Nation’s leading beauty pageant organizer RK Entertainment Group Pvt. Ltd. has officially announced the audition dates for Miss Grand Nepal 2021.

In the press meet at Hotel Nepalaya, Thamel, organization’s head Lucky Ram K.C. announced Bhadra 15, 2078 as the deadline for the registration to participate in the competition.

According to Ram, the auditions will be held from Shrawan 20 to Bhadra 11, 2078 in the regions,  Nepalgunj, Chitwan, Butwal, Birgunj, Pokhara, Dharan and Jhapa.

Whereas the auditions in Kathmandu and the grand finale are scheduled on Bhadra 20, 2078.

According to the organizing team, Miss Grand Nepal 2021 event finalizes five winners, who will be representing Nepal at five different international beauty pageants.

Also Read: Nepali Beau Garima Wins ‘Miss Nepal America 2021’ Crown!

The international pageants are Miss Tourism International, Miss Landscapes International, Miss Scuba International, and Miss Multinational. The fifth international franchise will be added from this year, which is yet to be revealed.

The winners will be awarded with trophies and cash prizes. Top of these, they will get an opportunity to debut at Nepali cinema.

NepaliSansar Extends Best Wishes to All Aspiring Nepali Beauties!

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The film directed by Ashok Sharma has Ankit Sharma and Samragyee RL Shah in the leads.

Besides, it also features Buddhi Ram Tamang, Khusbu Khadka, Neeta Dhungana, Rabindra Kumar Jha and Shiva Hari Poudel among others.

The story spans love, heartbreak, comedy and simple village life.

Last year, Nepali movie Ramkahani was released during September.

Watch ‘Rato Tika Nidhar Ma’ Nepali Movie trailer

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The National Film Development Board has taken this decision to streamline record maintenance of ticket sales and get better reports on gross collections.

Currently, the Box Office system is in place across Kathmandu Valley.

Out of the total 394 movie theatres across the country, only 215 are operative, and 13 new theatres began operations in the current fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the Box Office Film Club of Nepal nominated 12 Nepali films for the ‘Blockbuster Award 2075’.

The Film Club’s decision to choose 12 films comes as a surprise in view of the fact that only a few Nepali films reported success in 2018.

Lily Bily, Chhakka Panja-3, Jaya Bhole, Bobby, Nai Nabhannu La 5, Kayara, Bhaire, Intu Mintu Londonma, Changachet, Ramkahani, Prasad and Captain are the 12 movies selected for the awards, informed RK Subedi, Box Office Nepal.

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Out of three initial submissions, Shivam Adhikari’s Nepali historical drama Panchayat secured its place as Nepal’s nomination at the international film festival– The Oscars.

Samten Bhutia’s war-drama Tandro and My Love Promise for Kathmandu were the other two proposed initially.

As a story revolving around or surrounding the mid ‘30s background, Panchayat features the story of the head of a village panchayat, who is proven guilty of the crime he commits.

“A majority of mainstream cinemas released commercially do not match the level of storytelling and technical finesse that we seek. We’ve selected Panchayat this year. It is definitely better than the other two submissions,” Chiranjivi Guragain, Secretary of the Foreign Language Oscars Selection Committee, said in a statement.

Chiranjivi raised a concern that only three films were announced for Oscars nominations despite the notice being public months prior to the selection process.

“Most of the producers are well aware that their films won’t make the final cut. But we have to choose one anyway,” Chiranjivi adds.

However, Chiranjivi is doubtful on whether Panchayat, though better than submissions, would feature in the top five in the competition.

He was little hopeful that the movie would at least make it through the second round.

To make it more effective, the producers of the move are currently working on technical improvements and sound design for the movie before submitting it to the competition.

Meanwhile, Director of the movie is confident about his product.

“Panchayat might be a story from Nepal, but the emotions it invokes are universal. I am sure that the judges will be moved by the story. And if that happens, we might just make history,” says Adhikari.

Sharing his thoughts about the movie, he went on to say that “the collective conscience of that period was seldom explored in cinema and would make a good story.”

Though there are many movies that performed well at the Nepali Box Office, Panchayat grabbed the rare opportunity of getting featured in Oscars.

Let’s hope Panchayat will perform its best to take the Nepali cinema and its reputation to the next stage at the international level through Oscars 2019. All the best Nepal!

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The Nepali Film Industry is famous with the name ‘Kollywood’, inspired by capital city Kathmandu and is greatly influenced by Bollywood’s themes.

Nepal’s film journey began with ‘Aama’, which was released in 1964. Nepal King Mahendra had invited Bollywood Producer Hira Singh Khatri to produce the film.

Over the last 50-70 years, Nepali cinema has tried to present a critical view on the various issues faced by the country and portrays the rich culture of the Himalayan nation.

