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Yesterday, Nepal’s second-largest theater chain, INI Cinemas, made a bold move—announcing a ban on cameras and boom mics inside its halls, citing “audience privacy.”
The decision was instantly applauded not only by audiences but also by filmmakers.
Among the first to cheer? Director Dipendra K. Khanal, who is currently busy with his upcoming biopic “Captain Saab.” Taking to Facebook, he wrote: “A right decision. Other theaters should follow too.”
But here’s where things got interesting. While filmmakers welcomed the move, many journalists felt Khanal’s enthusiasm rang a little… hollow. Why? Because the truth is, no journalist randomly barges into a cinema hall with cameras. They usually go only when filmmakers themselves invite them, often with phone calls like, “Our show is houseful, people are loving it—please come cover it!”
And, well, Dipendra himself has done exactly that.
During the release of “Ke Ghar Ke Dera 2,” journalists were specifically called to different halls at different times to cover audience reactions. Even before that, the same practice continued. In fact, some of those very hall reports were proudly posted on Dipendra’s own Facebook wall.
So now the big question is:
If he once happily invited the media to shoot in theaters, why is he suddenly hailing this new ban as the “right thing”?
This inconsistency—what many are calling Dipendra’s “two-tongued style”—has left journalists scratching their heads.
Dipendra ji, is it really fair to label something “right” when it works in your favor, but call it “wrong” when it doesn’t?
Coming from a director of your stature, a little consistency in stance would have been more credible.
To be fair, his films have often landed in controversies. His much-hyped “inspirational” biopic “Mayor” has been stuck in limbo after its lead character, Bharat Thapa, was convicted in a corruption case.
And now, even as he works on “Captain Saab,” some journalists have cheekily suggested he should include the unpaid wages controversy involving his former employers into the film’s storyline.
In short, Dipendra’s Facebook post might not be shocking—it’s just the latest in a line of headline-making remarks. But it does raise an important point: perhaps before pointing fingers, he should also acknowledge the responsibility filmmakers share.
All eyes will now be on him when “Haribahadur ko Jutta” hits theaters this October 13. Will Dipendra walk the talk—or spark yet another round of gossip?
