Nepali Cinema, also referred to as "Nepali Chalachitra" in Nepali, is the filmmaking industry in Nepal. This includes films in various languages of Nepal, most notably in Nepali, Maithili and Bhojpuri. The term Kollywood is also used, as a portmanteau for films produced in the Nepali language while the Nepalese films produced from Kathmandu and Janakpur in the Maithili language is known as Mithilawood. Both of these film industries are the largest viewing cinema of Nepal and are collectively known as Kollywood.
Christianity is, according to the 2011 census, the fifth most practiced religion in Nepal, with 375,699 adherents, or 1.4% of the population. Many informed observers have estimated that there are at least 1 million Nepali Christians. According to some Christian groups, there may be as many as 3 million Christians in Nepal, constituting up to 10% of the country's population. A report by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary identified the Nepali church the fastest growing in the world. The vast majority of Nepali Christians are evangelical Protestants ; there is also a small Catholic population of roughly 10,000.
Kagbeni is a 2008 Nepali movie, loosely based on W. W. Jacobs's 1902 horror short story The Monkey's Paw. Kagbeni is the directorial debut of Bhusan Dahal. The name of the movie is taken from a tourist place Kagbeni situated in the valley of the Kali Gandaki, which is a 2-hour side trek from Muktinath. Kagbeni is considered to be a movie which changed the way people look at Nepali cinema, because it is seen as first successful non-commercial movie in Nepal which was able to leave its mark in the film industry. In present time, non-commercial movies are often described as 'post- Kagbeni era films' by Nepali critics. Kagbeni was one of the few Nepali films during its time to manifest cinematography as one of the important elements in cinema.
Sushma Joshi is a Nepali writer, filmmaker based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Her fiction and non-fiction deal with Nepal's civil conflict, as well as stories of globalization, migration and diaspora.
Tsering Rhitar Sherpa is a Nepalese filmmaker, screenwriter, and film producer. His first film, Mukundo: Mask of Desire, was Nepal's official entry for Oscars.
Loot is a 2012 Nepali crime thriller film that was directed and written by Nischal Basnet in his debut. The film was produced by Madhav Wagle and Narendra Maharjan with Princess Movies and Black Horse Pictures. The film features an ensemble cast including Saugat Malla, Dayahang Rai, Karma Shakya, Prateek Raj Neupane, Sushil Raj Pandey, Reecha Sharma, Srijana Subba, Praveen Khatiwada and Sushma Karki.
Nabin Subba (Limbu) (born 14 December 1967) is a Nepalese film director, screenwriter and producer. He started out from writing and directing award winning plays. He then started writing screenplays and since then he has written, directed and produced 16 films. He emerged as a prominent Nepalese director in 2002 with his highly praised feature film "Numafung," establishing himself as a leading figure in the industry. His subsequent works, including the 52 episode TV series "Dalan" about Dalits (the untouchables in Nepal) which he completed in 2006 and which aired from NTV 2008/2009. The TV serial was one of the most popular serial in the history of Nepal television, and was nominated for One world media trust, UK for outstanding work on social issue in developing countries. His third feature film "Goodbye Kathmandu," solidified his reputation as an auteur. Known for his focus on the Nepalese indigenous community, Nabin Subba is recognized as one of the pioneer of the independent film movement in Nepalese cinema. Additionally, he has dedicated considerable time to nurturing emerging talents. He is among the first Nepali filmmakers to participate in international film festivals as his debut film “Khangri'” (1996) won special mention at the Trento International Mountain Film Festival, Italy followed by prize of the jury at Propad International Film Festival, Austria and official selection at Telluride International Mountain Film Festival 1997. Now he returns with his first feature film in seven years, A Road to a Village starring Dayahang Rai, Pashupati Rai & Prasan Rai. The film is said to be about the change in father son relation brought by a newly built road in remote eastern Himalayas of Nepal.
Dayahang Rai is a Nepalese actor, director, and playwright. Dayahang is known for his uniqueness in Nepali cinema. He is one of the most popular and acclaimed actors of Nepal. He has starred in over 40 films and is one of the leading contemporary actors of Nepal. He has received various accolades throughout his acting career. Dayahang is a veteran theatrical actor who made the jump to Nepali cinemas.
Bibeksheel Nepali Dal is a political party in Nepal. The name "Bibeksheel" translates to "common sense wisdom".