Top Nepal Movies of 2018:

This year 2075 B.S. started on a promising note with the Nepali audience craving for best Nepali movies like Damaru ko Dandibiyo, Sunkesari, Dipendra Sarkar, Jhamak Bahadur and Laure. The movies had a lot to offer going by their trailers and the buzz surrounding them.

5 Must-Watch Nepali Movies of 2018

1) Damaru ko Dandibiyo: Damaru ko Dandibiyo, Gulli Danda in Hindi starred Khagendra Lamichhane and Arun Baral in the leads. The plot revolves around Damaru, a boy who comes back to the village to revive the game Dandibiyo while struggling to convince his father. Going by the reviews, the movie did extremely well and was rated 9.2/10 stars.

Reviews by Audience:
“Damaruko Dandibiyo is a movie worth a watch and delivers a captivating and pleasing movie that keeps the audience engaged till the very end. In short: The movie is great. There are, however, few shortcomings of the movie, but the overall outcome came out brilliantly.” – Abiraj Tamang

“No complaints. everything is perfect. story, screenplay, dialogue, acting, cinematography and finally playback music (nepali baja) is awesome. Different kind of movie in Nepali industry. A must-watch movie.” – Sandeep Poudel

2) Hari: Hari played by versatile actor Bipin Karki, managed to steal people’s hearts with the narrative revolving an overly religious and superstitious 30-year old man. His life is governed by the rules given by his ancestors and his strict mother. However, all comes to an end when a bird poops on his head.

The movie was rated 9.2/10 stars and this what people had to say:

Reviews by Audience:
“Well, support this kind of cinema which are made in Nepal. Though, the movie isn’t perfect but it is good. Story telling style, cinematography, background music and acting by most of the actors were nice. Although the movie is just 1 hour and 46 minute long, still I felt that the movie was long just because of loose screenplay, I guess. Editing was good and director have done a decent job.”

One of the finest movie in terms of cinematic language and presentation ethics ..one of its kind.. Can we say Hari is the trendsetting movie in our Industry ??? Highly recommendable for Bipin Karki´s phenomenal acting and stylish presentation.. U will regret if u miss this gem of cinema!!! – Facebook Review

3) Sunkesari : No movie industry is complete without the ‘Horror Genre’ and Nepal film industry is no exception. Sunkesari sent shivers down viewers’ spines with a gripping trailer. One of Nepal’s most talented actresses Reecha Sharma did a comeback with this haunting tale. The movie directed by Arpan Thapa tells the tale of an old Australian palace that is transformed into a boutique hotel and the strange events surrounding it.

However, the film received mixed reviews and was rated an overall 5.2/10 stars

Reviews by Audience:
Good movie. One does get scare at some parts and gets bore at some other part. Emma and the Yadav character hold the audience throughout the movie. Go watch it without comparing with other Hollywood or Bollywood horror movies. Everyone has given their best. – Amrita Singh Tamang

Sunkesari, the most anticipated Nepali Horror Movie of 2075, does an attempt to add a new facade to the Nepali Movie Industry and it does not completely fail to do so. But it does not succeed with flying colors as well. We all have been well equipped with our imaginations and what to expect on a typical horror movie. From the Bollywood’s white sari ghost to the Hollywood’s contortionists, we’ve seen it all and we cannot expect more than that from Sunkesari. – Abiraj Tamang

4) Dipendra Sarkar: Dipendra Sarkar features award-winning actor Pradeep Khadka who plays Late Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah and the mystery around Durbar Massacre. This intriguing tale of romance and mystery went well with the audience.

Besides the listed movies, stories like Bhaire and Black also created a lot of buzz among the new-age Nepali audience. The latter was cherished for its stunning locations, good music and good chemistry between actors

5) Laure: Laure presents the current day scenario of Nepali youth going abroad to make their careers and the struggles that they go through. The movie also depicts their addiction to drugs and alcohol. The movie features Naren Limbu and Shristi Shreshta in the lead roles.

While these movies created the buzz, Nepali films like Loot, Chhakka Panja 1 & 2, Kohinoor and Satru Ghate earned the ‘big bucks’. The movies made more than Rs 100 million!

Top 5 Best Nepali Movies 2017

Looking back at the year 2074 B.S., Nepali directors gave us some unforgettable movies like Loot 2. Let’s take a look at them:
Dhanapati: The movie hit Nepali screens on 7^th July 2017 with a heart-touching narrative of a husband and father who wants to fulfill the dreams of his family. Written by Director Dipendra K Khanal and the movie’s lead star Khagendra Lamichhane, the film clicked well with viewers.

