Om Pratik to Direct 'Yanimaya' as Pal Shah Steps into Production

Kathmandu — There has been a significant change behind the camera for Yanimaya, the upcoming film being produced by actor Paul Shah. When the project was officially announced on Baisakh 1, director Vikas Subedi was attached to helm the film. The production team had even traveled as far as Dhorpatan in Baglung for shooting preparations. However, internal differences between Vikas and Paul led to a fallout at the last moment, bringing the shoot to a halt.

Stepping in to fill that void is director Om Pratik — and for fans of Paul Shah, that name will ring a very familiar bell. Om is the same director who gave Paul one of his biggest hits, Mohar. That film forged a close bond between the two, and it appears that trust has now brought them back together. On Monday, Om shared a photo on Facebook alongside Paul, taken right after the two signed their formal agreement, announcing that he would be directing Yanimaya.

With the change in director comes a question mark over the film's leading lady as well. Model Anjana Pun Magar had been signed on as Paul's on-screen pair under Vikas's vision — she was handpicked by him through auditions. Now that the director's chair has changed hands, many are wondering whether Anjana will continue to be part of the project. The production side, however, has remained tight-lipped on the matter.

The film will be produced under the banner of Paul Shah Films, with Paul himself in the lead role. Chandrajyoti Ale is also on board as a co-producer. This marks Paul's debut as a film producer, though he has previously produced a few music videos through his company. With Yanimaya as his launching pad, Paul has made it clear that he plans to keep producing films under his own banner going forward.