'The Naked Truth About Zhiguli Band' reviving passion, hope

 Kathmandu, May 15: The Naked Truth About Zhiguli Band is a Bulgarian film made in the musical genre. The 111-minute film takes the audience on a nostalgic journey through the rise, fall, and eventual reunion of the iconic rock band Zhiguli.

The rock band Zhiguli was at the pinnacle of success, attracting a huge audience with their soulful tracks at the end of the 1980s. However, internal conflicts and personal reasons led the band members to disband. 

After 30 years of the band’s disbandment, the central character, Fori, had the opportunity to reunite the band once again for a special event. Fori, portrayed by Mihail Bilalov, is a former member of Zhiguli facing a dire financial crisis. Despite the gap of three decades and various obstacles in his path, Fori manages to persuade his former bandmates to come together once more, captivating audiences with their timeless music and undeniable chemistry.

The story explores themes of success, failure, conflicts, romantic love, family unity, and friendship in various ways.

The film also highlights that age is just a number, with will and passion, success can be achieved even in old age, as demonstrated by the band after 30 years.

 It delves into how financial crisis can strain relationships, as seen in the heated conversation between Fori and his daughter Liza played by Klimentina Fartzova.

 Liza aspires to study at the Royal Academy in the UK, but due to financial constraints, Fori prefers she attend a local university. This disagreement leads to great anger from Liza towards her father, causing emotional turmoil and family dysfunction.

The film encourages those who have abandoned their passions to pursue them regardless of age and circumstances. It effectively mixes emotion, success, and failure, particularly appealing to fans of disbanded musical bands and promoting the message of teamwork.

 Directed by Victor Bojinov, this Bulgarian film captivates audiences with its emotional dialogue throughout the film.

 The remarkable background music and clear dialogue aid in effective understanding.

 The simple storyline and relatable issues make the film easy to understand, resonating with many viewers ‘lifestyles.

Actors including Phillip Avramov, Maya Bejanska, Mihail Bilalov, Paraskeva Djukelova, Klimentina Fartzova, Gerasim Georgiev, Irini Jambonas, Iliana Lazarova, Lilia Marvilya, Avgust Popov have performed in the film.

 The musical film resonates with all musicians and music enthusiasts around the world, as music and art speak the universal language.

While watching, the audience can easily anticipate the storyline. In fact, the main character, Fori, is offered a hefty sum of money by the band’s loyal fan to reunite the band again for a special event. From this scene, the audience can easily predict what comes next and how it will end, yet the film manages to attract audiences throughout the film.

The strong aspects of the film are its natural acting, great music, and the numerous emotional elements that captivate the audience and keep them engaged throughout the film.

The film was screened in Nepal at the 13th edition of NEUFF (Nepal European Union Film Festival) recently.