Dui Rupaiya: The movie, packed with action, comedy and all things good was well-received by audience. With Nischal Basnet and Buddha Tamang in the leads, the story revolves around two low-life thugs Jureli and Bom Bong who are on a quest to find Rs. 2 which costs them a ‘cat and mouse’ chase with cops and their own bosses.

Loot 2: A sequel to acclaimed director/actor’s praise-worthy work ‘Loot’, Loot 2 is about the lives of four men. The story picks up from the robbery that happened in the prequel of the movie and includes seasoned-actors like Saugat Malla, Dayahang Rai and Bipin Karki

Jhyanakuti: The movie drew a never-ending flood of audience with its entertaining narrative. The story directed by Simosh Sunuwar talks about the lives of a troubled married-couple and their struggles.

Sanrakshan: The most controversial movie of 2017, Sanrakshan talks about the standing political issues and scandals with Saugat Malla and Nikhil Upreti as lead actors.

Top Nepali Actors:

1) Anmol KC – The 23-year old Nepali Star Anmol KC started out as a producer in the Nepali film industry at a young-age of 14 years. He shot to fame in a short while with movies like Hostel, Jerry and Gajalu to his credit. He is the highest paid actor in Nepal who received 20 lakhs for his movie Kri.

2) Salin Man Baniya – 24-year old charming Salin Man Baniya started his career with A Mero Hajur 2. Earlier, he was a modeler for the House of Fashion. His looks and charming smile make him one of the most sought-after actors in Nepal and is the reason for his large fan-following in a short while.

3) Pradeep Khadka – 26-year old Pradeep Khadka entered the industry with his first movie Escape. However, the movie was not received well by Nepali audience. His career picked up only after his hit movie Prem Geet. Currently, he juggles between acting & film-making and has his own media house.

4) Paul Shah – The 27-year old actor began his career with Nepal music videos. He made his entry into the Nepali film industry with Nai Nabhannu La in 2016. His acting was well-received by Nepali audiences and he also won the award for the Best Actor in the fourth edition of his debut film.

5) Gaurav Pahari – The 28-year old made a stunning entry with his hit movie Hostel. He has also acted in music videos, out of which Sailee is the audience’s favorite.

6) Salon Basnet – Salon Basnet made his debut alongside Anmol KC and Gaurav Pahari in Hostel. He instantly gained fame for his comic role in the movie. He has been in the industry since a very young age and has acted as a child actor in several Nepali movies. His latest movie A Mero Hajur 2 was received well by audience.

Some of the Most Experienced & Versatile Nepali Actors:

1) Dayahang Rai – 36-year old Dayahang Rai is a gifted figure with talents like acting, directing and play writing to his credit. He stole Nepali audiences heart with his performance in the box-office record-breaker Loot. He has also starred in the Oscar-nominated movie Talakjung Vs Tulke.

2) Nikhil Upreti – If Ajay Devgan is remembered for stunt and action-oriented movies in Bollywood, then Nikhil Upreti is the name of recall in Nepali movies. The 37-year old stepped foot in the industry with his debut Pinjada. Everyone had thought that his career had ended in 2012 but his return with blockbuster Bhairav in 2015 revived their hope.

3) Nischal Basnet – Nepal film industry is incomplete without this versatile actor, director, comedian, dancer, songwriter and singer. His career kicked-off with the movie Kabaddi and there has been no looking back since then. Dui Rupaiyan was one of his blockbusters.

4) Saugat Malla – 41-year old Saugat Malla is an acclaimed actor and producer. He began his film journey with Loot in 2008 as the lead actor. His film Soongava: Dance of the Orchids was submitted for the Oscars. Sadly, the movie was not nominated. He still remains as one of the most-sought actors in Nepali Cinema.

Individuals Who Define Nepali Cinema – Directors

“An actor is only a part of the film, not the whole, and very often, he is molded by the director. That is why a good director can make so much difference to a film.” – Anupam Kher, Indian Actor

Top four famous & renowned Nepali Directors

1) Hira Singh Khatri – Nepali Cinema will always credit Khatri for his contribution to the industry. He gave life to Nepal’s first film Aama which revolves around a young man who goes to war in a foreign country to earn money for his widowed mother. However, upon returning he finds that his mother has already passed away.

The film throws light on the departure of Nepali men to other countries, leaving their families behind. It teaches people to look after their motherland which relates to the young man’s mother in the movie.  What makes Khatri’s role special here is that he made the movie a grand success by making experienced singers perform roles in the movie.

2) Tulsi Ghimire – Ghimire was born in India and moved to Mumbai in 1974 to pursue film making. However, on the insistence of his mentor, he took up the task of making Nepali movies. He has made more than 21 Nepali movies till date including Chino, Darpan Chhaya, Kusume Rumal, Lahure, Balidaan and Desh which are some of the best Nepali movies ever. Tulsi Ghimire’s movies usually focus on political issues. He’s known for encouraging the Kollywood trend.

