Opinion: Swornim Shakya

The Nepali movie industry developed much later when compared to Bollywood or Hollywood cinema industries. While Hollywood and Bollywood have been producing movies since 1910s, the first Nepali-language movie was made in 1951 which was also produced from Kolkata, India. The first film produced in Nepal (Aama) was released on 7 October, 1964.

The Nepali movie scene has come a long way since the first Nepali movie was released, with the first 22 years of the 21^st century showing steady and promising progress on all fronts – direction, acting, scripts, cinematography, etc.

However, what I think, and could be completely wrong about, is that the kitschy history of the movie industry, owing to some unsuccessful movies in the past, still overshadows its slightly ascending glory.

Though at the time, the cinema industry received support from viewers, today, the broken storylines, selection of inappropriate cast members, dialogue delivery, funny English accent and pronunciation, derogatory/sexist remarks and bad VFX have today come back to haunt the industry.

Meanwhile, Bollywood and Hollywood also have massively higher budgets, better access to technology and wider audience compared to Nepali movies. Owing to all these factors, foreign movies take center stage in the theatres in Nepal and have upper hand over the Nepali entertainment scene.

According to distributors and critics, Nepali movies perform so badly in cinema halls that about 70 to 80 percent of films can’t redeem their invested budgets.

There are even classical movies like ‘Lahure’, ‘Maitighar’ and ‘Balidaan’ which have artistically portrayed social, cultural and political issues of Nepal while still being relatable in representing some aspects of Nepali social evils.

However, Nepali movies such as The Famous, Dhoom-4, Kanchhi Matyang Tyang, Nepali Tarzan and Jungle Queen have represented the movie industry in a nutshell for the new generation but in such a terrible way that makes the viewer laugh – contributing to the perception that “all Nepali movies are still terrible”.

Many critics and reviewers have found meme content from such Nepali movies which go viral on social media making the audiences preemptively think that all the movies are going to be the same.

Nonetheless, efforts to change this are being made as producers and production agencies are now pouring millions of Nepali rupees into production, and into scripts which sets itself apart.

Taking a recent example, a total budget of 110 million rupees was allocated for the movie Prem Geet 3. It is the first Nepali movie to be dubbed in Hindi and even popular Indian singers have given voices in the movie.

The movie was widely promoted and released in Nepal, India, United States, Canada and other several nations, earning a total of 345 million till date. However, the movie was premiered in Hindi language in every foreign country except Nepal.

It was suggested that the Hindi dubbed version of the movie was more impactful than the original Nepali one. Even Nepali critics on YouTube have detailed experience of voice actors to be the reason. On questioning a frequent enjoyer of Nepali movies stated the Nepali dub as being ‘off-point and uneventful’.

“I believe we Nepali audience are so accustomed to Bollywood that movie in Hindi language connects to us more than in Nepali language,” said Ramesh Deula, who visits movie halls frequently but mostly to watch Bollywood films.

An average Bollywood or Hollywood movie gains more hype in Nepali theatres than the biggest break-out Nepali movie of that year. In a quick survey for the report, many people said they would undoubtedly choose any Hollywood or Bollywood movie over a Nepali movie because of the certainty that they will be getting their money’s worth.

But in retrospect, long-running movies like Kabaddi and Chhakka Panja have uplifted the commercial movie scene. Internationally praised movies like Aama and Kalo Pothi are among the few that have been selected for awards like Emmys and the Oscars.

Another movie, Aina Jhyal Ko Putali made history by becoming the first Nepali film to be selected in the New Current Section with huge prize money in Busan while its director Sujit Bidari won the Best Director Award in Dhaka and is also selected for the Oscars this year.

The Nepali movie industry has progressed a lot in the past few years but has not yet won the heart of its people. Producers should take away important points from how Bollywood and Hollywood movies are marketed in Nepal. In short, we do not utilize digital media to produce much-needed exposure to our movies.

Nevertheless, with all the efforts, original narration and financial in-flow in the Nepali movie industry, it might up to us now, as an audience, to give Nepali cinema another chance.