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Kathmandu. Actress Roshni Karki plays the lead role in the upcoming Nepali film Laalimaa, set to release on March 12 (Falgun 29). In the film, she portrays a sex worker named Laalimaa — a role she describes as one of the most challenging of her career.
Coming from a theatre background, this marks the first time Karki has played a sex worker on screen. To prepare for the role, she immersed herself in extensive research, including direct interactions with sex workers.
Karki said she had no prior acquaintance with sex workers, as many keep their profession hidden. However, meeting them was essential to build the character authentically. “No one openly introduces themselves as a sex worker. Their profession is usually unknown. But to understand the character, I needed real-life references,” she said.
According to Karki, the film focuses more on the mental state and emotional struggles of sex workers rather than just their profession. “To understand the mindset of sex workers in the Nepali context, it was important to meet and talk to them directly,” she explained.
With the help of the production team, Karki interacted with around ten sex workers. She said those conversations deeply influenced her performance. “They shared their pain, problems, and emotional state with me. That helped shape my character,” she added.
She revealed that the women she met ranged from college-going teenagers to middle-aged individuals. Most had entered the profession due to financial hardship. “I found that economic problems were the main reason, from young girls to middle-aged women, for choosing this profession,” she said.
Karki expressed satisfaction in being able to represent the voices and struggles of many sex workers through her role. “As an artist, I have become their voice. I have tried, at the very least, to portray their mental struggles and realities on screen,” she said.
The film ‘Laalimaa’ will hit theatres nationwide from Falgun 29.
