Entertainment

From a business perspective, filmmaking in Nepal really took off only after reinstatement of democracy. In terms of time, it is a 50-year-old industry, but still remains only at a stage where it is learning how to walk.

Bringing about transparency in rules and regulations governing film-making on the part of the government coupled with enthusiasm shown by investors turned the general thinking around as people began viewing film production as a viable business. Says Udhav Paudel, president of the newly established Cinema Development Board, "The subject matter and concept of cinema before and after democracy is not quite the same. While films prior to 1990 (2046 BS) seem to have been inspired by some broder social objectives, the later products have been made solely with a business motive." Paudel feels that if the trend continues and Nepali cinema is able to expand its market, the film industry can be very attractive for more investment.

In fact, after democracy, the Nepali film industry witnessed a kind of flood of investors. However, most of these people turned out to be heavy-pocketed but without much idea about filmmaking. Resultantly, the industry became crowded with people with very average knowledge of filmmaking - directors who lacked any kind of formal training and technicians with mediocre skills. As a consequence, Nepali films grew by way of number but the number of cinemagoers actually subsided. One of the contributory factors was that while newest of Hindi films was easily accessible to the Nepali viewers, Nepali films were not able to be developed to the standard of Hindi movies, as one cinema industry worker Prodeep Upadhyaya analyzes.

Two films ‘Chino’ (2047 BS) and ‘Yug Dekhi Yug Samma’ (2048 BS) did exhibit the positive influence of democracy and became two of the biggest successes of the last decade. While Tulsi Ghimire’s ‘Chino’ celebrated a silver jubilee, Deepak Rayamajhi directed ‘’Yug Dekhi Yug Sama’ established screening record despite the film being based on an old and tried subject matter. The movie also marked the screen debut of Rajesh Hamal who has become the busiest actor of the decade.

In 2050 B.S., director Yadav Kharel came up with ‘Prem Pinda’ - a film quite different from mainstream commercial cinema. Made at a cost of some Rs. 5.5 million, ‘Prem Pinda’ did not exactly set the registers rolling but it gained enough hype by virtue of being unusual and different. Another unique movie came in 2052 BS in the form of ‘Raanko’ - the first cinemascope Nepali motion picture. Made at an investment of about Rs. 7 million, ‘Ranko’ was a disappointment from a business point of view. Art film also received a new lease of life in the decade with Tulsi Ghimire’s ‘Dakshina’. But the form was not given continuity. " ‘Dakshina’ merely became a pill to get rid of the hangover of ‘’Paralko Ago’", Ghimire himself expresses. In the meantime, Udhav Paudel, in 2052, initiated religious film making with ‘Jaya Baba Pashupati Nath’. The venture, however, was not a successful one. When Yadav Kharel’s ‘Shree Swasthani’ met with similar fate, it was assumed that the Nepali viewers were still not ready for religious movies. However, ‘Balidan’, with a new story line based on the people’s movement for democracy, was also very well accepted by the masses.

The Nepali cinema industry, which sees an investment of some Rs. 100 or 120 million every year, is beginning to come up with some excellent films since the past year or two. The year 2056 B.S. gave pictures like ‘Karodpati’, ‘Thul Dai’ and ‘Nepali Babu’, which are indications that the film industry is in a pretty good state at the moment. Another positive sign has come in the form of good old directors making a comeback with renewed zeal. One such personality is Bhagwan Das Shrestha who, even after coming up with a quality film like ‘Kanchi’ in 2044 B.S. was frustrated for lack of transparency and proper laws to govern the industry. On his return, he teamed up with Prakash Thapa to make ‘Nata Ragat Ko’, which apart from becoming a blockbuster, has also won the best film award this year. Another returnee is Binod Sherchan, the maker of ‘Saino’. Sherchan is now all set to bring out ‘Badal Pari’, which has Yogen Chopel as its director. Chopel was directror also for ‘Saino’. "We have come back in the expectation that things have been changed," they say.

At present time, the environment of film-making is becoming quite open. And if another decade is to see this kind of openness and investors continue getting a return on their investment, the Nepali cinema industry, and with it Nepali films, will really move ahead, view industry watchers.

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Democracy and Cinema