KATHMANDU: Nepali film producers are facing a challenging situation, exacerbated by unhealthy competition within the industry.

This intense competition has become a serious concern, with films battling for limited screen time and audience attention.

In the small and medium-sized Nepali film industry, the competition is often fiercer than in Bollywood.

In Bollywood, it is rare for nine films to be released in a single month, but this Falgun, a total of nine Nepali films are scheduled to be released.

On top of that, Bollywood films are also getting equal screen time in Nepali cinemas.

As a result, Nepali films face lower chances of securing screens, putting the investments made in these films at risk.

Films such as Dukhi Atma, Rangi, and Mayabi have already been released. Upcoming films include Pheri Resham Philili, Laaj Sharanam, Tandavam, Outlaw Section 219, Hostel 3, and Anjila.

The release schedule for February is particularly crowded, with some Fridays featuring the release of two or even three films.

Two films are even scheduled to be released on the last day of Falgun, Thursday the 29th. Out of the nine films set to release this month, two are sequels to previously successful films.

In the first week of Falgun, Dukhi Atma and Rangi will be released on Friday, February 2. The following week, on Friday, February 9, only Tandavam will be released.

On February 14, three films—Mayabi, Pheri Resham Pheriri, and Laaj Sharam—will compete against each other. In the fourth week, on February 23, only Hostel 3 will be released, and two films—Outlaw Section 219 and Anjila—are set to release on the last day of Falgun.

Given this intense competition, it’s natural to assume that the investments made in Nepali films may go to waste.

This issue isn’t new. Last year, in Falgun 2080, the situation was similar. A flood of film releases took place, with six Nepali films being released in one month.

While Mahajtra performed well at the Nepali box office, the remaining five films were considered box-office flops.

For example, Jigre, released on Falgun 4, disappeared from cinemas almost as quickly as it had been released. Directed by Akash Magar, the film lasted less than two days in theaters due to poor performance and a lack of proper promotion.

Following Jigre, Gorkha Warrior was released on Falgun 11. Despite a premiere at the prestigious IMAX Cineworld in Leicester Square and promotional efforts in Nepal, the film grossed only around 55 lakhs, falling short of expectations.

Agastya, directed by Saurabh Chaudhary, was released on Falgun 18 with an estimated budget of nearly 40 million.

By the fourth week of its release, it had grossed just 23.5 million, failing to meet expectations due to issues with its narrative style and editing.

On Falgun 25, three films—Upahar, Rangeli, and Kadetar—were released simultaneously, all of which flopped. Despite a star-studded cast, Rangeli, starring Dayahang Rai and Miruna Magar, could not perform well at the box office.

Similarly, Upahar, which featured three leading actresses—Rekha Thapa, Pooja Sharma, and Benisha Hamal—failed after its first half of comedy lost its appeal in the second half.

Directed by Gyanendra Deuja, Jhingedau also did not perform well. Meanwhile, the producer of Kadetar pulled the film from theaters after just two days due to poor response.

As a result, the Nepali cinema box office in Falgun has seen a significant decline.

This year, Sarangi by Purna Bahadur has set a new record, but it remains uncertain whether the films released in Falgun and those in production will perform well at the box office.

The ongoing unhealthy competition continues to pose a serious risk to the Nepali film industry.