Market for cinema in Nepal expanding, says filmmaker

Nepalese filmmaker Nabin Subba, whose 'Goodbye Kathmandu' has made it to the 23rd Kolkata International Film Festival, says the market for cinema in the Himalayan Kingdom is steadily expanding.
Subba's film, the first Nepalese movie to be screened at the festival, was chosen for the Asian Select competition section.
"Now, it (films) is a Rs 1,500 crore industry (in Nepal)," he said, adding that apart from 40-50 single screens, there are multiplexes in the main city of Kathmandu.
"While single screens do mostly exist in small towns, they are on the decline. Unlike independent filmmakers, here it is more difficult for us," he said before the screening of his film yesterday.

Elaborating on 'Goodbye Kathmandu', Subba said the film talks about relations between Nepal and India, and "subtly" traces the political situation post the year 2000.
"It is a multi-layered film having three protagonists, each telling different stories. And three characters belonging to different age groups, who don't meet each other. It took me years to wrap up the project for certain reasons," he said.

The film, which was also screened at the Busan Film Festival this year, makes mention of the insurgency issue in Nepal.
"It is about three young men living in Kathmandu, who are caught in the civil war of 2004... All these three persons are united in a way," Subba said and added he would love to call it an independent genre film.

To a question, the former journalist said there are around 125 ethnic groups in Nepal, and the country has many similarities with India.