3) Neer Bikram Shah – Shah is related to the royal family and is a renowned actor, director, lyricist, poet and businessman. His film Basudev is one of the classic examples of Nepali cinema which fueled the picturization of stories based on social issues. In 2002, Shah was honored by the Nepal Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation for his promotion of Nepal art, culture and tourism. He is also the founder of Nepal’s first TV Channel and is considered as one of the most powerful media figures in the country.

4) Tsering Rhitar Sherpa – Sherpa is a unique director who creates stories with a personal perspective and which are highly contrasting to Nepali commercial movies. His first project Mukundo was released in 2000 and was the first independent Nepali film to gain international fame. Sherpa’s stories shed light on the otherwise superstitious Nepal.

Nepal’s Kollywood and its Progress:

With so many talented people working in and for the industry, Nepal cinema is yet to see many more remarkable movies. And with the recent announcement on Nepal Box Office system, we’re sure that country is making good progress in the field of film making.

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In a first such decision in the history of Nepali cinema, the government introduced box office system in the Kathmandu Valley making it effective from July 17, 2018.

The Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Gokul Prasad Baskota launched the program at a special program organized by the country’s Film Development Board (FDB).

The program’s implementation is coming after the Nepali film fraternity raised dire need for such implementation in Nepali film sector.

“With the box office in place, the film sector would be promoted,” says Baskota.

Speaking at the launch program, Baskota said the new decision would boost Nepali film industry by bringing in more transparency in the investment made in the industry.

Initially in Kathmandu, the box office facility would be expanded outside the Valley as well starting from February 2019.  The Supreme Court of Nepal has recently named Nikita Poudel as the new chair of the Nepal FDB.

Hope the new government policies supported by new chair will boost the Nepali film industry in its path towards development.

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Be it in terms of political transformation, participation at global-level events, victories at international-level competitions, 2017 has really been a game changer year for Nepal.

Now, let’s take a closer look at Nepal’s developments and major happenings in 2074 that contributed to the country’s overall progress:

Politics

Politics is one area that Nepal has received a major global traction from in the year 2074.

The country saw its long-awaited political transformation during the year through key local body and provincial and parliamentary elections.

The three-tier local body elections on May 14, June 28 and September 19 and the two-phase most important general elections for provincial and parliamentary seats on November 26 and December 7 brought in various landmark changes in the country’s political scenario.

Local body polls, considered as a first step towards long-awaited political change, was the first such election held in Nepal in the last 20 years. This election witnessed an active participation from all sections of Nepali society including women, youth and elderly, registering a record voter turnout and getting a due response for Nepal from the world governments.

Then, the provincial and parliamentary elections held in two phases really shook the country’s political landscape shifting the power from the then ruling Nepali Congress into the hands of the Communist Alliance (CPM and CPN-UML).

While the first phase of the election was held across 37 constituencies of the House of Representatives and 74 provincial assembly constituencies, the second phase covered a total of 45 districts of the Terai and hill areas for electing a total of 128 seats for the House of Representatives and 256 provincial assembly seats.

Finally, Nepal now has the Communist government led by the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Also Read
Oli is Back Again As 41st Nepal PM
Local Polls 2017: An All-round Applause for Nepal
Nepal General Elections 2017: Successful Participation of Citizens, Parties and Voters Observed

Bilateral Ties

Bilateral ties is one key aspect that matters a lot for any country when it comes to dealing with external relations.

Nepal has made many major moves in this regard in 2017, which strengthened the country’s global position in terms of diplomatic ties.

With regard to fresh establishment, Nepal signed diplomatic ties with the State of Eritrea, Uzbekistan, Benin, Uganda, Bahamas, among other countries.

Besides, the country has also gone a step forward in taking ahead the ties with its existing partners.

In 2017, Nepal celebrated decades of its friendship with many countries like US, India, Sri Lanka, among others. Some of the major developments in this regard include:

• Nepal and India celebrated 70 years of friendship in 2017 amid grand celebrations at the Indian Cultural Centre, Embassy of India in Kathmandu on February 10, 2018…Read More
• Nepal and US also completed 70 years of their friendship on December 13, 2017, pledging for strong economic cooperation and enhancement of trade cooperation between the two countries…Read More
• Nepal has also completed 60 years of its friendship with Sri Lanka on December 19, 2017, wherein, both the countries increased collaboration across regional and multilateral platforms…Read More
• The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (AFEC) have also signed a MoU on October 31, 2017 for increased trade and business cooperation between the two nations…Read More
• Nepal and Brazil have also formed the six-member Brazil-Nepal Parliamentary Group on November 29, 2017 for enhancing the diplomatic ties between the two countries…Read More
• The Government of Nepal has also signed an agreement for the formation of a bilateral consultation mechanism with the Government of Morocco…Read More
• Nepal and Pakistan have also discussed strong SAARC and regional cooperation on March 05, 2018…Read More
• Nepal and Zambia have also discussed cooperation for investment in various sectors in a meeting held on February 09, 2018…Read More

Overall, 2074 has been a successful year for Nepal with regard to strengthening its global position through external relations.

