Actor Pushpa Khadka has been cast in the lead role of the much-talked-about film Maharajdhiraj, replacing Pal Shah. The production team announced his casting on the occasion of the New Year and also unveiled a special poster of the film.
Ending long-standing curiosity about who would portray the king in Maharajdhiraj, the makers revealed Pushpa in the lead role. In the released poster, he appears in two contrasting and powerful avatars.
In one poster, Pushpa is seen in full royal attire—wearing a crown, holding a sceptre, and dressed in regal costume—clearly indicating his role as a king. However, in another image, he appears completely naked, extremely thin and physically weak. The frail character is shown sitting on a vignette chair, while his royal version stands behind him, suggesting that the film carries a deep and symbolic narrative.
Along with the poster, the production team also released a meaningful slogan:
“May the steps of good deeds and harmony always stay together, and may conflict, dishonesty, and संकट never come close.”
The poster released today is almost identical to the one previously unveiled during Pal Shah’s casting. Only the face has been replaced with Pushpa Khadka’s, while the body and overall design remain exactly the same.
It has also been revealed that Pushpa signed the film using a blood thumbprint by cutting his own finger—an unusual practice in the Nepali film industry.
Pushpa has described this role as the biggest opportunity and challenge of his career. He has also announced that he will not be involved in any other films, music videos, or visual content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube during the production period.
The poster’s color grading, composition, and theme hint at a thriller or period drama, raising high expectations among audiences.
The film, which is set to begin shooting from the second week of Baisakh, features a strong cast including Neer Shah, Aryan Sigdel, Ramesh Upreti, Barsha Raut, and Usha Rajak.
Described as director Sen’s dream project, the film will feature around 80 actors. According to presenter Biraj Bista, the balance between new and experienced actors is the film’s main strength.
Filming will begin in Shreelanka Island of Sunsari and later continue in historical locations across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Kirtipur. Cinematography will be handled by Nabaraj Thapa.
Produced under the banner of Chhatreshwar Management Pvt. Ltd., the film is written by director Sen himself, who previously directed Premganj, a critically acclaimed film.
The producers of the film are Ravi Khadka, Shivaraj Poudel, and Topendra Bista. According to the production team, Maharajdhiraj is scheduled for a nationwide release during the Dashain festival, on the occasion of Phulpati.
