Broken Wings director Shenpenn Khymsar’s 4 Rivers 6 Ranges is an immersive film that follows a group of Tibetan revolutionaries fighting authoritarian Chinese forces as they escort the Dalai Lama to India. After its successful festival run, including a world premiere at the 2025 International Film Festival Rotterdam, the film is finally set to hit theatres in India on September 11. Based on Dorjee Wangdi Dewatshang’s book Flight at the Cuckoo's Behest, the film’s production proved as grueling as the real-world conflict it depicts. It required his cast to work at higher altitudes and push their physical limits for shoot in real locations. Budget and geographical restrictions also meant that they had to wrap the film up quickly, in what turned out to be a gruelling 19-day production schedule. Shenpenn Khymsar used a method acting technique to draw compelling performances from his cast, consisting mostly of first-time actors. “My actors were not allowed to shower for over a month because I wanted them to psychologically feel the same emotions that the warriors felt at that time,” reveals the director.
Shenpenn recalls how this decision sparked resentment among the cast towards him until he made a courageous move that earned their respect for him. In addition to doubling up as the film’s writer, composer, and producer, he also served as its action director out of necessity. “There is a scene in the end, a battle sequence, with a huge blast and the resulting fire. We didn't have the right kind of safety gear for it, and I didn't want to risk my camera team. So I wore a poncho made out of a jute sack that was dipped in water, took the camera, called action, and went through the fire myself. I did it all for the passion for the job as well,” the director says as he remembers the rigorous shoot.
Shenpenn chose to shoot the film in Mustang to pay tribute to the real-life warriors who fought there. He recalls a premonition that made him proceed with shoot, despite impending thunderstorms and mounting anxiety from his cast and crew. While the director calls himself an atheist, he says, “For some reason, I feel like the spirits of those warriors were helping me with the shoot. I often faced a major problem or two with production, but something or the other would solve it. I don't feel like it was me. I was just a medium.”
Speaking of extraordinary events, Shenpenn Khymsar shares that nobody at festivals could believe that they shot the film in such a short span. Another common audience response that he received at these events is a comparison between a sequence in the film and Christoph Waltz’s iconic scene from Inglourious Basterds. The scene in 4 Rivers 6 Ranges shows an authoritarian Chinese officer barging into a Chushi Gangdruk member’s house and lighting a spiritual butter lamp with a cigarette. The gesture highlights his contempt for the resistance movement. Interestingly, Shenpenn says that he never considered Inglourious Basterds while shooting the scene and that officers such as General Tan committed far worse deeds. “In reality, they kicked the mandala in the monastery. But I didn't want to repeat that scene because Martin Scorsese did that in Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet also showed that scene. I wanted to portray the evilness of General Tan differently, so I just thought this moment would be a little bit more powerful,” explains the filmmaker.
Shenpenn believes audiences draw these cinematic parallels because ruthless leaders across history share distinct behavioural patterns. Comparing them to mass murderers, he elucidates, “If you look at serial killers, they all have a lot of similar patterns. I think it just shows how we are wired mentally. Goons inflict physical violence, but generals such as Tan do not go around beating people but rather create psychological pain.”
This psychological cruelty shows when Tan grants a prisoner freedom, only to shoot him in the back—a moment reminiscent of Gabbar Singh in Sholay. Agreeing with this assertion, Shenpenn shares, “It's a classic moment.” He also shares a strong sense of affinity for Western films across languages. “I grew up with films such as Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven, Sholay, and Dharam-Veer. There is a bit of Seven Samurai in the element of the Dalai Lama being escorted. Similarly, when one of the revolutionaries makes a war cry, saying, “This is our skies. This is our land. We will not allow the Chinese to build their roofs under our skies,” you should remember William Wallace’s speech as they prepare for battle in Braveheart. Even Maximus in Gladiator, when he gives that briefing to the horsemen in the first scene, when they have the battle with Germania, the barbarians of Germania. And then he says, “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
Beyond its cinematic influences and references, Shenpenn Khymsar stresses the film's profound historical and political relevance to both India and Nepal. Explaining his decision to release the film in India with Hindi dubs, Shenpenn says, “This film is geopolitically also very important for India, with our perennial geopolitical conflicts with China, with the Dalai Lama living in India and the Indian army having a special force called the Special Frontier Force. The genesis of SFF is Four Rivers, Six Ranges.” He adds, “I wanted a wider audience to see the film and raise awareness. And kind of hopefully have some discourse.” This explains why 4 Rivers 6 Ranges has a voiceover from Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Shenpenn also expresses his disappointment over the lack of films in India about the conflict with China. “Every film is about Pakistan here. And I'm 100 per cent sure that Pakistan is not the biggest issue for India. China is a bigger issue. North of Sikkim, there is a huge Chinese military presence. And it's only 134 kilometers from the Siliguri Corridor, the so-called Chicken Neck. And if they block that, the entire eight states of northeast will be blocked from the rest of India,” shares the filmmaker.
While 4 Rivers 6 Ranges hints at a sequel, Shenpenn has plans for a full trilogy that further explores the China-Tibet conflict. The second chapter will explore US President Nixon, India Prime Minister Nehru and the CIA’s involvement in the conflict between China and the Tibetan warriors. “Then chapter 3 is the ending, the end of Four Rivers, Six Ranges, exploring how the Chinese pressured the Nepal government and how the Nepali army attacked these warriors and divided them into two,” the director explains.
For now, Shenpenn’s focus remains solely on bringing the film to theatres on September 11, Friday. “Because of the political, sensitive nature of the film, it was very difficult to get censorship clearance for it. In fact, it was selected for IFFI, Goa, last year, but they pulled it out of the festival lineup upon the external ministry’s request, as India was cozying up with China at the time and didn’t want to upset the Chinese. I’ve had to fight several unseen battles to make the film and now get it released in theatres,” the filmmaker shares.
Before signing off, the director says that he has a psychological thriller in mind with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role. “He loved 4 Rivers 6 Ranges and said it gave him gooseflesh. He is in the US right now doing a play, but he will return soon to join promotions. He's a close friend, and I'm excited to showcase him in a completely new avatar for our upcoming project.”