.

Gurung believes that by the time the fifth installment of ‘Kabaddi’ was reached, the characters had already established a world of their own. He says, “The audience that the series has garnered since the first film has grown alongside the characters. We, too, have been working continuously with these same characters. Consequently, there is a persistent curiosity about what will happen next in their stories. We have developed our own personal connection—our own ‘feelings’—toward these characters.”

Produced under the banner of Basuri Films, the film features Dayahang Rai, Bijay Baral, Buddhi Tamang, Bipin Karki, Miruna Magar, Sirjana Gurung, and Rishma Gurung in lead roles. The film is produced by director Gurung, along with Maniram Pokharel, Madhu Mijar, and Bishal Gurung (LG), while Sagar Raj Cinema serves as the executive producer.