Kathmandu – The lead actress of the Nepali film Anjila and the captain of Nepal’s national women’s football team, Anjila tumbapo subba, was bid farewell by the film team as she prepares to play for Greece’s A Division club, Atromitou Football club Greece. At a press conference held in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Anjila, who has signed with the club for the 2024-25 season, was honored with special recognition.
The event was attended by prominent personalities from Nepal’s sports community, including Member of Parliament Suhang Nembang, Nepal’s first women’s football team captain Rama Singh, national men’s football team captain Kiran Chemjong, and Vikram Lama, president of the Football Players Association.
At the press conference, it was announced that the world premiere of the film Anjila will take place on December 8, 2024, in Hong Kong. Director Milan Chams and Anjila Subba will attend the premiere. Chams expressed gratitude towards the audience for the overwhelming support, mentioning that tickets for the Hong Kong screening sold out within a week. “The fact that tickets sold out in just a week shows the enthusiasm for the film. Anjila is expected to take Nepali cinema and sports to new heights,” said Chams.
After Hong Kong, the film will premiere in Australia on January 18, 2025, in Japan at the end of January, in the UK on February 15, and in Korea on March 2. The film will be released globally, including Nepal, on Falgun 29 (March 13, 2025).
Suhang Nembang, Member of Parliament, praised Angel’s struggles and success, calling them an inspiration for both Nepali sports and cinema. He said, “This film will bring global attention to the importance and potential of women’s sports in Nepal. Director Milan Chams is the ‘Messi’ of Nepali cinema. This film will play a key role in taking talented youth to greater heights.”
Rama Singh, the first captain of Nepal’s women’s football team, called the film a historic effort. “This might be the first biopic based on the life of a Nepali woman athlete. Angel’s story of struggle and success will inspire the development of sports tourism,” she stated.
Kiran Chemjong, captain of Nepal’s national men’s football team, considered the film a historic achievement for Nepali football. “I am proud that Nepali football has its first biopic. I hope this film will have an even greater inspiring impact,” he said. He also acknowledged the significant achievement of a female goalkeeper getting the opportunity to play in a European league.
Anjila, the lead actress of Anjila, expressed her immense happiness at having the opportunity to play in Europe for the first time. She also expressed her hope for continued success with the support of everyone.
The film Anjila is based on the life, struggle, and success of Anjila Subba. Angel plays the lead role, with other cast members including Sunil Thapa, Dayahang Rai, Vijay Baral, Sirjana Subba, Mao Tse Gurung, Manju Shrestha, and Buddhi Tamang. The film is produced by Prem Kumar Shrestha, with co-producers Tubendra Limbu, Vinod Agrawal, and Rajesh Bagdiya. The cinematography is by Sudip Baral, and the editing is done by Milan Shrestha.
Director Chams clarified that although the movie is inspired by Angel’s life story, it is not a complete biopic. Producer Shrestha shared that the profits from the film will be used to build a house for Angel in Kathmandu, which she plans to transform into a football academy. The academy will help young women aspiring to play football, particularly those facing struggles.
