KATHMANDU: The past few months have been challenging for the Nepali film industry.

After a successful commercial run last year, the industry had high hopes for this year as well. Nepali films did well at the domestic box office, especially from September to October.

Films like Chhakka Panja 5, 12 Gaon, and Purna Bahadur Ko Sarangi, released in Asoj and Kartik, achieved steady commercial success. Some directors are also working on new projects.

However, the box office has slowed down recently. Despite the average performance of Rashwo Dirga and Telvisa, none of their films succeeded at the box office.

Other films like Agni Dahan, Devvani, Missing: Keti Harayeko Suchana, Actor, Bomb Bahadur, Firfire Firiri, and Karsang also failed to impress.

Particularly concerning is the lack of audience interest in films starring actors who were once considered ‘hit makers,’ like Dayahang Rai and Saugat Malla.

The situation from Poush to Magh has raised serious concerns within the Nepali film industry.

In the month of Magh, only seven films were released, but none achieved commercial success.

Films featuring so-called ‘stardom’ actors, including Pradeep Khadka, Dayahang Rai, Saugat Malla, Priyanka Karki, and Richa Sharma, also failed to attract viewers.

Actor: Take One, released on May 18, was highly anticipated, as it starred Pradeep Khadka.

However, Pradeep’s stardom did not generate the expected magic. Due to a name dispute, the film was released two days later than scheduled (Magh 16).

The opening was weak, with many shows canceled on the first day, and while the business picked up a little on the second day, it did not gain momentum afterward.

Despite Pradeep being promoted as a ‘superstar,’ Actor: Take One has raised doubts about his stardom.

While his promotional efforts were commendable, the box office report suggests that the producer may only receive about Rs 50 lakh from the cinemas.

Similarly, Saugat Malla’s Bomb Bahadur, Dayahang Rai and Jitu Nepal’s Karsang also flopped, prompting a reevaluation of these actors’ stardom.

The promotion of Mummy, starring Priyanka Karki, was highly aggressive.

Priyanka even walked the streets of Kathmandu dressed as a ghost, trying to attract attention. However, her efforts failed to draw the audience into the cinema halls.

Likewise, Sarang, which Richa Sharma described as her ‘second innings,’ was pulled from cinemas due to a lack of audience.

None of the seven films released in Magh managed to gross more than 1 crore.

Films like Actor, Firfire Firire, Keti Harayeko Suchana, and Juna flopped. In Juna, the audience was initially promoted as being part of a charity show, but they did not show up to watch the film.

Despite more than a dozen films being released over the past two months, none have made a significant impact at the box office.

Films that generated buzz on social media failed to bring the audience into the theaters.

With producers unable to recover even a small part of their investment, many are now turning to distributors for financial relief.

This situation confirms that publicity and controversy alone cannot boost business if the film quality is lacking. As a result, producers are reconsidering their approach to filmmaking.

The Film Development Board has approved 155 films in the last 10 and a half months, but this recent wave of flops has made producers and directors rethink their strategies.

The weak performance of the past month has left the industry anxious about the upcoming releases.

More than 10 Nepali films are set to be released in the month of Falgun. If these films also fail to perform well at the box office, the Nepali film industry could face another dry spell.

All eyes are now on the 10 films set to be released in Falgun. Will these films break the current flop wave, or will the disappointing results from Magh repeat? This is a crucial question for the Nepali film industry.

Meanwhile, the audience has sent a clear message: they are looking for good films.

It’s about creating quality stories, solid direction, and engaging content. It seems the time has come to focus on the quality of films rather than relying solely on stardom.

Will the upcoming films revitalize the Nepali box office, or will they continue the downward trend seen in the month of Magh? This remains a key concern for the industry.