Cinema Halls Reopen After Closure

Cinema halls that were closed due to the Janjati movement have reopened starting Monday. This decision was made by the Nepal Film Association in a meeting held on Sunday, which focused on ensuring the safety of both the audience and the halls before restarting operations. Before the movement began, there were 165 halls operating across the country. Now, 164 halls have reopened. One hall, the QFX in Biratnagar, was completely destroyed during the Janjati movement due to vandalism and arson.

Films Currently Showing

With the halls reopening, nine films that were scheduled for release during the closure have now been released. This list includes six Nepali films, ranging from 'Mohar' which was released on August 8 to 'Rimai' which was released on September 6. The Nepali films currently showing are 'Mohar', 'Magne Raja', 'Gunyo Cholo', 'Koshe Dhunga', 'Rimai', and 'Janai Harayeko Manche'. There are also three foreign films: 'Barbie', 'Oppenheimer', and 'The Conjuring'.

Audience Numbers Remain Low

Although the halls are open, very few people are coming to watch movies. The Film Association reported that on the first day, the audience occupancy was only around fifteen percent. The association's vice president, Gopal Kayastha, stated that while this low turnout was expected, it is still seen as a positive start. He explained that the fear from the Janjati movement is still on people's minds. He also noted that the films currently playing are older releases that many people may have already seen, and he expects more audience members to return when new films are released. Currently, foreign films are attracting more viewers than Nepali films.