KATHMANDU: Two months ago, Durgesh Thapa, a popular Nepali singer, released his song “Dushman Hereko Herai,” which quickly became a trending hit, garnering over 34 million views. Routine of Nepal Banda, a popular social media page, even listed the song as Nepal’s No. 1 on the YouTube Music Charts for February 2025.
With catchy lyrics, engaging music, and an entertaining video, the song resonated with audiences across all age groups. Durgesh is not just the performer but also the lyricist, music arranger, and lead actor in the video.
However, upon closer inspection, the lyrics seem to lack depth, and the video bears resemblance to an old Bollywood song. His live performances lack a live band, and his concert style involves singing along to pre-recorded tracks while occasionally adding basic choreography.
Despite these criticisms, Durgesh has successfully captured the public’s attention, flying in a helicopter to reach multiple concerts in a day and performing across various countries.
His popularity demonstrates that viral success and artistic excellence are not always aligned. Durgesh’s rise shows that understanding what appeals to the masses can drive success, even if it doesn’t involve conventional artistic brilliance. His story begs the question: what’s the secret behind his viral success?
The Idea Behind the Song
The concept of the song revolves around revenge, positioning Durgesh as the hero who triumphs over an adversary. With themes of perseverance and resilience, it portrays the underdog story of someone from a humble background overcoming obstacles.
This narrative struck a chord with audiences, giving the song a sense of empowerment, as it highlights Durgesh’s ability to overcome betrayal and rise above his enemies.
The Star Cast
Durgesh strategically chose talented and popular performers like Priyanka Karki and Kabita Nepali for the video, whose presence contributed significantly to the song’s viral appeal.
Additionally, the involvement of well-known singers such as Eleena Chauhan, Samikshya Adhikari, and Ananda Karki expanded the song’s reach by tapping into their respective fan bases. The star cast played a pivotal role in amplifying the song’s popularity.
Understanding the Mass Market
Durgesh demonstrates a keen understanding of his audience, delivering content that resonates with their desires.
He has mastered the art of appealing to the masses by crafting a narrative that caters to their dreams and struggles, ensuring his content captures the public’s attention.
Just as Durgesh has become a sensation in the music industry, there are posts in education that have gone viral, even garnering attention from teachers. One such post, titled “What teachers should be teaching kids in school,” gained traction by criticizing the education system for not teaching practical life skills like taxes, money management, time management, and online business.
Like Durgesh’s song, this post has been shared widely, with many commenting on how their school experience focused too much on abstract concepts like theorems instead of practical knowledge. These posts often go viral, capturing widespread attention, but just like Durgesh’s success, virality does not equate to value.
Why Posts Like These Are Not Always Useful
Schools Teach the Basics
Schools serve a fundamental purpose—to teach the basics that students need to navigate life. It is unrealistic to expect schools to cover every life skill, as the current curriculum is already overloaded.
Teaching complex subjects like finance or online business to young students would overwhelm their cognitive capacities, hindering meaningful learning.
Learning Happens on the Basis of Prior Knowledge
For students to grasp complex concepts like fintech or tax calculations, they need to have foundational knowledge in subjects like math and economics. Without the requisite prior knowledge, students would struggle to understand advanced topics.
As Willingham (2007) argues, students need background knowledge and practice to effectively implement what they learn.
Schools Are Not Responsible for Teaching Everything
If schools are expected to teach all life skills—such as interpersonal communication, dating, or financial management—then what is the role of parents, communities, and society? Schools should complement the guidance and teachings provided by parents and peers.
Studies show that peer influence, along with support from parents and mentors, plays a significant role in developing life skills (Mossman et al., 2021).
While schools must innovate and adapt their teaching methods to better meet students’ needs, blaming them for all educational shortcomings oversimplifies the issue.
Similar to how Durgesh’s viral success does not necessarily reflect musical excellence, viral education posts may attract attention but don’t always offer practical or meaningful value.
Conclusion
Just as Durgesh Thapa has mastered the art of going viral, educational posts that criticize the system often achieve widespread popularity. However, virality should not be mistaken for real value.
While these posts might capture public attention, they often ignore the complexities of education and the importance of foundational learning.
As with music, going viral may provide short-term recognition, but true success in education comes from a balanced, well-rounded approach that acknowledges the essential role of schools while also empowering families, communities, and students to take responsibility for their own growth.
References
Mossman, G. J., Robertson, C., Williamson, B., & Cronin, L. (2021). Coaches, parents, or peers: Who has the greatest influence on sports participants’ life skills development? Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(21), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2021.1939980
Willingham, D. T. (2007). Critical Thinking: Why Is It So Hard to Teach? Arts Education Policy Review, 109(4), 21–32. https://doi.org/10.3200/aepr.109.4.21-32
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