Box Office Earnings Dip for Nepali Films during Dashain

Nepali films released during this year’s Dashain festival—including Balidan, Haribahadurko Jutta, and Maitighar—have earned less at the box office compared to last year, according to industry sources. Filmmakers and theatre owners attribute the decline to the Gen Z protests that unfolded just before Dashain and widespread floods and landslides during the festive period.

The Film Development Board reported that the three films, which premiered on Phulpati (September 29), collectively earned just over Rs 90 million by Wednesday. In contrast, last year’s Dashain releases—Bahragaun, Chhakka Panja 5, and Jwaisab—earned a combined total of approximately Rs 400 million.

While the three current films are still running in theatres, most Nepali films generate the bulk of their revenue during the first week of release. As a result, their potential to catch up to last year’s figures is limited.

Among the three films, Balidan earned the most, generating Rs 37.5 million from the sale of 119,561 tickets. Haribahadurko Jutta ranked second with Rs 32.2 million from 90,947 tickets, while Maitighar earned Rs 21.4 million from 68,032 tickets sold over eight days.

Balidan stars Sameer Bhatt, Saugat Malla, Arpan Thapa, and Richa Sharma. Haribahadurko Jutta, directed by Dipendra Kumar Khanal, features Hari Bansh Acharya, Swastima Khadka, Prakash Saput, Priyanka Karki, Harihar Sharma, Divya Dev, Kiran KC, and Rajaram Paudel. Maitighar stars Kedar Ghimire, Upasana Singh Thakuri, Dheeraj Magar, and Prakash Saput.

Despite lower overall earnings, Film Development Board member Birendra Prasad Bhatt said the films are still recovering their investments. He noted that Nepali films with strong local content continue to perform well, and theatres are increasingly giving more screens to domestic productions.

“Earlier, filmmakers worried whether they could even recover their investment. But in recent years, returns from films have improved,” he said. He added that a film’s earnings depend on both the quality of its story and the level of investment, with poorly scripted or underfunded films struggling to generate significant revenue.