Economy

Nepali economy saw a positive trend in 2074 as evident in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s assessment report that called Nepal as the third fastest-growing economy in the world.

By economic growth projection of 7.5 percent, Nepal ranked third after Ethiopia (8.3 percent) and Uzbekistan (7.6 percent) for the year.

In its another report- Inclusive Development Index (IDI) 2018 in South Asia, WEF positioned Nepal at the top of the list of South Asian countries in terms of inclusive development. Globally, Nepal stood at the 22^nd position among 74 countries in the survey that analyzed 103 economies by growth and development, inclusion, and inter-generational equity.

With a 4.15 score, Nepal was also featured between slowly-advancing and rapidly-advancing nations in the emerging economies category.

With hope on increasing revenues, the Government of Nepal also has big budget plans for the
FY 2018-19, i.e. at around Rs 1,570 billion.

The Ministry of Revenue, Nepal expects a 30 percent rise in revenue collection in the FY 2018-19 at around Rs 950 billion, which is Rs 220 billion above the current fiscal target. The government is also planning to boost revenue generation through domestic debt to Rs 153 billion.

Besides, the government is also expecting an additional Rs 286 billion in foreign investment.

Entertainment

Entertainment is another interest aspect that brought global attention to Nepal in 2074.

In 2074, Nepali movies performed well at the global-level film festivals and the country has also hosted many film festival events. Some of the related major happenings that drew wide public attention include:

• Nepal-America International Film Festival 2017 for connecting Nepali and American films
• Newari Film Festivalfor the promotion of Newari films
• Nepal Africa Film Festival 2017 featuring films of various languages
• Film Southasia 2017, a festival of South Asian documentaries
• Nepali Indigenous Film Festival in New York
• National Film Development Board (NFDB) Special Film Awards, to name a few.

2074 majorly saw Nepali Director Deepak Rauniyar being featured as one among ‘The 9 New Directors You Need to Watch’ for his films- Highway and White Sun.

Sports

Nepal has always been active in sports and is also unique for Dandi Biyo, the country’s traditional sport and national sport until 2017, a significant period for Nepali sports.

It was in 2017 that the then Government of Nepal took a historic decision of officially declaring Volleyball as Nepal’s national sport replacing the traditional Dandi Biyo.

Though the discussions over volleyball as national sport began long back, the official declaration was made on May 23, 2017.

A major milestone for Nepali sports in 2017 was seen in the form of cricket, wherein, the Nepali teams proved their dashing performance at various international-level cricket tournaments.

Nepali cricket teams (U-19, U-16 and national cricket team) left their special mark at various international-level cricket tournaments.

Some of the key international-level sports events where Nepal made its mark include:

• ACC U16 Cricket Eastern Region Championship – Champion
• ACC U-19 Youth Asia Cup 2017– Moved to semi-finals
• ACPL T20 Trophy – Champion, to name a few
• World Martial Peace Cup 2017 – Won two gold and three silver medals
• International Wheelchair Basketball Tournament – Bagged Men’s title
• World Powerlifting Championship– Bagged Silver and Bronze medals
• International Taekwondo Championship – Six Gold medals
• World Junior Judo Championship – First time participation

Nepal also entered into the world of T20 cricket in 2017. The country organized its first-ever Twenty20 cricket premier league called Everest Premier League (EPL) at the Tribhuvan University (TU) Stadium.

Continuing the success track, Nepali cricket crossed more key milestones in the start of 2018:

• For the first time in its history, Nepal secured ODI status on March 15, 2018 after a dashing win against Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier play-off match at the Old Hararians Sports Club in Zimbabwe.
• Secured its place in the 2019 cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament
• Sandeep Lamichhane became the country’s first Nepali cricketer in Indian Premier League (IPL) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 tournaments.
• Nepali Expatriate Football Team made it to semi-finals in the 6^th Asian Non-Resident Football Tournament

Overall, 2074 (2017) was a successful year for Nepal. Let’s hope for more bigger events in 2075.

Culture

As in every year, Nepal celebrated its annual cultural festivals on a grand scale in 2074 as well, in fact, on a bigger scale.

Nepal’s biggest festival season including festivals such as Dashain, Tihar and Chhath stood as the cultural highlight of the year among other unique Nepali festivals like Kanya Puja– The Festival of Young Girls, Gaijatra– The Festival of Cows, Indra Jatra– The Street Festival.

