Cinema of Nepal
Encyclopedia
Nepal
does not have a very long film
history but the industry has its own place in the cultural heritage of the country. Most Nepali films use Bollywood
-style songs and narrative and are shot on 16-millimeter film. In film industry parlance, Kathmandu, the capital and center of the Nepali
-language film industry, is called Kollywood (or Kaliwood as an alternate spelling) within Nepal (not to be confused with India's Tamil
-language film industry, Kollywood
, based in Chennai
).
, which was the first Nepali
-language film to be shot. It was produced from Kolkata, India, and was released on September 14, 1951. Aama (meaning mother) was the first film produced in Nepal, and was released on October 7, 1964. It was produced by the Information Department of His Majesty's Government of Nepal (now Government of Nepal). It was directed by Hira Singh Khatri and the lead actors were Shiva Shankar Manandhar
and Bhuwan Chand, who are regarded as the first actors in the history of the Nepali film industry.
The first film to be produced under a private banner was Maitighar
(meaning the birth home of a girl), which was released at the end of 1966 by Sumonanjali Films Pvt. Ltd. Although it was a Nepali movie, it had many Indians contributing toward the making of the film. Mala Sinha
played the lead role, along with Chidambar Prasad Lohani, whom she later married. It had special appearances of Sunil Dutt
and comedian Rajendra Nath. Directed by B.S. Thapa and music scored by Jaidev
, a veteran music maestro, it had Lata Mangeshkar
, Asha Bhosle
, Usha Mangeshkar
and Manna Dey
, all of whom were established Indian singers, doing the playback singing by Prem Dhoj Pradhan, C.P. Lohani and Aruna Lama
.
The Nepal government established the Royal Nepal Film Corporation in 1971. Mann Ko Bandh was the first film produced by the corporation. Prakesh Thapa was the director of the film. Nati Kaji and Shiva Shankar were the music composers of the songs. Amber Gurung
scored the background music. The film premiered in 1973 in Kathmandu. Mann Ko Bandh was followed by Kumari (the first Eastman color Nepali film) in 1977, Sindoor in 1980, and Jeevan Rekha in a series. The success of these films opened up the avenue for private parties to enter into filmmaking as an industrial endeavor.
The movie Paral Ko Aago, directed by Pratap Subba, was produced by Ceneroma in 1978. The black-and-white movie proved to be a great success due to its story and melodious music. The music director of the movie, Shanti Thatal, was the first female music director in Nepali movies. Lyrics were prepared by Manbahadur Mukhiya and Indra Thapaliya and the songs were sung by Aruna Lama
, Dawa Gyalmo, Pema Lama, Shankar Gurung and Deepa Gahatraj (Jha). The actors of the movie were Tanka Sharma, Basundhara Bhusal, I.K. Singh, Menuka Pradhan, etc. Pratap Subba was also the scriptwriter. The movie was based on a popular book by Guru Prasad Mainali
with the same title.
, Lahure, Kanchi, Basudev, Saino and Koseli, which were released between 1984 and 1993, were very popular. The leading actors of those times were Bhuwan K.C.
and Tripti Nadakar
, whose on-screen chemistry saw them being dubbed the "golden couple" of the Nepali film industry. In the later years of the decade, the industry saw the rise of Rajesh Hamal
and Karishma Manandhar
.
In 1990, the country witnessed an important political change in Nepal. The people’s movement brought monarchy to its knees and democracy was restored. The society started to become open and vibrant. This had an important consequence for the fledgling film industry: it began to grow rapidly, or even to "bloat", if one might call it so. There was an unprecedented growth in number of productions. Within a period of three years, some 140 films were made. Distribution started to develop. Market share in the existing market increased and the market itself expanded. Cinema halls increased to more than 300. Nepali filmmakers became optimistic of displacing Hindi films, which had dominated the Nepali market.
, Karishma Manandhar
, Tripti Nadakar
, Kristi Mainali and Gauri Malla
had little work.
