Unveiling unconventional men | Cover Story

We love men; some for what they do, some for what they don't and some for doing what others would have never done. A man is all about his strong character, his intelligence and the bold steps he takes in his life, with good looks as an additional bonus. WAVE went one on one with some of the most spirited young men in Nepal who are not only the epitome of unconventionality but also the beacons of desirability.

He has inked more than 1000 people in his career. He opened a tattoo studio in the country when the art form was frowned upon; its artists looked down on. Owner of Ujo Tattoo Studios and a highly regarded tattoo artist of Nepal, Ujjwal Mathema knows he chose the right path even though his parents didn't think so at the time. "My father didn't speak to me for nine months after I told him of my decision to become a tattoo artist," he says. "People back then thought those who inked their bodies were spoilt and dangerous, a perception that has changed, thankfully," he shares. Over the years, his parents have warmed up to his decision, mostly due to the positive impact it carved on Ujjwal's life. "I was a very naughty kid, Baini" he tells me. "Finding something that I was really passionate about changed me for good," he adds.

Today, Ujjwal Mathema is a successful man. With clientele ranging from old men who once belittled the art to doctors to young adults, his studio is extremely popular. Ujjwal also runs an apartment building for foreigners at Basantapur. "I am really happy with the rise in popularity of tattoos. However, I feel there should be a monitoring body as almost all of the tattoo studios doesn't take hygiene seriously. Just using a clean needle is not enough," says the artist who got his trainings from Australia and Thailand.

Buddhisagar Chapain is the man of eloquent words, literally. His words reflect the accuracy in expressions, his love for Nepali language and his temperament full of creativity. Having penned a critically acclaimed poem collection 'Hajarau Prithvi, Hajarau Akash' and a best-selling novel 'Karnali Blues', Buddhisagar became what he always dreamt of being - a writer, but only after a lot of hard work. This young gifted writer draws inspiration from the likes of Haruki Murakami and Paulo Coelho not only because they are best-selling writers but because they always chose to write in their mother language; their international success stories keeps him ashore to his roots yet enables him to see the possibility of becoming like them one day. Already working on his next novel, Buddhisagar is busy these days jogging between his work at office and writing his novel at home. With the target set to publish it in 2013, we have a long-long year to wait before we could finally grab a copy of another masterpiece from this wordsmith.

Astik is a fine epitome of 'Never giving up on your dreams'. He could have been a doctor or a lawyer, given that he was an above average student school but he always knew he wanted to pursue fashion designing as a career. Though, there had been moments of doubt but ultimately, he overcame them to be a promising young designer. What differentiates Astik from other designers of Nepal is that he has a good head on his shoulders. He is not fazed by the glitz and glamour and steers away from controversies. This fashionable designer is very determined when it comes to his profession and is always ready to work harder. When asked about a muse, he would love to dress Banira Giri, for his designs are catered to a 'private woman' whom he is in awe of and is fascinated by and Banira perfectly fits in that category. Astik is currently working on his boutique, 'Astik Designs' which will open early 2012.

We'll be honest with you: we were a little apprehensive albeit thrilled interviewing this down to earth man who made waves with his first debut, Sick City and then, Batch No.16. As a child, Arpan used to imitate werewolves and grew up being inspired by Clint Eastwood and Daniel Day Lewis. He doesn't count sheer luck but passion towards acting and hard work as to what brought him here today. Besides being an actor, he also writes scripts. When questioned about the sustainability of his profession economically, Arpan earnestly replied, "It's difficult to live on an actor's salary so hopefully, if I don't die of starvation in 10 years times, I would like to be a part of the change in Nepali cinema." Arpan Thapa and Murray Kerr are going to Denmark, sponspored by National Film Festival And TV Institute of Denmark for a screening of Sick City on 6th Jan 2012. WAVE wishes them all the best.

Pratul JB Rana, 19, Public Relation Head at WhatNext (Expect Something Different)

Despite his brief 19 years on the planet, Pratul has already taken home Mr. College Ambassador 2010 and he knew all along that he would win. Confident would have been an appropriate word to describe him but in his own words, "he's like any another typical teenager." What started out as just for fun escalated to his line of work, public relations for WhatNext as interaction with people comes naturally to him. Counting those from the entertainment industry as his friends, Pratul has still managed to stay humble. These days, he's mostly home looking after his puppy, Ponytail until WhatNext organizes another event. WhatNext, an event management company, has worked with Beats For Education to promote the potential of Nepali youth to the next level and to change the lives of those who intend to study. 5 years down the line, Pratul wants to participate in Mr. Nepal and would also like to act in Nepali movies. After all, he lives by a simple rule in life, "To be seen and to be heard."

Wearing a red and blue in the pitch makes Prithu Baskota full of pride because representing Nepal in different international cricket tournaments is something that he believes what he was born to do. "I love cricket and I have been playing it since forever", admits Prithu about the affinity he has for the game so close to his heart and mind.

Prithu is the captain of U-19 Nepali cricket team and was one of the nominees for Youth Player of the year award at NSFJ sports award, earlier this year. According to him, much of the credit for his success goes to his unyielding passion for the bat and ball and his parents' continuous support. He knows that cricket doesn't pay you much and its' impossible to sustain your life being a full time cricketer but it's the hunger of performing better and the dream of taking Nepal to the next level of international cricket that pulls Prithu towards it. An undergraduate student of social work, Baskota, has always struggled keeping up with his studies, friends and family due to his international duties in cricket but it is his determination that keeps him floating in the exams and on the pitch too.

A self-claimed aficionado of Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting, Prithu admires Gyanendra Malla and absolutely loves Parash Khadkaga as an all-rounder and hopes to lead the national squad just like him in the future. We can definitely see a great captain in the making in you, Prithu.