Other major culture-related highlights of Nepal that made headlines in in 2074 include:

• Nepal got its new living goddess
• Nepal Academy, a national center for promotion of Nepali language, literature, culture and philosophy,held its 32^nd Academic Assembly to formulate policies and regulations for the effective functioning of the organization for promotion of Nepali language and culture
• A group of 36 Nepalis embarked on a two-week-long journey touring India and Nepal towards promoting Indo-Nepal cultural tourism
• Nepal Music Festival – An event to promote Nepali music and culture

Besides, the Government of Nepal has also discussed strengthening of cultural exchanges and ties with foreign nations during various bilateral meetings during the year.

Tourism

Nepal has a special place for tourism as evident in the country’s status as one of the most-sought global tourism destinations.

Some of the key highlights pertaining to Nepali tourism in 2074 include:

• The Nepali Embassy in Sri Lanka organized Nepal Night, a tourism promotion program called ‘Nepal Night’ in Colombo on December 15, 2017 to promote Nepal tourism
• A week-long tourism promotion activity by the Nepal Sales Mission to Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Bangalore (India) during December 14-21, 2017
• World Travel Market (WTM) 2017, global tourism expo held at ExCel London, a London-based exhibition and international convention center, called Nepal as an ‘Exotic Holiday Gateway’
• 7-month long Annapurna Sanctuary Tourism Festival 2074 has been launched on October 11, 2017 with a total planned investment of Rs 15 million
• Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) laid special focus on domestic tourism as part of the country’s tourism season in 2017 (October-November)
• Religious tourism at Pashupati reported a rise during the 2003-17 period
• Nepal Tourism reached nearly 1 million tourist arrival target with 940,218 arrivals at the end of December 2017

Overall, tourism sector saw an upward trend in the current year and is hoping big for the future.

Events & Conferences

Nepal hosted and participated in a good number of international and national level events and conferences that brought a wide global attention to the country in 2074. Some of them include:

• International celebrities such as former US Ambassador to Nepal Scott DeLisi, the legendary mountaineer and TV personality Russell Brice, and national celebrities such as Manisha Koirala joined the Nepal Fire Expedition on November 2017
• Globally-renowned social welfare organization Street Child organized an International Marathon for Social Welfare on November 2017
• Non-Resident Nepalis (NRN) met for the 8^th General Assembly of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) International General Assembly and Global Conferenceon October 2017
• In a move promoting domestic tourism, Nepal’s most famous annual Elephant Festival 2017 was held in Chitwan on December 2017 with the participation of over 50 elephants
• Two international photo exhibitions namely, ‘Nepal through Australian volunteers’ lens’ and ‘International Photography Competition on Nepal’ were held marking the International Volunteer Day 2017 and to promote Nepal tourism, respectively
• National Women Rights Forum (NWRF) Nepal, ActionAid International and Asmita Women’s Publishing House jointly organized the National Women Conference 2017 in December 2017
• Towards encouraging women participation in local governance across South Asia, the All Nepal Women’s Association organized a two-day South Asian Women’s Conference in Kathmandu in August 2017
• UNSC debate on Women, Peace and Security in New York in October 2017
• Asian Junior Weightlifting Championship in July 2017
• Biggest Online Food Festival in December 2017
• 4-day Global Conference on Climate Change on climate change concerns in Hindu Kush mountain range
• Nepal Chamber Expo 2017 that made a Rs 50 million business
• Nepal raises its key concerns at the 72^nd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and also signs Nuclear Prohibition Treaty

Immigration

As a country with more number of expatriate population, Nepal holds high significance for immigration sector.

Here are some of Nepal’s major immigration updates in 2074:

• In a move supporting Nepali migrants in Jordan, the Governments of Nepal and Jordan agreed to form a joint technical committee to implement the Bilateral Labor Agreement (BLA), the pact that ensures protection Nepali migrant labor in Jordan
• Towards addressing health concerns of migrants, the Nepali Ministry of Health, UN Migration Agency and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) discussed implementation of the National Migration Health Policy (NMHP) in October 2017
• US Government invited applications for the United States’ 2019 electronic Diversity Visa (DV) program from Nepali immigrants in October 2017
• The Government of Nepal, on September 11, 2017, decided to issue native passports to the Nepali children born in foreign nations
• United Nations’ first-ever study of a 10-year trend in migration and remittance flows over the 2007-2016 period named Nepal named as the top remittance-dependent nation; Remittances make up 32 percent of GDP
• Nepalese travelling to Japan for employment on rise, form the largest South Asian and the sixth largest foreign populace living in Japan
• Nepalese form the fastest growing community in Australia with an annual growth of around 27 percent
• Nepali Labor Ministry pitches for skill development among migrants at the 331^st governing board meeting of ILO in Geneva, in November 2017
• Nepal and Bahrain discussed labor cooperation at a bilateral meeting in Bahraini capital, Manama in December 2017

Besides, there is an increasing trend of more number of Nepali youth preferring foreign destinations for career opportunities. On the other hand, the Government of Nepal is also under plans to generate more opportunities, locally.