However, during the 1990s, some filmmakers, mostly with non-fiction base, started championing for a new kind of cinema. They denounced the crude imitation of Bollywood
aesthetics and demanded indigenous aesthetics and a more realistic approach. They made some films which have received some critical acclaim at home and some international recognition. Historic movies like Balidan and Seema Rekha made during this period were appreciated both by critics and audience.
In 2001, the highest-grossing Nepali film Darpan Chaya
was made. It was directed by Tulsi Ghimire
and starred Dilip Rayamajhi
, Niruta Singh
and Uttam Pradhan. It earned NRs 20 million at the box office.
New generation movie makers geared up to make sensible cinema with entertainment rather than Bollywood inspired socio-actions. Kagbeni, Sano Sansar
, Mero Euta Saathi Cha
, First Love, Kohi Mero
, etc. are some of the fine example of quality cinema in terms of presentation, performance, story and technical superiority.
, a film by French
director Éric Valli
.
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
does not have a very long film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
history but the industry has its own place in the cultural heritage of the country. Most Nepali films use Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
-style songs and narrative and are shot on 16-millimeter film. In film industry parlance, Kathmandu, the capital and center of the Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
-language film industry, is called Kollywood (or Kaliwood as an alternate spelling) within Nepal (not to be confused with India's Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
-language film industry, Kollywood
Kollywood
Kollywood is a word referring two different movie industries in India and Nepal, derived from the word Hollywood and their local movie centers.* Tamil cinema, the Tamil language film industry based on Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,...
, based in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
).
History
The making of Nepali films is said to have begun with D.B. Pariyar's Satya HarishchandraSatya Harishchandra (1951 film)
Satya Harischandra is a 1951 Nepalese movie based on Raja Satya Harischandra directed by DB Pariyar. It was the first ever Nepalese language movie....
, which was the first Nepali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
-language film to be shot. It was produced from Kolkata, India, and was released on September 14, 1951. Aama (meaning mother) was the first film produced in Nepal, and was released on October 7, 1964. It was produced by the Information Department of His Majesty's Government of Nepal (now Government of Nepal). It was directed by Hira Singh Khatri and the lead actors were Shiva Shankar Manandhar
Shiva Shankar
Shiva Shankar Manandhar was a singer, music composer of Nepali songs and the chief actor in the first Nepali movie, Aama. For nearly a half century beginning from 1950 to late 1990, his name has probably been mentioned more often in books, journals, lectures and conversations about Nepalese music...
and Bhuwan Chand, who are regarded as the first actors in the history of the Nepali film industry.
The first film to be produced under a private banner was Maitighar
Maitighar
Maitighar is a classic 1966 Nepali film directed by B.S Thapa, Starring Chidambar Prasad Lohani and Bollywood actress Mala Sinha. The first film to be produced under a private banner in Nepal was Maitighar , which was released at the end of 1966 by Sumonanjali Films Pvt. Ltd...
(meaning the birth home of a girl), which was released at the end of 1966 by Sumonanjali Films Pvt. Ltd. Although it was a Nepali movie, it had many Indians contributing toward the making of the film. Mala Sinha
Mala Sinha
Mala Sinha is an Indian actress, who has worked in Hindi, Bengali and Nepali films. Recognised for her acting talent and beauty, she went on to become a popular leading actress in Hindi films from the early fifties till late seventies...
played the lead role, along with Chidambar Prasad Lohani, whom she later married. It had special appearances of Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt , born Sunil Balraj Dutt, was an Indian Hindi movie actor , producer, director and politician. He was the cabinet minister for Youth Affairs and Sports in the Manmohan Singh government...
and comedian Rajendra Nath. Directed by B.S. Thapa and music scored by Jaidev
Jaidev
Jaidev Hindi:जयदेव वर्मा , was a music composer in Bollywood films, most known for his work in films: Hum Dono , Reshma Aur Shera , Prem Parbat and Gharonda ....
, a veteran music maestro, it had Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...
, Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
, Usha Mangeshkar
Usha Mangeshkar
Usha Mangeshkar is an Indian singer who has recorded many Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati songs soundtracks.She is daughter of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar & Shevanti . She is the younger sister of singers, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle and elder to her music-director brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar...
and Manna Dey
Manna Dey
Prabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
, all of whom were established Indian singers, doing the playback singing by Prem Dhoj Pradhan, C.P. Lohani and Aruna Lama
Aruna Lama
Aruna Lama is one of the well-known singers of Nepali music. She is popularly known as "The Nightingale of the Hills". She sang hundreds of Nepali songs, including some for Nepali films, and left an indelible mark as one of the best singers in Nepali music....
.
The Nepal government established the Royal Nepal Film Corporation in 1971. Mann Ko Bandh was the first film produced by the corporation. Prakesh Thapa was the director of the film. Nati Kaji and Shiva Shankar were the music composers of the songs. Amber Gurung
Amber Gurung
-Early life:Amber Gurung was born in Darjeeling, India, where his father, Ujir Singh Gurung, a former soldier in the British Indian Army, was serving as a policeman. His mother encouraged him to sing and compose as a child, and he taught himself to play both Indian and Western instruments...
scored the background music. The film premiered in 1973 in Kathmandu. Mann Ko Bandh was followed by Kumari (the first Eastman color Nepali film) in 1977, Sindoor in 1980, and Jeevan Rekha in a series. The success of these films opened up the avenue for private parties to enter into filmmaking as an industrial endeavor.
The movie Paral Ko Aago, directed by Pratap Subba, was produced by Ceneroma in 1978. The black-and-white movie proved to be a great success due to its story and melodious music. The music director of the movie, Shanti Thatal, was the first female music director in Nepali movies. Lyrics were prepared by Manbahadur Mukhiya and Indra Thapaliya and the songs were sung by Aruna Lama
Aruna Lama
Aruna Lama is one of the well-known singers of Nepali music. She is popularly known as "The Nightingale of the Hills". She sang hundreds of Nepali songs, including some for Nepali films, and left an indelible mark as one of the best singers in Nepali music....
, Dawa Gyalmo, Pema Lama, Shankar Gurung and Deepa Gahatraj (Jha). The actors of the movie were Tanka Sharma, Basundhara Bhusal, I.K. Singh, Menuka Pradhan, etc. Pratap Subba was also the scriptwriter. The movie was based on a popular book by Guru Prasad Mainali
Guru Prasad Mainali
Guru Prasad Mainali was a Nepali short story writer. Mainali is one of three well-known writers of Nepali literature, along with Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala and Laxmi Prasad Devkota....
with the same title.
Golden era
After the 1980s, some relatively more creative films were made and they became successful too. Thus, filmmaking started to appear a little more viable profession and the number of productions increased a bit. After the introduction of private companies in the Nepali film industry, the time came when more films were being made and they were much more accepted by Nepali audiences. Films such as Samjhana, Kusume RumalKusume Rumal
Kusume Rumal is a 1985 Nepali romantic film directed by Tulsi Ghimire. It was produced by Sumitra Paudel under the banner of Sayapatri Films. This was the first film in which singer Udit Narayan acted. In 2009, the son of the producer of this Kusume Rumal directed Kusume Rumal 2, which was the...
, Lahure, Kanchi, Basudev, Saino and Koseli, which were released between 1984 and 1993, were very popular. The leading actors of those times were Bhuwan K.C.
Bhuwan K.C.
Bhuwan K.C. is a Nepali film actor and producer. He has acted in more than a hundred films, including some foreign films, in his film career of almost 30 years. Nepali Babu is one of his hit films...
and Tripti Nadakar
Tripti Nadakar
Tripti Nadakar is a Nepali film actress. Tripti has performed in more than a dozen Nepali films. Her hit movies were Samjhana, Kusume Rumal, Saino and Lahure. She and Bhuwan K.C. were dubbed the first golden couple of Nepali film industry.-Filmography:-External links:*...
