Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, known in the film world as Khyentse Norbu, has completed principal photography on “Perfect God,” following a month-long shoot in Kathmandu, Nepal. The production has unveiled the film’s first looks.

The film, adapted from Nepali author Samrat Upadhyay’s short story “The Limping Bride” from his collection “Arresting God in Kathmandu,” follows Ram, a middle-aged Behrupiya – a traditional performer who impersonates gods and other figures at weddings and parties around Kathmandu. When his wife Maya dies suddenly, Ram faces a crisis he cannot perform his way out of, left with his alcoholic, unemployed son Moti, an aspiring avant-garde photographer.

“This film came from a very simple feeling,” Norbu explained in an interview conducted by assistant director Abishek Budhathoki. “I’ve always been drawn to characters who live in between things, between identities, between worlds. People who don’t quite fit, but they keep performing, surviving.”

That encounter led Norbu to discover the Behrupiya tradition, which he combined with Upadhyay’s story. “So many stories I like. I just combine them together,” he said.

The film follows 2024’s “Pig at the Crossing,” which debuted online and 2019’s “The Lady with the Fangs and a Moustache,” which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival. His previous works include “The Cup” (1999), which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and won the Audience Award at Toronto International Film Festival; “Travellers & Magicians” (2003), the first full-length feature shot in Bhutan; “Vara: A Blessing” (2013), which won Best Feature Film at the Tribeca Online Film Festival; and “Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait” (2016).

“Perfect God” is produced by Sophie Perks, Max Dipesh Khatri of Shatkon Arts, and Tari Ratna Pradhan, with Vasily Andreev serving as executive producer. Shatkon Arts, based in Kathmandu, serves as the production company.

When asked about the film’s title, Norbu reflected on the concept of perfection in relation to spirituality. “Is there even such a thing as a perfect god?” he questioned. “For me, the perfect god – if we can use that term – might be the basic goodness of a human being. That’s what perfection is, at least from a Buddhist point of view, I think.”

Norbu brings a unique perspective to cinema, combining his profound understanding of Buddhist philosophy with his filmmaking craft. He oversees several global nonprofit organizations and is responsible for the care and education of more than 1,600 monks across six monasteries and institutes in Asia.

The film is currently in post-production, with the team targeting international festival premieres in 2026.