Technology

In the fast-growing digital world, technology is one key aspect for the development of any society.

Nepal is also majorly catching up this trend as evident in some of technology-driven initiatives in the country in 2074, which include:

• To ensure next-generation air traffic control at the airports, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) introduced an advanced radar system at Bhatte Danda of Lalitpur district to monitor Nepal’s Air Traffic Control (ATC)
• Digital Nepal: Nepal Goes Digital in TV Broadcasting
• A group of Nepali engineers introduced the country’s first-of-its-kind smart wheelchair to help physically challenged
• Nepal’s first electronic Intensive Care Unit (e-ICU) facility was inaugurated at the Vayodha Hospital
• Reputed banks express their willingness to play a vital role in revolutionizing Nepali eCommerce sector through new technology-driven digital platforms
• Nepal’s first IT Park in Banepa resurges after years of inactivity
• Ministry of Health announces technology-driven health apps, mHealth and eHealth, services to the public
• Nepal gets STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) laboratory in Kanjirowa National Secondary School at Koteshwor

Besides, these Nepal has been welcoming many technology giants and has also gone to a far extent in internet and mobile adoption, thus turning as a fast-emerging market for technology adoption.

The End Note

Overall, 2074 has really been a year of transformation for Nepal in all the aforementioned aspects adding to the country’s future progress. Hope the country would reach much greater heights in the years to come!

Also Read:
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Politics and Bilateral Relations
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Culture And Tourism Highlights
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Immigration and Other Major Updates
Nepal 2017 Highlights: Hydropower Potential Grows Three-fold with 16 New Projects

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In recognition of the contribution of theater and art, World Theater Day is celebrated on March 27 every year.

Commemorating the World Theater Day 2018, a wide variety of theater shows and events were conducted across the world on March 27, 2018.

Weeks before World Theater Day 2018, Nepal celebrated a ten-day-long theater residency comprising of writers and artists from six Asian countries including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan during March 8-18, 2018.

Marking the significance of the theater among children, Nepal also hosted the World Day of Theater for Children, a campaign organized by ASSITEJ (International Association of Theater for Children and Young People) on March 20, 2018, under the slogan ‘Take a child to the theater, today’.

Nepal, in specific, holds a special place for the field of drama and theater as evident in the presence of many theater groups across the country.

Commemorating the World Theater Day 2018, let’s take a look at some of Nepal’s famous theater groups that are forming a base for the Nepali theater industry.

Nepali Theater for A Cause

Besides entertainment, the theater also has a special role as a medium of influencing masses.

Nepal has a good number of theater groups that are majorly focused on social justice, peace and harmony, and public welfare, besides art and entertainment.

While some choose closed theater auditoriums, some choose streets to demonstrate their plays.

Aarohan Theater Group, Sarwanam Theater Group, Mandala Theater Group and Achel Natya Samuha are some of the popular theater groups that need a mention when speaking about Nepali theater industry.

Each of the aforementioned groups has a strong intention behind them.

• Aarohan For Theater Revolution: Founded in 1982 by a group of theater workers including Sunil Pokhrel (popular as Theater Guru of Nepal), Aarohan is the first and foremost theater group operating in Kathmandu and other parts of the country. Formed with the objective of bringing a theater revolution in the country, Aarohan has delivered a good number of talented artists to the Nepali theater industry and moved on to create the country’s first theater school for aspiring theater actors. Aaorhan stood up for Nepali theater’s recognition on the global arena.
• Sarwanam For a Cause: This theater group was the part of its founder’s effort to fight against the Panchayati System of Government in the country using theater as medium. Founded in 1982 by Ashesh Malla, the group was known for its play Murdabad ma utheka hathharu (Hands raised in protest) performed by its founder at the Tribhuvan University Auditorium in Kathmandu. The play moved the theater directors and writers across the country. It has eventually grown to become country’s one of the popular theater groups because of its unique plays and has also formed the base of alternative theater including symbolic body movements and mime to portray plays on stage, unlike the conventional presentation style. The group has organized and played many shows in collaboration with renowned global organizations such as the UN, The Asia Foundation, WWF and Save the Children, among others.
• Mandala for Social Justice: Human rights, social justice and political awareness form the base for the formation of Mandala Theater Group started by a group of young and dedicated theater workers advocating public freedom and peace. Committed to the advancement of theater field, the theater covers plays on a wide variety of genres such as literature and also works for the safeguarding of indigenous theatrical forms that reflect Nepali society and culture.
• Achel Natya Samuha For Fair Society: Contributing to the development of a fair and free society is the key basis for the formation of the group. Through its plays, the groups have been actively producing presentations on various social issues and public concerns.
• Kartik Naach Conservation Committee: This committee is the resultant of efforts to protect Nepal’s traditional and famous dance called Kartik Naach, performed in the month of Kartik. Over the years, the committee has been working for the preservation of the 27-day longKartik Naach festival despite the weak governmental support and fund crunch. Training artistes for almost 3-4 months prior to the festival, the committee brings together hundreds of artists including musicians for performing the Kartik Naach.

