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An interaction program titled “Women in Film” was held in the capital on the occasion of Global Film Day.
The event was organized by Global Compact Nepal and Butterfly Films. The program featured actress Basundhara Bhusal, Nepal’s first female editor Raksha Singh Rana, director and choreographer Renesha Bantawa Rai, and Nepal’s only female film distributor Jenish Pahari as speakers.
The event was facilitated by Krishna Shah, the Executive Director of Global Compact Nepal. During the program, Laxmi Sharma, Asia’s first female tempo driver, industrialist, and social worker, delivered the welcome address.
Actress Basundhara Bhusal opened up about the challenges and opportunities she encountered during her career, from her first film Aama to her latest Behuli From Meghauli. “I had the opportunity to shoot my first film in Kolkata and learn a lot by observing actors from the Hindi film industry. While working in films, I became the target of criticism from family and society. My mother used to scold me a lot. People would tease me on the streets saying I was fake, but later I realized that it was the audience who appreciated my work,” she shared. “Over time, the public’s perspective of the film industry has changed. We no longer focus on selling ourselves but rather our work,” she added. Bhusal also mentioned that, unlike in the beginning, her fees have been reduced over time. “When I started acting as a comedy artist, the government would fund films, and good pay was provided for roles. However, when films started being produced in the private sector, producers began negotiating fees. In some films, I have even said that if my pay is this low, I would rather not play the mother’s role,” she explained.
Editor and director Raksha Singh Rana emphasized that there are significant opportunities for women in the film industry, but to seize them, one must recognize their own capabilities and work hard. “I was in the first batch to start computer education in Nepal’s schools. Since I had an interest in computers, I entered the field of film editing. There was a time when I worked for 18 hours straight,” she recalled. Rana shared an incident from her career: “While editing an action film, a renowned director came and said that a woman should not be an editor in Newar films, and the editor had to be changed. I stood firm and said, ‘This is my project, I will do it.’ Later, the director went outside and mentioned that Raksha is doing a great job, and if anyone needs editing work, they should approach her.”
Choreographer and director Renesha Bantawa Rai shared her journey in dance direction, starting at a young age after completing class 12, and how her hard work over nearly a decade and a half helped her move into film direction. “When I first entered music video choreography, everyone on the team was male. At that time, I had to act more confidently, wearing bold clothes, makeup, and adopting a bold attitude,” she said. “Today, young people think everything is easy. But there is a lot to learn in the film industry. It’s not as easy as shooting a video with a mobile phone, editing it, and posting it on social media,” she advised.
Film distributor Jenish Pahari spoke about the various stages of film distribution and the challenges and opportunities women face in the field. “There are various challenges in this industry, and one must think ahead about how to tackle the problems that arise. While there is a significant presence of women in other areas of filmmaking, distribution remains male-dominated. Hence, I am often the only woman in meetings. Still, I have been working towards my goals,” she stated. Jenish also mentioned that societal and family norms still discourage women from entering the film industry, and this needs to be changed.
The interaction program, which involved students from various schools and colleges, along with film professionals and businesspeople, concluded with a vote of thanks by Shrijan Shrestha, the chairperson of Butterfly Films.
