This is the first time I have seen such a film’s earnings. Usually a Nepali film was shown during Dashain. It did good business. Sometimes Dashain was also weak. Once ‘Chakkapanja’ released on Dashain, it did good business and everyone started following Dashain.
This year’s Dashain was a surprise. ‘Chakkapanja 5′ also went on like that, ’12 villages’ also went on like that. Hindi movies used to play more during Tihar. This time there was less business for Hindi films. ‘Purna Bahadur’s sarangi’ made history.
He made such a history that I don’t know when his record will be broken. ‘Poorna Bahadur’s Sarangi’ became connected with the story that touched Nepalis of all age groups. Not only one person went from home to watch this film, children, parents and families started going from home to home. After that it got a large number of viewers. Therefore, a huge volume was created at the box office.
When a film is released, it will be released to the liking of certain sections. The subject must touch. The audience liked it. ’12 Villages’ and ‘Chakkapanja 5’ have been doing a huge business because of the audience’s liking. Nepali cinema is displacing foreign films in the present situation.
This does not mean that foreign films will not run in Nepal. Only big and well-known films can run. The average foreign film is not doing business not only now, but for a year. It is difficult to tell everyone, but Nepali films with hype and content do good business 100%.
Not only here, the business has done well in overseas as well. It was not possible to do business like this before. If the festival was going on, it would always go on. The volume in which it has done business, that’s why the film has run.
Its business depends on what kind of cinema is coming, what kind of image it has created in the market, what kind of content, what kind of publicity it has. How many things, according to the demand of the artist. The business of ‘Poorna Bahadur’s sarangi’ was unusual.
If you look at the business of three to four months, domestic films have captured more than 80 percent of the market. All the films like ‘Khusma’, ‘Gaon Inya Bato’ did well. The Hindi film did limited business. The percentage is clear
Business above 100 crores is certain in the year 2081 alone. There was no business like this before. After this ‘Laaj Sharanam’ is coming in February, I think it will also do big business. Looking at what Sarangi has earned now, let’s not say 1 billion, I call it domestic business. Sarangi may earn 45 to 50 crores at the domestic box office. Having said that, it is not certain that everyone will make a film targeting 50 crores. Adding foreign business, the business of Nepali films goes above 1 billion.
During the last two months, the size of the Nepali film market was seen to be over 1 billion when looking at the trade of domestic and foreign films. Now one after another movie is running in Nepal. How to assume that this is always the case?
There is a place to be happy that the historical business of Nepali films has been seen. How can it be said that tomorrow other Nepali cinemas will do the same kind of business? If there is any positive, there is a place to hope that the business can reach this level.
In Bollywood too, 4-5 films are released in a year. Some are average and some are very bad. It depends on the publicity, content and how much the audience likes it. Doing publicity does not mean that the film will run. Sometimes even if the content is good, the film does not run. By the time ‘Word of Mouth’ comes, the film will be released. If everything goes well, the film becomes a blockbuster.
According to the ‘Sarangi of Purna Bahadur’, Kathmandu has been won by Mofasal. All the families and elders of the village came to watch this film. Older people also came to watch the movie, there are a lot of them in Mofsal. I thought this might be the reason.
Although the number of halls outside the valley is more, the ticket price is lower. Multiplexes are less, single screens are more. The rate is not that big in single screen. There is a big market in Kathmandu. The ticket price is also good. However, the audience left the village. People who did not come to the hall for 20, 25 years also came.
Now they are playing family entertainment style films. Be it comedy or emotional. Now, ’12 village’ action also started. Now social drama, comedy, action all kinds of movies are released. This is the first time that an action film has done such business.
We are also distributing Bollywood movies. Looking at the current business, we are thinking of distributing less Bollywood and more domestic films. Because, not all Bollywood movies are running in Nepal. After ‘Kalki’ and ‘Stree 2’, no other film has been released. Before that, ‘Animal’ ran. After that, there was no wave. I don’t know which one will run now. Meanwhile, I have seen the loss of Indian films, the situation it maintains.
Now about the show, a film won’t run by getting many shows. The show had to be full house. And your show grows according to the demand of the audience. Even the shopkeepers are not sitting idle, they are busy. As the film progresses, the show itself increases.