Winning the Critics, Going Global

Contributing to the world of theater and drama, Nepal has been actively hosting and participating in various film and entertainment shows and conferences such as Film South Asia 2017, Nepal Africa Film Festival 2017, New York Nepali Film Festival, Newari Film Festival, Nepal-America International Film Festival 2017, among various others.

Nepali movies, plays, artists, directors and writers have earned wide recognition across the global platforms for their works.

Besides presenting and participating, Nepali artistes also have a special mark across the globally-renowned film institutes. Very recently, renowned Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune has selected 30 Nepali films for a three-year course.

Sponsored by the Government of India, the course has a total of Nepal’s leading artistes belonging to the theater and cinema including Sulakshyan Bharati, Pratik Dulal, Sabina Gopali, Malina Joshi Rohit (Rumba) Tamang, Samyam Puri, Parikshit Bickram Rana, among others.

Long Live Theater!

Despite the emergence of different presentation forms, the theater has always been special by itself, and in fact, formed the base for today’s most-sought film industry.

However, there are some instances where we observe theater art facing a fade-off due to lack of public and governmental support. For a country like Nepal that boasts of rich forms of traditional art and culture, theater means a lot in promoting the same. Let’s hope the theater gets its needed boost in Nepal like in many other countries and continues contributing to the Nepali society.

The post World Theatre Day 2018: For Nepal, Theatre is Not Just Entertainment! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In an award ceremony held at Shilpee Theater, Battisputali, Kathmandu, FSCN named award-winning Nepali films in seven different categories.

While Kalo Pothi received the Best Film award for 2016, it was Pashupati Prasad for 2015 and Kabbadi for 2014, respectively.

Meanwhile, Deepak Rauniyar was named the 2016 Best Director for the movie Seto Surya, followed by Dipendra K Khanal (2015) and Nischal Basnet (2014) for Pashupati Prasad and Talakjung vs Tulke  films.

While Bipin Karki (Jaatra), Maotse Gurung (Purano Dunga) were named the Best Actors, Keki Adhikari for (Love Sasha) received the Best Actress award, for 2016.

Saugat Malla (Fanko) and Reema Gurung (Kabbadi Kabbadi) were the best Actor and Actress for the year 2015, while it was Dayahang Rai (Kabbadi) and Priyanka Karki (Suntali) for 2014.

“Films are not only made to generate revenue but also to represent art and culture through it. It is therefore important to organize award ceremony as such as it not only to appreciate the work but to evaluate our performance and improve further”, said Yangesh, President of FSCN, said on the occasion.

The awards that were supposed to be given earlier were postponed due to technical reasons.

According to Yangesh, the awards were conducted with a financial support from the members of the Film Critics Society and the Society expects the Film Development Board support for future.

Nepali Filmmaker Yadav Kharel lauded the efforts of FSCN terming it as a positive approach towards honoring technicians and filmmakers of the Nepali film industry.

The post Film Critic Society Nepal Announces Awards for 2014-16 appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Deepak Raj Giri’s new flick ‘Chhakka Panja 2’ is blasting the box office records of Nepali Cinema with its trend-setting collection figures.

The movie that released on the Fulpati festival day i.e., on September 27, 2017 has been witnessing huge public response that is bringing it record collections in a very short period of time.

At the start of the second week of its release i.e. by October 2, 2017, the movie collections crossed Rs. 5.78 crore. On this day itself, Deepak’s starrer received Rs. 1.10 crore in collections.

Continuing its success path, the movie is now heading to join the all-time blockbusters club that has movies with collections ranging from Rs. 10-25 crores.

Deepa Shree Niraula directed the movie that has Deepak, Priyanka Karki, Swastima Khadka and Ayushman Desraj in key roles.

So far, only two films have joined the Rs 10-25 crore club.

The earlier version of Chhakka Panja 2, Chhakka Panja, was the first movie to make it to the Rs. 5 crore, Rs. 10 crore and Rs. 15 crore clubs. Now, Chhakka Panja 2 is on the way!

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