Khagendra Lamichhane is a Nepalese theater actor, writer and director. He is best known for his work in movies such as Talakjung vs Tulke and Pashupati Prasad. He entered the acting field in 1999. He has directed five plays, mostly staged at national and international theatre festivals. As a writer, he has published three books.
Jhumkee features suspense story on Women Violence in Nepal.
Manoj Kumar RC, credited as Manoj RC is a Nepali film actor known for his versatile acting. He has received Kamana Film Award for Best Actor in Negative Role for his performance in Madhumas. It was a blockbuster and his role was well appreciated by the audiences. He rose to prominence from his debut historical film Bir Ganeshman portraying in the role of martyr Gangalal Shrestha in 2002. His first leading role in a film was Lakshya. He has appeared in significant music videos including Paap Punya song by Hemant Rana.
Nepal Literature Festival is an annual international literary festival which takes place in Pokhara, Nepal. It was founded in 2011 by Bookworm Foundation, a not-for-profit organization.
Deepak Rauniyar is a Nepalese director, writer and producer. He is one of the few internationally acclaimed cinema directors from Nepal. He rose to prominence in 2012 as the director of Highway, the first Nepali movie to be screened at a major international festival – the Berlin International Film Festival. His second international release, White Sun (2016), was named Best Asian Feature Film at the Singapore International Film Festival and resulted in his being named in The New York Times as one of "The 9 New Directors You Need to Watch".
"Melancholy" is an environmentally-themed song sung by 365 Nepali artists. This song was intended to promote an environmental message by breaking the Guinness World Records for "Most Vocal Solos in a Song Recording", which it successfully did. It was written, music composed and directed by environmentalist Nipesh Dhaka. The song was recorded as a single on 19 May 2016. The recording sessions were inaugurated by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli at 8 am and continued until 6 pm. The song was released on 2 September 2017 by President Bidya Devi Bhandari at Army Officer's Club, Kathmandu.
Surakshya Panta is a Nepalese actress, creative director and producer. She debuted as an actress from Alok Nembang's 2015 Ajhai Pani in a supporting role. Panta rose to fame after her role in Dhanapati. She has also worked in critically acclaimed films like Gopi and Aama. She made her international debut in the Italian movie "The Eight Mountains” directed by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch.
Dayahang Rai is a Nepali actor who made his debut in the 2009 romantic comedy film Mero Euta Saathi Chha. The same year, Rai appeared in the mystery Dasdhunga, in which he portrays the suspected killer of Madan Bhandari, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal; this performance garnered the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2012, his breakthrough role came in Loot, in which he starred as Gofle, who with his four friends sets out to rob a bank in Kathmandu. Rai's performance was praised and the film was a commercial success. He then starred in Deepak Rauniyar's drama Highway (2012). In 2013, he appeared in Badhshala, a film about the Nepalese Civil War and the human rights abuses committed by the Nepali Army. This film was later banned in Nepal by the military and criticised for empathising with Maoists.
Badhshala is a 2013 Nepali historical drama film written and directed by Manoj Pandit and produced by Mohaan Dotel under the banner of Smashing Apple. It features Dayahang Rai, Saugat Malla, Khagendra Lamichhane, Anup Baral, and Arpan Thapa. Badhshala concerns the torture done by the Nepali Army to the Maoists during the Nepalese Civil War. It was briefly banned in Nepal but was cleared for screening after filmmakers deleted the "problematic torture scenes".
Ainaa Jhyal Ko Putali is a 2020 Nepali coming-of-age film written and directed by Sujit Bidari under the banner of Icefall Productions and Local Cinema. The film is Nepal's submission for the 95th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film. It is the first Nepali film to compete for prize worth of 30,000 US dollars in 25th Busan International Film Festival for the category New Currents in 2020. Bidari also won the best director award in 2022 Dhaka International Film Festival. Released on September 9, 2022, the film stars Kanchan Chimariya, Dinesh Khatri, Siru Bista, and Ashok Shiwakoti, with the first two making their film debuts; similarly it was the first film for most of the actors who worked on it. The title of the film is inspired by a poem of Madhav Prasad Ghimire with the same title.
Jaari is a 2023 Nepali film written and directed by Upendra Subba under the banner of Baasuri Films. It is produced by Ram Babu Gurung. Released on April 14, 2023, the film stars Dayahang Rai, Miruna Magar, Prem Subba, Bijay Baral, Roydeep Shrestha, and Rekha Limbu. The film is based on Limbu community and their Jaari tradition, which was historically one of the most significant part of their culture; the Jaari tradition was also relevant in many other communities of Nepal.
