Historical Dialogue at Karnali Film Festival: Fascinating Story of Nepal’s First Film Awards Presented

SURKHET — A special and historic session was successfully held under the award ceremony of the 3rd Karnali International Film Festival 2026 (2083 BS). A dedicated program titled “Looking Back at History: The First Film Award Dialogue” was conducted during the festival, bringing the early history of the Nepali cinema industry vividly to life.

The session focused on Nepal’s very first film award ceremony, which was organized on May 3, 1984 (Baisakh 17, 2041 BS), and presented highly fascinating and historical facts.

Key Highlights and Guests

The historic dialogue was chaired by senior artist Narendra Bahadur Shrestha, the visionary organizer of Nepal’s first-ever film awards. Under his leadership and initiative, the renowned Indian actress of the 1980s and 90s, Shabana Azmi, was invited to Nepal to grandly host the ‘Nepal Film Awards’ for the first time.

The session was facilitated by senior director and Nepali cinema historian Prakash Sayami, who shed light on the background of the first awards and the prevailing environment of Nepali cinema at that time.

Veteran Artists Share Glorious Experiences

During the dialogue, the winners of the first award ceremony shared their unforgettable and proud experiences:

• Senior Actor Shiva Shrestha: Who had won the Best Actor award for the movie ‘Kanchhi’ at that historic event.

• Senior Actress Sharmila Malla: Who had bagged the Best Actress award in the same category.

Both artists became emotional as they recalled that moment from four decades ago, sharing memories of their excitement upon receiving the awards and the positive impact it had on their film careers.

Enthusiasm Among Attendees

Filmmakers, journalists, and general attendees present at the festival observed the session with great curiosity and keen interest. Participants noted that the dialogue, which helped them understand the history of Nepali cinema from up close, uncovered many new and previously unknown facts. This session has been regarded as one of the most meaningful and significant achievements of the 3rd Karnali International Film Festival.