娱乐英语新闻:Feature: Guinness brands Nepal's 7-year-old as youngest film director

KATHMANDU, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- This year, the tiny landlocked Himalayan country of Nepal was able to notch another distinct honor in the Guinness World Records.

This was made possible by an extraordinary feat of Saugat Bista, a Nepali kid who, at the age of seven, became the world's youngest movie director.

Saugat was given this recognition by Guinness World Records this week for professionally directing a full feature film at the age of seven.

Born in January 2007, Saugat's directorial debut, Love You Baba, was released on December 12, 2014, when he was only seven years and 340 days old.

Generally, a 7-year-old kid only wants to play, sing, dance or study. But Saugat has surprised the whole world by doing something really creative and extraordinary. Nepal's film wizard has replaced the former record-holder Kishan Srikanth of India, who directed a movie, Footpath, in 2006 at the age of nine.

"I am very happy to get this recognition. It's a result of my immense interest and passion and faith of my parents," Bista told Xinhua in an interview.

The boy appeared to be smart and articulate.

According to Saugat, he spent a total of 27 days in shooting the movie in different parts of Nepal. When asked about what motivated him to do the movie, he said he has always been interested in movies and acting. He added that his father was his inspiration.

He said as a director, he has a say on how the film is going be made, how the members of the cast would act and how the theme of the movie is going to be presented to the audience.

Saugat, who is just in Grade 2 in Suryodaya English Boarding School in Kathmandu, however, is not new in the entertainment world and specifically in the colorful Kollywood.

He has done a television commercial at the age of five. He then acted in a documentary film Kakhara and in a feature film Janmabhumi.

After his film debut, he seriously decided to become a movie director with the support of his father.

"I thought my son was joking when he first told me that he wants to direct a movie. But when he showed intense interest to become a professional director, I gave him all my support," said Gajit Bista, Saugat's father.

The elder Bista is a veteran actor and a respected name in Nepal's film industry.

Saugat was trained for weeks by his father and other professionals. His directorial debut movie, based on an intimate relationship between a motherless child and her father failed to hit the box office but it gave him international recognition for his extraordinary talent.

Bista comes from a family involved in one way or the other in Nepal's movie industry. Aside from his father, his elder sister Sangam and uncle Gambhir Bista are also movie personalities.

"Saugat is my youngest child so he receives additional love and, attention from all of us, which has made him a bit stubborn.

But this stubbornness has proved to be a blessing. I cannot express my happiness in words," Samjhana Pokharel-Bista, Saugat's mother, told Xinhua.

According to family members, Saugat has always been inquisitive since he started to speak. He always asked questions about the movies.

And having been exposed at a young age to the movie profession, it was almost natural for him to be captivated by the magic of the make-believe world. During his interview with Xinhua, Saugat showed an alert mind and spoke like an adult.

Saugat, who is interested in sports besides movies, plans to direct the second part of his movie Love You Baba.

His favorite movies are Krrish 3 (Bollywood), Bangbang ( Bollywood) and Lajja (Kollywood).

While he has big plans ahead to direct more movies, Saugat has not abandoned his studies. He said he would study harder so that in the future, he will be more equipped in pursuing his fondest dream: to direct Nepal's best movie that critics all over the world would praise and acclaim.