We Are No Monks

 ABOUT      FILM SYNOPSIS      CREW      CAST

McLeod Ganj, also known as little Lhasa in India, is a few kilometers above Dharamshala. Tucked away in the foothills of the Himalaya in Northern India, it is a hub of Tibetan activities. Amid the cluster of Tibetan exiled government offices, institutions and organizations, ordinary refugees live with hopes of returning to Tibet someday. However, a generation has changed and so have dreams, desires and aspirations of the people, especially the younger ones.

This story is about them.

Four friends find solace in a small cafe away from McLeod Ganj where they are not pressured by family and societal expectations. It is a perfect little place for unemployed and rejected youth to share and vent their emotions. Run and owned by a local Indian, town people however look at Shiva cafe in contempt. They think it is a hovel for drug addicts and the source of all illegal happenings in Dharamshala.

Damdul, a mute orphan, lives a contented life. Obscure but observant, Damdul’s mind is difficult to read.

Tenzin, an unemployed youth, wants to go to America where he thinks lie solutions for all his problems. But his father, a Tibetan government employee, expects his son to follow his foot-steps. A conflict of priorities separates them...

Tsering is a carefree man, his life's choices having separated him from his wife. But now he is being separated from his little daughter as well, by his ex-father-in-law, and Tsering will do anything to stop him.

Pasang, a new arrival from Tibet, has a past filled with pain and hatred. A cousin has also made it into exile, and has brought him news of far greater loss than he had expected. A writer by hobby, Pasang authors plays to express his views on the Tibetan freedom struggle. He has written a play for the up-coming drama competition and is acting in it too. He is secretive about its contents, calling it 'sensitive'.

All is not always well for these young men, in their small world. A theft in town changes everything...

Suspected and alienated, the four friends still help each other out, when in trouble. They organize a party to raise funds for Pasang's sister who just arrived from Tibet and needs immediate medication. However, after the party and some drunken pranks, and the excessive bullying by a manipulative police officer, Tenzin gets pushed to a violent mission for Tibet's freedom.

A chilling twist to the story shows that personal objectives not only govern us in life, but also in death!

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Crew

Written and Directed by Pema Dhondup

Produced by Rupin Dang and Pema Dhondup

Executive Producer Yangchen Dolkar

Associate Producers Tamdin Phuntsok

Kelsang Deckyi

Prem Sagar

1st Assistant Director Rajeev Ahuja

2nd Assistant Director Kimberly Dukes

3rd Assistant Director Kelsang Tsering Khangsar

2nd 2nd Assistant Director Kelsang Youdon

Cinematographer Pierre Pasler

Production Designer Kunchok Sherab

Picture Editor Jaj Padmakaran

Assistant Editor Rajarshi Sengupta

Sound Design Rajarshi Sengupta

1st Assistant Camera Punit Goyal

2nd Assistant Camera Piyush Sharma

3rd Assistant Camera Shailender Negi

Production Manager Yeshi G. Tharchen

Location Sound recording Darshan Singh

Boom operator Tseten Dorjee

Script supervisor Sonal Chander

Make-up and wardrobe Keslang Deckyi

Publicity design Nishant Pagare

Post production assistant Arianga Donna Pamei

Subtitles Nishant Pagare

Public relations Prasad.R.Torvi

Kanishka Mehta

Nishant Pagare

Party Songs by Tsering Gyurme

Background Song Thangton Lukhar

Website designers Paul B and Penpa Tsering

Travel agent Tibet Tours and Travels

Electrician Trilok Singh

Production Assistants Nyima ,Lobsang

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Cast

Sonam Wangdue Tenzin

Ngawang Woethoe Damdul

Tsering Dorjee Bawa Pasang

Sonam Phuntsok Tsering

Gulshan Grover Shamsher Singh

Rinzin Dolma Lhamo

Penpa Tsering Rapten

Rabsel Tulku Penpa

Tsultrim Dolma Dechen

Tsamchoe Momo

Tsering Dorjee Tashi

Jennifer Jones Suzanne

John Koons Peter

Tseten Lhundup Samten

Bhim Singh Ram Singh

Tenzin Dorjee Refugee center official

Harjeet Singh Prakash

Tsering Dolma Old woman

Soktsang Nigam Play actor

Tenzin Loedhen Play actor

Karma Tenzin Nyima Play actor

Tenzin Woesel Minkyi

Kunckok Sherab Chinese policeman

Nima Tsering Cyber café worker

Tashi Detso Dawa

Chundhak Gyalpo

Rahul Sharma Shopkeeper #1

Hans Raj Shopkeeper #2

Tseten Doctor

Thupten Jampa Monk

Vinod Arora Raja

Rajeev Ahuja Beggar

Tenzin Thinley Man robbed

Pasang Tsamchoe Chinese diplomat #1

Londen Chinese diplomat #2

Siddharth Pathania Mine owner

Nirmal Taxi driver

Lobsang Dhonden Journalist

Sham Lal Delhi Police

Gyakpon Tsephel Announcer

Lobsang Yeshi Letter boy

Krishna Kumar Taxi Driver

Kelsang Deckikyi Lady Prisoner

Pema Dhondup Play Director

Yeshi Tharchen Band Member

Gulshan Grover As Shamsher Singh

It was a result of Gulshan’s love for the Tibetan people that he took up this project without any compensation. THANKS, Gulshan!

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