, whose on-screen chemistry saw them being dubbed the "golden couple" of the Nepali film industry. In the later years of the decade, the industry saw the rise of Rajesh Hamal
Rajesh Hamal
Rajesh Hamal is an actor and producer from Tansen, Nepal born on 9 June 1964 in Palpa, Nepal.- Career :He started his career with the movie "Yug Dheki Yug Samma" in 1994.He is considered a dominant figure in bringing professionalism in the Nepalese movie industry.He was brought up in Moscow,...
and Karishma Manandhar
Karishma Manandhar
Karishma Manandhar/ K.C. raised in Jharuarashi, Lalitpur is a Nepali actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 14 in the movie Santaan Opposite very popular Actor Bhuwan K.C.. She is married to the well-known film director Binod Manandhar with whom she worked in the movie Kasturi...
.
In 1990, the country witnessed an important political change in Nepal. The people’s movement brought monarchy to its knees and democracy was restored. The society started to become open and vibrant. This had an important consequence for the fledgling film industry: it began to grow rapidly, or even to "bloat", if one might call it so. There was an unprecedented growth in number of productions. Within a period of three years, some 140 films were made. Distribution started to develop. Market share in the existing market increased and the market itself expanded. Cinema halls increased to more than 300. Nepali filmmakers became optimistic of displacing Hindi films, which had dominated the Nepali market.
Conflict era
The start of the Maoist revolution in Nepal in the mid-1990s was the beginning of the downfall of the Nepali film industry. In the period of war and conflict, only a very small number of films were made, and audience numbers fell sharply. It resulted in lower budgets and even lower performances, which resulted in even smaller audiences. In the later years of the conflict, the production and release of Nepali films had almost come to a standstill. Many actors and filmmakers left the country in search for work abroad because there were very few films being made. Actors like Saroj Khanal, Shiva ShresthaShiv Shrestha
-Filmography :-External links:...
, Karishma Manandhar
Karishma Manandhar
Karishma Manandhar/ K.C. raised in Jharuarashi, Lalitpur is a Nepali actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 14 in the movie Santaan Opposite very popular Actor Bhuwan K.C.. She is married to the well-known film director Binod Manandhar with whom she worked in the movie Kasturi...
, Tripti Nadakar
Tripti Nadakar
Tripti Nadakar is a Nepali film actress. Tripti has performed in more than a dozen Nepali films. Her hit movies were Samjhana, Kusume Rumal, Saino and Lahure. She and Bhuwan K.C. were dubbed the first golden couple of Nepali film industry.-Filmography:-External links:*...
, Kristi Mainali and Gauri Malla
Gauri Malla
Gauri Malla is a leading Nepali actress. In 2002, she was awarded Nepal's "Motion Picture Award" for best leading female. In 2003, she won the "Best Supporting Actress Award" at the first ever Lux Film Awards in Nepal.-Filmography:-External links:...
had little work.
However, during the 1990s, some filmmakers, mostly with non-fiction base, started championing for a new kind of cinema. They denounced the crude imitation of Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
aesthetics and demanded indigenous aesthetics and a more realistic approach. They made some films which have received some critical acclaim at home and some international recognition. Historic movies like Balidan and Seema Rekha made during this period were appreciated both by critics and audience.
In 2001, the highest-grossing Nepali film Darpan Chaya
Darpan Chaya
Darpan Chaya , a multi-award winning blockbuster, is a successful 2001 Nepali film directed by Tulsi Ghimire, starring Dilip Rayamajhi, Niruta Singh, Uttam Pradhan and Tulsi Ghimire. Darpan Chaya is considered to be one of the best Nepali movies...
was made. It was directed by Tulsi Ghimire
Tulsi Ghimire
Tulsi Ghimire or Tulsi Ghimirey is a Nepali film director, screenwriter, editor, cameraman and lyricist. Ghimire has been involved in more than 21 films.-Personal life:...
and starred Dilip Rayamajhi
Dilip Rayamajhi
Dilip Rayamajhi is a Nepalese actor. His first major role was in the movie Bhanubhankta.-Personal life:...
