Opinion Poll

Nepali cinema has not entirely pushed out foreign cinema from the theatres of Nepal, but a trend can be noticed where the domestic products are substituting foreign competition to some extent, say the
observers of the industry. However, the senior executives and businessmen of the country view that the investors are yet to be convinced of the prospects in this industry.

Participating in an opinion poll conducted by Business Age, about 67% of the respondents that comprised of businessmen and senior executives, said, the existing business houses are not investing in this sector because they are not yet
confident of the prospects. It seems that the business houses still regard cinema industry to mean simply making a movie and showing it to the Nepali audience. Behind the screen
aspects of the industry, such as providing logistics, setting up a studio, helping foreign cine–makers to shoot cinema here to sell it abroad, and setting up good standard theatres, are not recognized as offering business opportunities.

Alternatively, it is also likely that the business houses are so much bogged down by the problems in their existing businesses that they do not have time to look for opportunities in other sectors. But, only one–third of the participants in the poll agreed with this explanation, while 50% of them responded to the Business Age question in the negative. That further substantiates the theory that the potential investors are looking for opportunities to invest into, but do not find any for the lack of reliable modalities. May be, some respected and long–established cinema industry personalities like Tulsi Ghimire, Neer Shah, Bhola Rijal and Yadav Kharel should develop their companies in such a way that people would invest in them with confidence.

Cinema industry is regarded as a medium to promote tourism in the country. Only last year, New Zealand was reportedly being swarmed by Indian tourists because the biggest hit of Hindi movies that year – Kaho Na Pyar Hai – was shot in New Zealand. In case of Nepal itself, tourism entrepreneurs say that the IMAX movie ‘Everest’ had boosted tourist arrival here. Similar expectations were pinned also on Caravan screened last year. Though tourism in Nepal this year could not show positive growth, it is a different story. The failure may be because of various other negative publicities due to the hijacking of Indian Airlines plane and Maoist insurgency.

Still, the respondents of the poll were equally divided as to the status that cinema industry deserved in the national
policy – 50% suggest cinema industry should get equal status as tourism, and the rest say that it should be below tourism. But cinema industry people argue that it deserves a status above tourism, because it requires a single movie to increase tourism arrival for a whole year and even further. However, the respondents seem to view that Nepali cinema industry’s help in promoting tourism in the country has not been significant. All of the Everest, Caravan and Little Buddha were foreigner–made movies, they point out.

1. Do you think that the business houses are still not confident about the business prospects in cinema industry?

2. Do you think that the business houses are so much bogged down with problems in their existing businesses that they do not have time to think about expanding into this new business?

3. What priority should the cinema industry get in the national economic policy?

4. In your opinion how much helpful has Nepali cinema industry been in promoting tourism in the country?

5. In your opinion, how will be the effect on Nepal’s cinema industry with the ongoing proliferation of TV channels?

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Cinema & Business