Cinema of Nepal

Nepal does not have a very long movie history, but the industry has its own place in the cultural
heritage of the country. It is often referred to as 'Nepali Chalchitra' (which translates to "Nepali
movies" in English). The termsKollywood and Kallywood are also used, as a portmanteau of
"Kathmandu" and "Hollywood"; "Kollywood" however is more frequently used to refer to Tamil
cinema.
History
The making of Nepali films is said to have begun with D.B. Pariyar's Satya Harishchandra,
which was the firstNepali-language movie to be shot. It was produced from Kolkata, India and
was released on September 14, 1951.Aama (meaning mother) was the first film produced in
Nepal and was released on October 7, 1964. It was produced by the Information Department of
His Majesty's Government of Nepal (now Government of Nepal). It was directed by Hira Singh
Khatri and the lead actors were Shiva Shankar Manandhar and Bhuwan Chand, who are regarded
as the first actors in the Nepali film industry.
The first film to be produced under a private banner was Maitighar, which was released at the
end of 1966 by Sumonanjali Films Pvt. Ltd.
The Nepal government established the Royal Nepal Film Corporation in 1971. Mann Ko
Bandh was the first film produced by the corporation; Mann Ko Bandh was followed
by Kumari (the first Eastman color Nepali film) in 1978, Sindoor in 1980, and Jeevan Rekha in a
series. Their success opened up the avenue for private parties to enter into filmmaking as an
industrial endeavor.
Golden era
After the 1980s, some relatively more creative films were made and they became successful, too.
Thus, filmmaking started to appear as a more viable profession and the number of productions
increased a bit. After the introduction of private companies in the Nepali film industry, the time
came when more films were being made and they were much more accepted by Nepali
audiences. Samjhana, Kusume Rumal, Lahure, Kanchhi, Basudev, Saino and Koseli. In 1990,
Nepal witnessed important political change. The people‘s movement brought the monarchy to its
knees and democracy was restored. The society started to become open and vibrant. This had an
important consequence for the fledgling film industry: It began to grow rapidly or even to
"bloat".
There was an unprecedented growth in the number of productions. Within three years, some 140
films were made. Distribution started to develop. Share in the existing market increased and the
market itself expanded. Cinema halls increased to more than 300. Nepali filmmakers became
optimistic of displacing Hindi films, which had dominated the Nepali market.
Conflict era
The start of the Maoist revolution in Nepal in the mid-1990s was the beginning of the downfall
of the domestic film industry. In the period of war and conflict, a very small number of films
were made, and audience numbers fell sharply. It resulted in lower budgets and even lower
performances, which resulted in even smaller audiences. In the later years of the conflict, the
production and release of Nepali films had almost come to a standstill. Many actors and
filmmakers left the country in search for work abroad.
During the 1990s, some filmmakers, mostly with non-fiction base, started championing a new
kind of cinema. They denounced the crude imitation of Bollywood aesthetics and demanded
indigenous aesthetics and a more realistic approach. They made some films which have received
some critical acclaim at home and some international recognition. Historic movies
like Balidaan and Seema Rekha made during this period were appreciated by critics and
audience.
In 2001, the highest-grossing Nepali film Darpan Chaya was made. It was directed by Tulsi
Ghimire .
Present situation
By 2006, as the situation in Nepal calmed down and with Maoists coming into mainstream
politics, the Nepali film industry started to return to its previous state. Today, more films are
being made and released. The production companies and those in the industry are enthusiastic
about the country's new situation. The return of peace has opened more venues for the shooting
of films, and the industry is seen to be making good use of this time to revive its image.
New generation moviemakers geared up to make sensible cinema with entertainment rather than
Bollywood inspired socio-actions. Kagbeni, Sano Sansar,Mero Euta Saathi Cha, First Love, Kohi
Mero, etc. are some of the fine examples of quality cinema in terms of presentation,
performance, story and technical superiority. However, they lacked in connecting with the
audience.
In January 2012, a film named Loot was released and emerged as a blockbuster. It broke most of
the commercial records that were held by the movies before it and turned into a phenomenon
among the youth of the country. It was the first movie in decades to be screened more than 100
days in the cinema halls.. Kohinoor emerges as a highest grossing Nepali film .
Film Development Board
The Film Development Board (FDB) was established by the Government of Nepal for the development and promotion of the Nepali film industry. The Board is a liaison to facilitate the conceptualization, making, distribution and exhibition of Nepali films nationally. The Board attempts to bridge the gap between film entrepreneurship and government bureaucracy. The Board is a balance between the people at large, the government, and the process of filmmaking. It is intended to act as the safeguard of the interests of the people, the watchdog of the government, and the advocate of filmmakers