We interview star Pushpa Thing Lama on her performance in Elephants in the Fog and what this film means to her as a debut actress.
Set in Thori, a municipality in Nepal, Elephants in the Fog tells the story of a local Kinnar community headed by the matriarch Pirati (Pushpa Thing Lama). The kinnars are transgender women who are culturally relied upon for weddings and birth blessings, despite the discrimination and prejudice they face. When one of Pirati’s daughters goes missing, she must take the investigation into her own hands while balancing her responsibilities with her dream of a quiet life with her love.
Lead actress Pushpa Thing Lama had never acted before Elephants in the Fog, just like much of the cast. Pushpa’s background is mostly in social activism for LGBTQ rights in Nepal, her home country. At the BFI London Film Festival, we sat down with Pushpa to talk about her acting debut, her relationship with director Abinash Bikram Shah, and what this movie means to her community and the wider public in Nepal.
Read the interview with Pushpa Thing Lama below!
Pushpa Thing Lama on how she started working in film and her activism work
How did you first get involved with Elephants in the Fog and what drew you to this story?
Pushpa Thing Lama: Before doing this movie, I was working as an activist for my community in Nepal, and one of my friends called me to say that a casting director was coming for a movie. My friend said he would come to me and to make sure I would coordinate with the trans people in my community. Abinash came to my office but he was a little bit late, so I screamed at him and asked him if this was the time to come and see me [laughs]. From that day, he noticed me and I became involved in Elephants in the Fog. From the moment Abinash saw my picture on Facebook, he trusted me to be Pirati.
Can you talk a little bit about your activism work?
P. T. L.: I work as a project coordinator in Blue Diamond Society for HIV prevention, care, and support. I’ve also been working on human rights and mental health issues support, especially for our community members, since 2005.
This is your very first film; how was that experience for you?
P. T. L.: It was an amazing experience and, of course, being part of Elephants in the Fog is a very proud moment for me. The team is lovely, especially Abinash. I don’t have any words to describe [our relationship] because [being the lead in the film] is all thanks to him. He is my father, my brother, and my manager because he treated me well, he teased me, and he motivated me a lot during the project. He is really genuine and always motivates me; even when I came here, he called me to tell me to keep doing well.
On working with the rest of the cast and how she portrayed her character
You have such great chemistry with the other actors and really feel like a family in Elephants in the Fog. How did you work on that? And how was your experience working with the other actors?
Pushpa Thing Lama: Working with the other actors was really nice. We didn’t know each other before that so it took some time [to become familiar with each other]. When we started shooting and reached our location, the director gave us our rooms and we really behaved as a family; we became good friends.
How would you describe Pirati, your character in Elephants in the Fog, to somebody who is not familiar with the film?
P.T.L.: Elephants in the Fog is a story of matriarchy. Pirati is the leader of the house and she has a lot of responsibilities, and her own love story. But she has a lot to do and she is managing everything around her, like many people from a similar village. She is a mother, a lover, and a daughter, and that is a lot of responsibility. Pirati is also a kind, warm-hearted, and loving person but you can see at the end that she doesn’t always have people behind her. She teaches us that whatever circumstances, challenges, or problems you have in your life, you should never give up.
Have you learned anything from her?
P.T.L.: I learned to be strong and make life beautiful, because Pirati’s voice is one that is usually unheard but it’s at the heart of the story.
Were you inspired by anyone in the way you portrayed her?
P.T.L.: Yes, I was inspired by my mother, my sister, and my colleagues in Elephants in the Fog. Everyone was there to motivate me, especially my director who became my mentor and my brother. He always supported me and inspired me to be Pirati, which taught me to be a mother, a sister, a lover, and most importantly, a human.
On working with the rest of the cast and how she portrayed her character
As the title suggests, the elephants in Elephants in the Fog are such a strong presence in the movie. What do they represent to you?
Pushpa Thing Lama: In our movie, the elephants are a metaphor. They are worshipped within a certain boundary and a certain area, but if they cross that boundary people start chasing them. And in a group of elephants, the leader is always a mother which also works as a beautiful metaphor for this film. It is a symbol for nature and the way we should understand nature and treat it with respect.
What were the biggest challenges for you when making Elephants in the Fog?
P.T.L.: Everything! Every single day! The weather was a challenge, and the situation was as well because we are non-professional actors and we had to understand and learn everything, but my team has always been there to support.
Pushpa Thing Lama on the audience reaction and the idea of representing Nepal.
We are here at the BFI London Film Festival, where the film is premiering. What do you hope that audiences take away from Elephants in the Fog after they’ve seen it?
Pushpa Thing Lama: I hope they learn to be kind to anyone and to show respect to people, and I hope they understand the importance of having mercy. I want audiences to remember that the universe only gives us one life, and we should never let ourselves down.
The film is already out in Nepal. What was the reaction to Elephants in the Fog in your own country?
P.T.L.: I would have never imagined this kind of feedback, because everyone is praising it and loving it. There was an especially good reaction with young people, who met the film with a lot of happiness. They keep saying they are waiting for part two! It is about making our nation proud and sharing our voice through the humanity of this story, which is about invisible humans and unheard stories.
Elephants in the Fog is the first film from Nepal to have been at the Cannes Film Festival and it will also be Nepal’s entry for the Academy Awards. What does this mean to you? Do you feel like you are representing the country in some way?
P.T.L: Cannes was a dream come true! I never thought that I would ever be there, or even receive an award and recognition from the world. It was a very proud moment for me because it felt like the world could hear my voice and this means that the world has a kind heart. Elephants in the Fog is a movie about the Kinnar community but it has now become the pride of an entire nation. I feel proud of myself that I’m representing my people and Nepal in the world.
Pushpa Thing Lama on what’s next for her after Elephants in the Fog
What is going to be next for you after this film? Will you work on other movies?
Pushpa Thing Lama: I’ve already worked on another one: it will be a Nepali movie. I also collaborated with two clothing brands in Nepal and one [of the brand collaborations] is going to come out soon. I am very grateful that I got these opportunities after Elephants in the Fog.
Thank you for speaking with us!
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Elephants in the Fog was screened at the BFI London Film Festival on October 17-18, 2026.
Header credits: Pushpa Thing Lama poses for a portrait session at the 2026 BFI London Film Festival (Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for BFI) / A still from Elephants in the Fog (MetFilm Distribution)