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		Vol. 3 :: No. 1 December, 2000 (Mangsir-Poush)
Entertainment

Film Industry Pays

By Ananta Wagle

Until nine or ten years back, acting, if anything, was considered a hobby. In fact, other than a few technicians, almost every other individual involved in the field received no pay. Even if they did, the money might have just sufficed to pay for afternoon tea. Things, putting it mildly, have undergone a sea change now. The film industry cannot be said to be the highest remuneration payer but those engaged in the industry are today leading quite well-to-do lives. What is more, this industry also provides glamour. This makes it easy to understand as to why old players are pulling up their socks. They as well as the new breed really mean business. Most of the new entrants are professionally trained, which has forced the old players to show some professionalism themselves. A larger sum of money is being put into each film. Thus the industry is no more a place for those who have come with a pocketful of money to buy some glamour. There is too much at stake today. There is a demand for professionalism right from the director and stars to the spot and light boys. In return, all of them receive quite handsome pay.

As things stand, it is not possible for any actor or actress to retain any permanent position in the film industry today. The success of any star is by the success or failure of his/her last two releases. And this is a kind of international standing which has only very recently gained entry into the cinema industry here.

Rajesh Hamal, who had retained the top slot for almost a decade, has very recently lost his position to a near nobody - Dilip Rayamajhi. It took just three films – ‘Jindagani’, ‘Darpan Chhayan’, and ‘Aphno Manche’ - for Rayamajhi to replace Hamal as the numero uno actor. With the success of these films, film-makers that used to run after Hamal have now changed direction and are running to catch Rayamajhi. Resultantly, Rayamajhi has also taken over from Hamal as the best paid Nepali artist. Having begun his career as a side-dancer, Rayamajhi can today easily get Rs. 2,00,000 for a film – almost twice as much as Hamal - if he provides film-makers the dates they demand.

It is however, almost impossible for Rayamajhi to hold on to the present status half as long as Hamal. There are a number of fresh talents pushing him out and it will take but two good releases to dethrone Rayamajhi from the position. This also underlines the fact that the Nepali cinema industry has changed from the time when actors like Shiv Shrestha, Bhuwan KC and Rajesh Hamal used to call all the shots – and get paid for it. Today, remuneration depends on the craze and demand of the masses. And it might take an actor more than being able to dance (or fight?) to ask for a really good pay from his producers.

Nonetheless, generally speaking, Nepali heros receive between Rs. 1,00,000 and 1,50,000 for a film. There is, of course, the odd occasion when an artist may take an ignorant film-maker for a ride and convince him to over-pay him - like the story where Shiv Shrestha is said to have been paid Rs. 2,00,000 for ‘Aatankwadi’ some years back.

Among the new-entrants, Shree Krishna Shrestha (prior to falling ill), Sushil Chhetri and Ramesh Upreti can be considered hot favourites among the masses after Dilip Rayamajhi.

The competition, if not more so, is as stiff among the female stars. Here, Karishma Manandhar has been handed a similar kind of treatment from Niruta Singh as Rajesh Hamal had received from Dilip Rayamajhi. And interestingly, the same films, namely ‘Jindagani’, ‘Darpan Chhayan’ and ‘Aphno Manche’, have done the trick for Singh. There is of course every likelihood that Karishma will bounce back. Because, apart from being a seasoned campaigner, what could also work in her favour is the fact that she also has her own production house.

Remuneration-wise, Nepali heroines generally get around Rs. 1,00,000 per film. Niruta Singh, however, is learnt to charge up to Rs. 2,00,000. And, according to film pundits, she could even demand – and get – Rs. 3,00,000, provided she is able to satisfy her film-makers with the dates.

On her way to becoming the Prima Donna, Niruta has also left far behind her other contemporaries like Bipana Thapa, Jal Shah and Melina Manandhar. And now it will take quite some doing to catch Niruta.

A competitive fighting ground has also been made ready for the directors. Give good films and get good money, this has become more or less established rule. And not surprisingly, the directors get better remunerations than the stars, because it is the director who has to get the best out of the stars.

As things stand today, Tulsi Ghimire is the hottest property around. Forgotten after giving one disaster after another, Ghimire has announced a come-back with (what else?) Darpan Chayan. Ghimire, although not officially, has announced his reluctance to work for outside banners. But if he takes back his decision, film analysts view that there will be producers willing to pay him as much as Rs. 5,00,000 for a film.

Competing for the post of top directors are none other than Ghimire’s own assistants Dayaram Dahal and Kishor Rana. The two are known to charge around Rs. 3,00,000 for a film.

Remunerations in Nepali Film Industry

Director : Rs. 100,000-500,000

Actor : Rs. 50,000-300,000

Actress : Rs. 25,000-200,000

Fight Director : Rs. 25,000-150,000

Cameraman : Rs. 25,000-100,000

Lyricist : Free – Rs. 5,000

Musician : Rs. 20,000-200,000

Singer : Rs. 1,000-10,000 (Per song)

Script Writer : Free-Rs. 100,000

Dance Director : Rs. 20,000-100,000

Make-up Man : Rs. 5,000-10,000

Side Dancer : Rs. 1,000-5,000 (per song sequence)

Spot Boy : Rs. 1,000-5,000

Light Boy : Rs. 1,000-10,000

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