Tell Me Wai-A Slightly Painful Review of Soong Na Oie

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I watched a movie called Soong Na Oie yesterday. Roughly translated, it means Tell Me Wai—though by the end, I was begging, Tell me why. The film is quite run-of-the-mill, which is a polite way of saying it rolls so flat it might as well be a pancake.Directed by experienced filmmaker Mr. Tshering Wangyel, the movie once again falls into one of his trite genres: the love story. Soong Na Oie tries to reflect both sides of life—tradition and modern fashion—but ends up looking confused, like someone wearing a gho with sneakers.  The protagonist, who seems to be an antagonist to his own family, has one glaring problem: he badly needs to shampoo his hair. And I mean badly. Phurba Thinley, playing a sly and panderous monk (yes, that's a word now), correctly observes that the hero's hair resembles that of a porcupine lost in the forest. This, apparently, is meant to reflect our youth's love for Korean culture. But last I checked, Korean stars have fabulous hair, not nesting grounds for small birds. Still, the porcupine look is certainly… a choice.

On the other hand, the female protagonist showcases the real simplicity of village life. She is pure, kind, and probably knows how to grind millet while humming a folk song. So we know from the start that these two wildly different lives will somehow fuse in the end—like butter and instant noodles. Unlikely, but Bhutanese audiences will accept it. One dialogue that viewers will remember—whether they want to or not—is the frequent repetition of Yeid May Na, which roughly translates to There is something. The moment the hero speaks, he starts with Yeid May Na… and then proceeds to say absolutely nothing. There is no something. There is just nothing. It's like ordering a pizza and receiving an empty box with a note that says, "There was supposed to be something here."

The story is entirely predictable—run-of-the-mill and no different from the director's past movies. In fact, his earlier films that I've watched were far better. This one only comes alive because of Phurba Thinley and Azha Namgay's comedies. Without them, this movie isn't for elder citizens—it's a child's play acted out with slightly better cameras. The film also features many loud, earsplitting songs, most of which are lyrical masterpieces like I love you, you love me. Shakespeare must be rolling somewhere.

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On the positive side (yes, there is one), the movie was shot mostly in the picturesque valleys of Bumthang and Paro. The stunning background is the real plus point. You get to see the greenery of Bhutan—at least until a song blasts and you have to look away to save your eardrums. Another good part? The ending. Not because it's good, but because it means the movie is over. As with many films, the side-splitting fights and dialogues keep you engaged for a few minutes. Then the movie ends—right when it should be reaching its climax. And as you already know, the worst become good, good overcomes bad, and somewhere out there, a porcupine is getting a shampoo sponsorship.