KATHMANDU: The Nepali film industry is facing a major setback as four new releases in Chaitra have failed to attract audiences to theaters. Rajaganj (Chaitra 1), 11:55 and Draupadi (Chaitra 8), and Dori (Chaitra 15) all entered the big screen with high hopes, but their box office performance has been nothing short of disastrous.

Despite having a strong cast, Rajaganj, directed by Deepak Rauniyar and featuring Dayahang Rai, Nikita Chandak, and Bijay Baral, struggled to bring in viewers. The situation was even worse for 11:55 and Draupadi, as empty theaters on the first weekend sealed their fate.

Despite a solo release benefit, Dori also could not put its mark. Saturday’s underwhelming performance at the box office caused a colossal decrease in the shows by Sunday, leaving the makers stunned. Actress Anjana Baraili, having tasted success from the release of Pujar Sarki & Purna Bahadurko Sarangi, now sees the bitter reality that winning audiences still remains tough.

In just three weeks, the producers have seemingly lost a whopping 5–6 crore rupees. The limelight is now on the upcoming Basanta, Pitambar, and Karma—will they break the cure, or will the dry spell continue?