Breaking News: Nepali Cinema Plagued by Several Issues, Industry Fights Back
Kathmandu, Nepal – The Nepali film industry, once a beacon of hope and creativity, has been facing numerous challenges in recent years. From subpar storytelling to poor production values, Nepali movies have been struggling to gain traction both domestically and internationally. In this breaking news report, we’ll take a closer look at what’s plaguing Nepali cinema and what the industry is doing to address these issues.
Lack of Original Storytelling
One of the major problems plaguing Nepali movies is the lack of original storytelling. Many filmmakers are relying on remakes of Bollywood or Hollywood movies, which not only dilutes the unique cultural identity of Nepali cinema but also fails to cater to the diverse tastes of Nepali audiences.
"Many Nepali filmmakers are playing it safe by making copies of successful Bollywood or Hollywood movies," says veteran film critic, Shambhunath Shrestha. "This not only lacks creativity but also stunts the growth of Nepali cinema."
Poor Production Values
Another significant issue affecting Nepali movies is poor production values. From subpar sound and video quality to shoddy editing, many Nepali films are lacking the polish and finesse needed to impress audiences.
"It’s disappointing to see so many Nepali movies released with poor production values," says actress, Swastima Khadka. "As an actress, I want to be associated with projects that have a certain level of quality, and it’s hard to find that in many Nepali films."
Limited Budgets
Limited budgets are also a major hindrance to the growth of Nepali cinema. With limited funds, filmmakers are often forced to compromise on production values, casting, and storytelling, which ultimately affects the overall quality of the film.
"The lack of funding is a huge challenge for Nepali filmmakers," says director, Narayan Panchapake. "We need to find ways to increase investment in the industry to make better films."
Over-Reliance on Glamour
Finally, some critics argue that Nepali movies are over-relying on glamour and glamour only, neglecting the rich cultural heritage and stories that make Nepali cinema unique.
"Nepali films are often more focused on showcasing glamour and stardom rather than telling meaningful stories," says film analyst, Pramod Shah. "This is not only a disservice to the audience but also the industry as a whole."
Industry Response
The Nepali film industry is aware of these issues and is taking steps to address them. The Nepal Government has launched initiatives to provide financial support to filmmakers and promote Nepali cinema abroad.
"We’re working to create a more conducive environment for filmmakers to produce quality films," says Nepal Government’s Minister for Information and Communications, Krishna Gaire. "We’re providing financial support and other forms of assistance to help Nepali cinema grow."
In conclusion, Nepali movies are plagued by several issues, including lack of original storytelling, poor production values, limited budgets, and over-reliance on glamour. However, the industry is fighting back and taking steps to address these challenges. With the government’s support and the willingness of filmmakers to take risks, Nepali cinema has the potential to flourish once again.
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- Promoting Nepali cinema abroad
Opinion piece by: Mukesh Khanal
Published on Republica National Daily on August 31, 2019
Recently, two supposedly super-hit Nepali movies uploaded in Youtube caught my attention: Anmol KC starrer “Kri” and Ramesh Upreti starrer “Aishwarya.” These movies highlight major issues plaguing the Nepali movie industry today.
First, Nepali filmmakers need to ditch the “star system.” Bollywood and Hollywood movie stars held sway over audiences for decades, but the formula is now failing. Audiences are ditching big stars for better stories and better performances. Look at Bollywood today. Stars can no longer phone-in their performances. “Zero,” “Tubelight,” and “Thugs of Hindustan” could not even recoup their costs.
Movie-watching audience in Nepal today is more sophisticated than what Nepali filmmakers think. Movies can no longer succeed on a star’s looks. You need good actors and good stories. There are dozens and dozens of good theater actors in Nepal today, honing their skills and mastering their craft. Only a handful of them have got opportunities in movies. Why aren’t Nepali filmmakers looking more to theatres to scout good acting talents?
