Color of Money in Nepali Cinema

Investment in Nepali cinema is distinctly different in source than in other sector of business. First it was of course the government that invested in it for purposes other than profit. But shifting through the history of filmmaking in Nepal since the date Nar Sumsher made 'Maitighar' with private investment, three distinct sources can be identified for the money that is pouring into the Nepali tinsel-town business.

First were those who became rich overnight through windfall gains or otherwise. They generally seem to have lost their investment initially because of the small market then. But in fact they are still making an earning out of those very vintage movies they made during the nascent stage of Nepali film industry. Their entry into this sector was at a time when no sensible business man would have ventured into it except for the personal satisfaction of having made a movie. As they would not much feel the pang of loss and rather found it a more enjoyable experience to make movies, they contributed tremendously in increasing the number of movies in Nepali language. Though the quality of movies did not improve because of their involvement, these people must be credited for creating, what they call in marketing lexicon, a critical mass of viewers of Nepali movies.

Then followed, particularly after 1990, those who made good money working abroad and, upon returning home, put their hand-earned wealth into making films largely on the instigation of others. Mostly, these people included those who worked hard for many years in foreign lands living a near Spartan life, but at the time of returning home received a handsome amount as gratuity or like that. These people saw that it was very easy to earn a celebrity status overnight by making movies. And observers estimate that about 50 % of total money invested in Nepali movie industry so far is from such people. But the return from their investment in this industry is quite negligible as their products are mostly box office failures for their lack of knowledge about the technicalities of the business. Parasites subsisting on the blood of such naive people are in plenty in the Nepali film industry.

Another important source of investment in Nepali film industry is comprised of the real estate brokers and manpower suppliers. Interestingly, these two groups also earned easy money almost overnight. And such was indeed the case just a few years ago. But these people have not been able to remain long is film industry, though some manpower suppliers have somehow managed to stay. This group has however given relatively better quality movies than those from the foreign-returns. In this process, some of them also made some good money. Naturally, these people are far shrewder than the foreign-returns in doing business by virtue of their experience in dealing with people. Film-making too is very much like the business of real estate brokering and sending people abroad for employment. They all need high level of negotiation skills, ability to read the mind of others and sharpness of mind to see the opportunity when you can bluff the other party.

Rathi who was previously in distribution of Hindi films, financed Maili.

Now, it seems to be the turn of the cine-artistes themselves who are becoming producers and financiers in increasing numbers. As they know many of the tricks of the trade, their movies are doing good business. "Many of them have actually become a lot richer now after starting to invest in films", says one observer.

Looking at the success of the artistes-turned-producers, now the industry is seeing yet another group of investors flocking the industry–those who were previously in distribution of Hindi movies.

Besides the envy of the success of artistes-turned-producers, the recent decline in the business of Hindi movies in Nepal is said to have led these former distributors of Hindi movies to go for producing Nepali movies. And the number of such producers has already reached around half a dozen now. Notables among them are Manoj Rathi and Sushil Chaugain.

Though reports of black money being invested in Bombay's film industry are very frequent (and Nepali film industry is heavily influenced by that of Bombay in many respects), it is difficult to say if similar money is being channeled also in Nepali film industry in substantial volume.

However, the money earned by running one's family business or inherited in a normal way is not invested so far in this sector here. Still, some business houses now are slowly being attracted to it looking at the way the people in this industry are making money.