Kathmandu, 14 Jul: The recent blockbuster film “Woolen Sweater” (“ऊनको स्वीटर”) features three central characters — Dharanidhar Kafle (played by Bipin Karki), Phool (Miruna Magar), and the house nestled in the middle of a vibrant flower garden.
Dharanidhar is a skilled craftsman who builds homes throughout the village. He makes a heartfelt promise to his beloved Phool: “I want to build a house in a quiet place, surrounded by a garden full of flowers. I’ll wait for you there.”
He keeps his promise.
Using the skills he learned from his father at a young age, Dharanidhar constructs a house as beautiful as Phool herself. Holding onto the dream of starting a new life with her in that very home, he sets out in search of her.
Indeed, director Navin Chauhan presents the house in the film not merely as a setting, but as a character in its own right.
If you take the house out of the story, the film Woolen Sweater would feel just as empty as Dharanidhar’s life without Phool.
In many films, we’ve seen sets created to look like houses, or old houses renovated and used for filming. But what makes Woolen Sweater special is that the house needed for the story wasn’t fake — director Navin Chauhan had a real one built.
When the story called for scenes set in a unique home, Navin decided against using a prop or set. Instead, he bought land, consulted with his team, and built a charming house out of wood and clay. A beautiful garden full of flowers was created around it.
Located in Ranke Bazaar of Ilam, the house has now become a center of attraction.
Navin spent a lot of time just searching for land. Though the story only required about one ropani (roughly 500 square meters), no such plot was available in the area. So the production team ended up buying 10 ropanis (about 5,000 square meters) of land for 1 million rupees. Navin says the land was purchased from the uncle of the film’s co-producer, Prakash Basnet. Today, both the land and the house are registered under the name of the production company, Artmandu.
This is Navin’s debut feature film, though he previously directed popular music videos such as “Ke Maya Lagsa Ra?” and “Dekhera Timilai, Bhetera Timilai.”
“In our film industry, even when the story demands a house, we usually just fix up an old one and pass it off as new. That kind of shortcut is common,” Navin said. “But for my first film, I didn’t want to take any shortcuts. I wanted to make it with complete honesty. So, just as Dharanidhar promises Phool, I built a brand-new house. That house has given the film a tangible presence.”
Woolen Sweater opens with a scene of digging the house’s foundation and ends with the completed home surrounded by flowers. In between, Navin shows the full process of building the house — from the initial groundwork to the finished product.
Though the team initially intended to take their time with the construction, the pressures of filming forced them to complete the house in just two days. “We had to rush, so we brought in 30 to 40 workers at once. Since we needed to show a blooming garden too, we gathered flowers from all over the village using two or three vehicles,” Navin said with a laugh. “I was also the designer and the engineer — I sketched out everything by hand: where to place the windows and doors, where to build the bathroom, and how it should look.”
Audiences have loved the house. Some have even visited the location after watching the film. Many have inquired whether the house is open to visitors. “We’ve been surprised by the number of people coming just to see the house,” Navin said.
One lingering question viewers have is: Dharanidhar built a house for Phool, but did Phool — played by Miruna Magar — ever see it?
In the story, Phool never finds out that Dharanidhar built the house. And in real life, Miruna hadn’t seen the house even after filming had wrapped. She finally saw it recently when she was in Ilam shooting for Jari 2.
“She called me after visiting and said, ‘The house is absolutely beautiful!’” Navin recalled.
The film’s team has plans for the house. Some suggest using it as a space to write scripts or songs; others want to use it for retreats or picnics. Navin also plans to use the space for creative purposes — scriptwriting, music composition, poetry, and more.
“My goal is to write my next film’s script in that very house,” he said. “Soon, I’ll complete the remaining work and make it suitable for living.”
According to Navin, the interior design is still in progress. Since Ranke is a cold, misty area, he plans to use more wood inside the house for warmth. Though the exterior has a traditional look, he wants the interior to be fully equipped with modern amenities.
If you were captivated by the beauty of that house while watching the film, you’re not alone! And if you ever feel like seeing it in real life — make a trip to Ranke. It’s worth it.
Sangita Giri
