Why Did Nepali Films Underperform During Dashain?

KATHMANDU: Dashain is traditionally considered one of the most favourable seasons for Nepali films, with producers and directors often scheduling releases to take advantage of the long holiday and the expectation of family audiences visiting cinemas.

This year, however, box office figures suggest that the festival season did not deliver the expected returns for most releases. Three films released before Dashain’s main Tika day, while ‘Kabaddi 5: After the Final Match’ arrived the day after Tika and attracted a larger audience.

According to figures released by the Film Development Board on Monday, ‘Kabaddi 5: After the Final Match’ grossed Rs 10 crore 76 lakh 73 thousand 715 in the domestic market. A total of 346,427 tickets had been sold for the film by Sunday, Kartik 15.

Among the three films released before Tika, ‘Aa baata Aama 2’ collected Rs 6 crore 24 lakh 70 thousand 130, with 213,194 tickets sold by the same date. ‘Chha Maya Chhapakkai 2′ grossed Rs 3 crore 34 lakh 84 thousand 435, while ’12 Gaun 2’ collected Rs 2 crore 29 lakh 57 thousand 986.

The figures cover each film’s theatrical run from its release date through Sunday. They show that ‘Kabaddi 5’, released on the day after Tika, drew more audience interest than the three films that opened ahead of the festival’s main celebration.

All four films were sequels or entries in established film series. Their predecessors had performed strongly at the box office, creating expectations that the new instalments would also attract large audiences. However, the official figures indicate that the three pre-Tika releases fell short of those expectations.

‘Kabaddi 5’ recorded strong business from its opening days despite receiving mixed audience reactions. Its commercial performance suggests that the film could enjoy a longer theatrical run if competing releases do not significantly affect its momentum.

The film is written and directed by Rambabu Gurung and stars Dayahang Rai, Bijay Baral, Bipin Karki, Buddhi Tamang and Pushkar Gurung, among others.

Rai said audiences may have connected with the characters because they have followed them on screen for many years.

“It’s been 12 years since audiences first started seeing the character Kaji on screen. Perhaps, just as we do, audiences have also grown attached to him. The joys and sorrows on screen may therefore reach audiences beyond the cinema,” Rai said.

He confirmed that a sixth ‘Kabaddi’ film would be made, but said it would take time. He suggested that the character’s changing age, psychology and physical appearance would influence the direction of the next instalment.

“We will certainly bring Kabaddi 6, but it will take time. I am also curious about Kaji’s psychology as he grows older and changes. He has been portrayed as somewhat more mature this time, and the next instalment will reflect further changes,” Rai said.

‘Aa Baata Aama 2’ falls short of its predecessor

‘Aa Baata Aama 2’ grossed Rs 6 crore 24 lakh 70 thousand 130, considerably below the performance of its predecessor, ‘Aa baata Aama’, which collected Rs 13 crore 20 lakh.

Director Chandra Pant said the crowded release calendar during Dashain made it difficult to expect the sequel to repeat the first film’s box office performance.

“We expected our film to perform well, and it is still running. But a film generally earns less when it competes with several other releases than when it gets a solo release,” Pant said.

He also denied claims that the production team had bought tickets to inflate the film’s box office figures. Pant said the team may have purchased tickets worth up to Rs 150,000 for journalists, well-wishers and relatives, but denied any wider ticket-buying effort.

The film stars Paul Shah, Bipana Thapa, Malika Mahat and Aakash Shrestha, among others.

‘Chha Maya Chhapakkai 2’ acknowledges weak box office performance

‘Chha Maya Chhapakkai 2’, directed by Dipendra Lama, collected Rs 3 crore 34 lakh 84 thousand 435. Its predecessor, ‘Chha Maya Chhapakkai’, had grossed Rs 9 crore 92 lakh.

The sequel stars Deepak Raj Giri, Keki Adhikari, Sanisha Bhattarai, Deepa Shree Niraula, Karma Shakya and Ryhan Giri, among others.

Actor and producer Deepak Raj Giri acknowledged that the film’s commercial performance was weaker than expected, although he said audience feedback on the film’s content had been positive.

“Compared with the business our films usually generate, Chha Maya Chhapakkai 2 has performed the weakest. We have to accept that. However, we have received very good reviews from audiences, and we are commercially successful,” Giri said.

He later acknowledged that the film had underperformed compared with his previous releases. Giri said some viewers felt the film had less comedy, while others appreciated its subject matter.

He also announced plans to bring ‘Chha Maya Chhapakkai 3’ to cinemas next Dashain, saying the next film would complete the story left unfinished in the second instalment. He said he did not intend to abandon the series simply because another film in his career had been commercially successful.

‘12 Gaun 2’ trails its predecessor

12 Gaun 2, directed by Biraj Bhatta, recorded the lowest collection among the three films released before Tika. It grossed Rs 2 crore 29 lakh 57 thousand 986 in the domestic market.

Its predecessor, 12 Gaun, had collected Rs 19 crore 92 lakh, making the sequel’s performance significantly lower by comparison.

The film features Biraj Bhatta, Sameer Bhatta, Anup Bikram Shahi, Krishu Shahi, Barsha Etani and Sunil Pokharel, among others.

A wider question about festival releases

The box office figures also point to a broader change in the performance of Nepali films during the Dashain season.

In 2081 BS, three films released during Dashain collectively earned nearly Rs 39 crore. In 2082 BS, the combined collection fell to around Rs 15 crore. This year’s performance indicates a further decline, although the figures cited for this year cover the four films discussed above.

Some filmmakers and industry observers have questioned the tendency to treat sequels and established film franchises as guaranteed commercial successes. They have also pointed to the practice of announcing festival release dates before scripts are fully developed and pushing stories forward to meet those dates.

The latest figures suggest that a familiar franchise, a holiday release window and the commercial success of an earlier instalment do not necessarily guarantee a strong box office result. The performance of this year’s Dashain releases has renewed questions about storytelling, competition between films and the industry’s reliance on sequels.