“Director Prem Bahadur Basnet, Neer Shah and I were probably the first Nepali artists to walk the red carpet,” laughs the energetic veteran.
Nepali film industry celebrates its golden jubilee this year.[break]
The stars of the film industry have changed over the years and while many have continued working in films, many have taken sabbaticals and many have quit.
Popular figures like Bhuwan KC, Rajesh Hamal, Karishma Manandhar are still working their magic on the big screen.
New filmmakers have entered the industry with their own brand of films.
New actors have emerged, matching their skills to quality films. These artists together have revolutionized the Nepali film industry. Remember the 2012 film ‘Loot’ that enjoyed a massive success, the kind that the urban youth also participated in. It paved the way for the new batch of Nepali cinema.
In 1981, Tulsi Ghimire directed his first film ‘Bansuri.’
“In those days, we had to go to Bombay for everything. Only the shooting was done here. We used to shoot on 16mm camera. The technology has changed a lot now,” he says.
According to him, artists like Neer Shah, Yadav Kharel, Prakash Thapa, Shiv Regmi and others contributed to the golden period of the film industry.
Actress Mausami Malla has spent 30 years as an actor and producer, and has more than 60 films to her credit. She has had many hits, yet she says, “My audiences still relate me to the song ‘Bola Bola’ from the film ‘Jhuma.’”
Perhaps the most popular actress of Nepali cinema, Karishma Manandhar has been in the business for 25 years. She has given hits like ‘Truck Driver,’ ‘Basanti,’ ‘Dhukdhuki’ and her latest film is ‘Kina Kina’ wherein she has worked with Rajesh Hamal.
“Before I joined the industry, one film was made in six years. When I started my career, films were made more regularly, at least to the point that we weren’t out of work. I think the period from 1990 to 2000 was the golden age of Nepali film industry as there were a lot of achievements. And to have been a part of the industry then is my best achievement,” says the actress.
The complaints of many cineastes revolve around the decreasing quality of Nepali films and the lack of grip on the national and international markets. Ghimire states that Nepali film could never establish itself in international markets.
Ruing the lack of government support, director of films like ‘Mukundo’ and ‘Uma,’ Tshering Rhitar Sherpa has some suggestions with regards to what the government should do.
“Provide funding and encourage corporate houses to invest in films. Many countries have made these investments tax deductible. Also, theaters should have quotas for films so that the market can be secure. Our films should also be promoted at international level as it will generate revenue for the country and propagate our culture,” he shares.
Sherpa, who started his career in 1997, states that the filmmaking fraternity has increased now. “Technology has become cheaper and more accessible, hence more and younger people are trying their hands at filmmaking. This has led to dynamism and variety in the films. Creatively, it’s a good time as there are various people experimenting with genres,” he says.
One of the recent developments in the industry is the appearance of many film posters that look downright vulgar. The content also goes hand in hand with the posters. Sherpa believes that it’s all a part of the evolution of filmmaking. No one can stop such films being made, but these films will disappear as only the best survive, he opines.
The industry has also seen a lot of positive changes, like the influx of short films, documentaries and indigenous films. We now have indigenous film festivals, as well as national festivals that pay respect to short films and documentaries from Nepal and all over the world.
The newer lot of actors like Arpan Thapa, Saugat Malla, Diya Maskey, Reecha Sharma, Daya Hang Rai are proving their talents and versatility with every film they are doing.
The vision of new filmmakers like Nischal Basnet, Deepak Rauniyar and Sudarshan Thapa, and the acting capabilities of these actors can take the industry to newer heights.
The National Film Award 2069 is all set to celebrate the richness of the past 50 years of Nepali cinema. The award function, organized by Nepal Film Development Company (NFDC) in association with Gopi Krishna Entertainment, is going to be held today (Saturday) at the Nepal Army Officer’s Club in Sundhara.
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