Second, Nepali filmmakers suffer from the “khichdi syndrome.” A movie gets made, the filmmaker is interviewed, and his/her response always is: “This movie is for everybody. It has romance, action, thriller, suspense, and whatnot.” My question to these filmmakers is: are you making a movie or a khichdi? “Kri” and “Aishwarya” both suffer from the khichdi syndrome. There is a reason why we have one dedicated day in the year for eating khichdi: nobody likes eating khichdi every day. When will Nepali filmmakers realize that the audience cannot tolerate so many khichdi movies in a year?
The audience today grows up watching movies from Bollywood, Hollywood, and other movie industries around the world. We recognize a crappy movie when we see one, and a good movie when we see one. This is why even a mildly decent movie like “Jatra” or “Loot” ends up receiving lots of love from the audience. These were not great movies, but they were better than the other 99 khichdis that were cooked that year.
Third, filmmakers attempt to mask poor story and performance with songs filmed in exotic locales. This is great for promoting domestic tourism, but this is not why you make a movie. Jharana Thapa recently blamed audiences for not being appreciative of the difficulty of filming songs in remote mountains and lakes. The audience does not care how, when, and where you filmed your movie or song. The audience only cares whether it was entertained or not. It only cares whether the 500 rupees it just spent on the movie was worth it.
Maybe a few decades ago, people did go to the movies to see Bollywood songs filmed in Switzerland. That is no longer the case these days because songs get uploaded into YouTube months before the movie releases. If going to the movies means going to watch beautifully filmed songs, why go if you have already seen it in YouTube?
At the end of the day, a movie tells a story. That is where the focus should be. Most song placements in movies don’t make sense anyway. Placements are random and often hinder the flow of the story. “Kri” had a middling story, but its editing saves the overall movie. “Aishwarya” was all over the place with poor story, dialogues and editing. The first half-hour of the movie makes no sense. Aishwarya’s songs were filmed in exotic locations, but had overtly bad computer paint job (whatever the movie-variant of a photoshop is) with grass and hills painted awfully in post-production.
Fourth, some think of the movie industry as the quickest way to achieving riches and fame. This is why the industry is filled with dreamers and charlatans. Many dreamers are often genuine movie and art lovers. They enter the industry to fulfill their personal dreams or hope to steer the industry toward a better direction. Some succeed, some fail. The chutzpah of two dreamers making a movie that tops every movie critic’s best-of list is necessary despite the movie’s failure. It shows the potential of the medium to inspire and awe. Movies like “Hari” may end up making no money, but they still need to be made.
Sadly, there are more charlatans than dreamers. How else do you explain the industry churning out 100 movies a year? Charlatans find a gullible financier for their movie. The movie flops, and the financier disappears. The charlatans simply move on to find a different gullible person with money. This “do and die” filmmaking process does not last, and the charlatans’ crimes are coming home to roost. Financiers ran this year. If news reports are to be believed, we will see only half the number of movies this year than last year. The industry needs to get rid of these charlatans.
Just as most Nepali movies today are “love stories,” most of the 200 or so movies made annually in Hong Kong during the 1990s were gritty action thrillers. By 2000, Hong Kong was making only 40 movies a year because audiences got tired of watching the same story over and over again 200 times a year. Nepali audiences are tired of watching the same story 100 times a year. If Nepali filmmakers want the audience to pay 500 rupees to go and watch their movies in a multiplex, they need to raise their filmmaking standards.
Finally, there is a reason why the industry is called the “movie business.” Filmmakers are in the business of making their customers happy. If 99 movies flop every year, isn’t that the clue that you are not meeting customers’ demand? If you produce three movies in a row with the same story and characters, with the only change being songs filmed in London this time instead of Mustang and Manang, the audience quickly wises up to your tactic.
Nepali filmmakers have a variety of excuses for their failure. The only question they should be asking while making a movie is: “Is this entertaining?” Sadly, for 99 movies every year, the answer is a resounding “No.”
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