‘Poorna Bahadur Ko Sarangi’ also initially had 56 shows. For the first couple of days, we kept urging and persuading all the halls. However, after the third and fourth day the film picked up, we didn’t have to do anything. The show itself has grown.
Looking at the business of Nepali films, there is room for optimism. Among the films we shared, ‘Poorna Bahadur Ko Sarangi’ became an all-time blockbuster, ‘Chakkapanja 5’ became a blockbuster. ‘Hraswa Deng’ is also seen in the list of best performers. The ‘Village Came Path’ also went well
When we choose a film, we choose good business, good producers. Now work only by looking at the manufacturer. Even if we don’t take the Nepali film that we get. We only work with certain people with whom we have relationships. We don’t even take a new maker, we take it but only after studying.
Now the content is running. Speaking of star, there is no such star in ‘Poorna Bahadur Ko Sarangi’. The film called Star has not even been released. We have to look at the maker, the content. Sometimes the movie we guessed doesn’t work, sometimes it does. You will know when you go public.
If domestic films are released in this way, then why do we need foreign films? He has reached the theater. In places like Janakpur, Mahendranagar, Birganj in the Terai, Nepali films are not often shown. Nepali filmmakers had to make films there, no matter how much they got. Had to get used to it. There are many small places like Birganj, Janakpur, Rajviraj, Lahan.
Earlier only Hindi films were played in Biratnagar. At this time, Nepali films also started playing. There would be no Hindi films. Now gradually we have to get used to it. We should not say that the house is full elsewhere, we will not go to Janakpur. It should be allowed to run there as well.
Earlier, Nepali films were not shown in Nepalgunj. It comes in the big market of current Nepali films. After that, there were no Nepali films in Dhangadhi. It has become a big market. 40-50 lakhs are now coming from Biratnagar halls. In Birganj too, ‘Poorna Bahadur Ko Sarangi’ ran for a while in multiplexes. They wanted to cast only famous ones, other films would not be cast. 10-15 thousand would come from that. The calculation that has come now is terrible.
In Birgunj, we did not try. There are all kinds of people in Birgunj and Janakpur. They watch the movie. It also worked a little in Lahan. Sarangi has also done a little business in places like Lahan where Nepali films are not shown. If we continue to give movies, the market will develop! Pokhara, Birtamod, Damak, Dharan, Itahari, Butwal, Chitwan are good. Now they are even better.
Due to the current situation, foreign films are no longer needed in Kathmandu. ‘Kanguwa’ did not come, did not bring. Even if you don’t bring it, it doesn’t matter here. Halwala did not demand. If there was no film, everyone would have called ‘Kanguwa’. Nobody cares now.
The film is running on ‘Poorna Occupancy’. If the Nepali film runs, the development fee is also saved. Out of 15 percent, 7 and a half percent belongs to Hall. They benefited. When a Nepali film is released, money will stop going abroad, that is a good thing.
I think the culture of watching domestic films has increased now. Audience interest towards Nepali films has also increased. Now Nepali films are starting to be talked about a little bit. The box office became bigger and people became more interested.
In this way, if the film starts running well, 80 percent of the market will be taken by Nepali films. If business continues in this way, in the future, only 20 percent of foreign films will be sold. At one time Nepali films occupied a large percentage.
If you look at the business of three to four months, domestic films have captured more than 80 percent of the market. All the films like ‘Khusma’, ‘Gaon Inya Bato’ did well. The Hindi film did limited business. The percentage is clear.
Looking at the business of Nepali films, there is room for optimism. Among the films we shared, ‘Poorna Bahadur Ko Sarangi’ became an all-time blockbuster, ‘Chakkapanja 5’ became a blockbuster. ‘Hraswa Deng’ is also seen in the list of best performers. ‘The way to the village’ also went well.
In the coming days, we are preparing to increase the maximum number of Nepali films. We may also go into film making in the future. Good makers are planned to join us. We take all the movies from good makers. We also help them financially.
(Based on a conversation with Rathi, who is associated with the film distribution company Banktes Entertainment.)