, Niruta Singh
Niruta Singh
Niruta Singh is one of the leading actresses of Nepali cinema. Born in Darjeeling, India, she started her career with the 1993 Tulsi Ghimire classic Dakshina and eventually made her way to become the No. 1 actress of Nepali film industry.-Career:Niruta moved to Nepal after she started acting in...
and Uttam Pradhan. It earned NRs 20 million at the box office.
Present situation
By 2006, as the situation in Nepal calmed down and with Maoists coming into mainstream politics, the Nepali film industry started to return to its previous state. Today, more films are being made and released. The production companies and those in the industry are enthusiastic about the country's new situation. The return of peace in the country has opened more venues for the shooting of films, and the industry is seen to be making good use of this time to revive the image of the industry.New generation movie makers geared up to make sensible cinema with entertainment rather than Bollywood inspired socio-actions. Kagbeni, Sano Sansar
Sano Sansar (film)
Sano Sansar is a 2008 Nepali romantic comedy film directed by Alok Nembang. The film has a massive star cast which includes Neer Shah and newcomers Mahesh Shakya, Jivan Luitel and Namrata Shrestha...
, Mero Euta Saathi Cha
Mero Euta Saathi Cha
Mero Euta Saathi Cha is a Nepali movie released on September 11, 2009. Despite having a similar storyline to that of Korean hit A Millionaire's First Love, this movie was a huge hit in 2009....
, First Love, Kohi Mero
Kohi Mero
Kohi Mero is a 2010 Nepali film directed by Alok Nembang under the banner of Movies.com. This romantic drama marks the comeback of Jharana Bajracharya and stars Aryan Sigdel, Sanchita Luitel and introduces Subash Thapa in lead roles.-Plot:...
, etc. are some of the fine example of quality cinema in terms of presentation, performance, story and technical superiority.
Film Development Board
The Film Development Board (FDB) was established by the Government of Nepal for the development and promotion of the Nepali film industry. The Board is a liaison to facilitate the conceptualization, making, distribution and exhibition of Nepali films nationally. The Board also attempts to bridge the gap between film entrepreneurship and government bureaucracy. The Board is a balance between the people at large, the government, and the process of filmmaking. It is, therefore, the safeguard of the interests of the people, the watchdog of the government, and the advocate of filmmakers. However, FDB has not yet done enough in supporting and promoting different aspects of motion-picture production in Nepal. It has also not been able to promote Nepali films in the international market as desired.Nepal as a location
Due to its vast cultural diversity, geographical situation and its natural beauty, Nepal has been able to portray itself as one of the beautiful shooting location for filmmakers in the past couple of years. Many films from India and abroad have been filmed in Nepal. The most internationally acclaimed film that was shot in Nepal was the Academy Award-nominated CaravanCaravan
-Specific automobile models:*Dodge Caravan*Nissan Caravan*Opel Omega Caravan*Opel Astra Caravan*Chevrolet Caravan -Airplane models:*Cessna Caravan, a utility airplane*C-76 Caravan, an American 1940s medium military transport aircraft-Other:...
, a film by French
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
director Éric Valli
Eric Valli
Éric Valli is a French photographer and film director.Valli spent most of his career as a geographical photographer working for the National Geographic Magazine and The Sunday Times capturing more inaccessible locations in the world on camera...
.
See also
- Cinema of the world
- World cinemaWorld cinemaWorld cinema is a term used primarily in English language speaking countries to refer to the films and film industries of non-English speaking countries. It is therefore often used interchangeably with the term foreign film...
- Asian cinemaAsian cinemaAsian cinema refers to the film industries and films produced in the continent of Asia, and is also sometimes known as Eastern cinema. More commonly however, it is used to refer to the cinema of Eastern, Southeastern and Southern Asia. West Asian cinema is sometimes classified as part of Middle...
- South Asian cinemaSouth Asian cinemaSouth Asian cinema refers to the cinema of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.The terms Asian cinema, Eastern cinema and Oriental cinema in common usage often encompass South Asia as well as East Asia and South East Asia...
External links
- Nepalese film at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Film Development Board of Nepal
- History of Nepali Cinema
- Database of Nepalese films at bestcyberzone.com
- Nepali Movies Online