KATHMANDU: More foreign films than domestic productions were screened in Nepali theaters in the year 2082, according to data from the Film Development Board.
The board reported that 56 Nepali films and 93 foreign films were released in theaters during the year, meaning 23 more foreign films were screened than domestic productions.
A total of 94 Nepali films received censor approval during the year, while 230 films obtained production permits.
Indian films dominate foreign releases
Most foreign films screened in Nepali theaters were from India and Hollywood. Among them, Indian films dominated the Nepali box office.
The highest-grossing foreign film this year was the Indian movie Dhurandhar 2, which has earned over Rs 120 million at the Nepali box office during its ongoing run.
Its first installment, Dhurandhar, had earlier collected around Rs 101.5 million.
Another Indian film to cross the Rs 100 million mark was Saiyaara, which grossed about Rs 105 million. These are the only three foreign films to surpass the Rs 100 million gross collection mark in Nepal this year.
Among Hollywood releases, the highest-grossing film was Avatar: Fire and Ash, which collected around Rs 66.8 million.
Higher revenue from foreign films
According to the board, Nepali films generated a total revenue of Rs 1.08 billion this year from the sale of 3,781,544 tickets.
Foreign films sold 3,322,757 tickets, which is 458,787 fewer tickets than domestic films.
Despite selling fewer tickets, foreign films generated higher revenue, earning a total of Rs 1.1152 billion—about Rs 31.4 million more than Nepali films.
Officials say this difference is largely due to varying ticket prices, which are often lower during weekdays. Nevertheless, the figures indicate the continued dominance of foreign films in Nepal’s cinema market.
Nepali film industry facing losses
On average, a Nepali film is produced with a budget of around Rs 20 million. In 2082, 53 Nepali films reached theaters with a combined investment of about Rs 1.12 billion.
However, their total box office revenue stood at only Rs 1.08 billion—around Rs 40 million less than the total investment. Moreover, only about 30 to 40 percent of the box office revenue typically goes to producers.
Despite the challenges, some Nepali films performed strongly at the box office.
The highest-grossing Nepali film this year was Paran, directed by Dipak Acharya ‘Kaku’, which earned Rs 177.7 million.
It was followed by Abaat Aama with Rs 131.3 million in gross collection.
Other top-performing films included Jerry on Top, Unko Sweater, and Jari 2, which grossed Rs 122.8 million, Rs 114.1 million, and Rs 62.4 million respectively.
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