Acting is hard.
Not only do you have to show the emotions that don’t really exist, you in fact, need to become someone else in order to do this well. While this is being said, the allure of being a superstar sure is strong. This is why quite a few of us try our hands in this field.
But becoming a well-known actor is easier said than done. In fact, there are quite a few of those Nepali actors.
Do you know who he is? Well if you have been following the Nepali cinema recently and are an avid watcher of Nepali Movies then you may know who he is. But a lot of us have no idea who he is. It is not like people don’t know his face either, he is just a bit overshadowed by those around him.
This man is versatile, can show emotions clearly, knows how to deliver dialogues, and most of all, he gets into character. Be it that of a Pujari from Pashupati in Hurray or that of a gaule in Mr. Jholay – he has got what it takes to be among some of the best.
Despite appearances in movies like Mr. Jholay, Sanghuru, karkesn and pandit Baaje ko Lauri, he is among the underestimated actors of Nepal. While people are starting to see his skills, it may still take some before the world knows of this man’s talent and skills.
1) Salon Basnet
Salon is among those who fall into the category of “well-known but underappreciated actors”. Most of us know him as the “hapak” from hostel returns. But his role as the “hapak” has been one of the most memorable ones, it doesn’t mean that he hasn’t appeared in any other movies.
He has appeared in movies such as Ae mero hajur 2, ae mero hajur 3, and Gajalu as well. While he has indeed got the skills to be a well-respected actor, he is under the risk of that Nepali actor who will get typecast into a single type of role. So far, almost all of this appearance in the movies has been in the form of a “best/ close friend of the protagonist”.
So, due to this, while there is no doubt that he has got the skills, his hasn’t really been able to show his full range which may be the reason why he is among those few “well known but underappreciated Nepali actors”
2) Diya Maskey
She is among the veterans out there in the genre of “underappreciated Nepali actor”. Diya has been making appearances and showing her skills since the early 2000s. With appearances in movies like Kagbeni, Ek din Ek Raat, Fitkire, and sanghuro, she does have quite a bit of experience.
Let’s be honest, if she didn’t have the skill and the right attitude, she wouldn’t have been able to survive in the cinema world for such a long period of time. She is well known for her mature looks and the depth of her expressions. Who among us can forget her expressions in the early 2000s song “bhijyo sirani Khataima” where she single-handedly handled the entire video purely with just her expressions.
3) Menuka Pradhan
She again is among those who are “well known but underappreciated Nepali actor”. Who can forget her when she was the main character of the viral song “saili”? But if you are not an avid Nepali movie watcher or a follower of Cine News in Nepal, you may not have heard of her all too often before or after that.
But she has been a constant face in Nepali movies for quite a while appearing in movies like Visa Girl, Dui Rupaiya, Damaru ko dandibiyo, Jaalo, and Gajalu. While she has taken quite a few roles, she too is under the risk of being typecast as she is usually under the role of an elder sister or a mother figure.
4) Buddhi Tamang
Buddhi Tamang is not an unknown actor, in fact, he is among those few who are slowly getting the appreciation that they rightfully deserve- slowly getting out from the area of “underappreciated Nepali actor”.
We all know who he is – he is the “Haait” guy from chakka panja. But that being said, he has got great comic timing, a superb sense of humor, and flexible emotions as well. While the roles he takes on are indeed somewhat similar in nature, he has been able to exploit as much as one possible can from the subtle differences between these roles.
5) Jivan Luitel
Now with this, we enter the realm of underappreciated Nepali actors who at one point in time were the lead actors. He was once the lead actor of the Nepali Movie “Notebook” back in 2013. While the movie did average, it didn’t help in enhancing the fame of the actor. Heck, some of you may not even know that this movie exists at all.
What he is mostly known for is his supporting role in movies like Sano sangsar and Mero euta saathi chha. Along with these two movies, he has also appeared in movies such as Ghatak, Tirkha, and Nai Na Bhannu La as well. While there is no doubt about his acting skills, his role choices may be a bit monotonous – similar to a lot of Nepali actors in this list – which may be the reason behind him being among those “good but underappreciated Nepali actors”.
6) Anoop Bikram Shahi
Anoop Bikram Shahi is in the same spot as Buddhi Tamang – he used to be an underappreciated actor but is slowly gaining appreciation from both his peers and fans in recent times. If you didn’t know he has been in the Nepali Media world since the start of this decade.
With movies like Purano Bullet, Lilly Billy, Bir Bikram, and Kri on his acting resume, how can he stay underappreciated forever, especially when he is among the lead actors of Purano Bullet, Bir Bikram, and Kri?
He is the classic example of “Dhilo ayo tara Kada ayo” among the Nepali actor.
7) Karma Shakya
He is without a doubt one of the most underappreciated Nepali actors in Nepal. While he came into the limelight with Sano sangsar and has been appearing and giving us some of the best performances, he has always been among those underappreciated ones. While he best Pandey in Loot 2- Haku Kaale Stole all the show, and while he was the best Gaurav in First love – Aayush stole all the show, for the most part.
Those who remember him from the days of sangsaar all know that he is among the best out there when it comes to showing real emotions and dialogues.
So,
These are just some of the underappreciated Nepali actors out there. Do keep in mind that while all of them are popular in their own rights and have their own base of fan following, in the overall context of Nepali Cinema, these actors whom we have mentioned here are somewhat underappreciated. It may be due to the lack of variety of roles that they have taken or maybe it is due to the presence of those who managed to outshine them. But regardless of the reasons why they are underappreciated, let’s show this Nepali actor a bit more love and appreciate their efforts as well as skills.
Hope you found this entertaining. If you have any suggestions for us, do let us know in the comments below. And as always, thank you for reading till the end.
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