Veteran Nepali Actor Sunil Thapa Passes Away at 68; Tributes Pour In From Bollywood and Nepali Film Industry

Veteran actor Sunil Thapa will now only remain in our memories. He bid us farewell forever on Saturday morning, leaving his physical body behind.

The 68-year-old Thapa passed away from a heart attack at Norvic Hospital in Thapathali. Thapa, who resided in an apartment in Shankhamul, acted in over 300 Nepali and Hindi films.

Having entered Nepali cinema while busy in Bollywood, he succeeded in bringing the role of the 'villain' the same level of recognition and respect as a hero. He was famous in the film industry by the name 'Rate Kaila'. He established this identity through his performance in the film 'Chino'. Thapa lived alone in Nepal, while the other members of his family reside in Mumbai, India.

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra and Nepali actor Rajesh Hamal, among others, remembered Thapa.

Noted Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra stated that she would never forget him. She offered an emotional tribute to Thapa's passing in a social media post. "I am deeply saddened by Thapa's demise," she said, "You will always remain my coach sir. You supported me during that difficult time when I lost my father. You loved me even without knowing it and helped me get through many difficult days." She added that Thapa's warm embrace and laughter would always remain alive in her memories.

Actor Bhuwan KC stated that the Nepali film industry has lost one of the country's most outstanding artists. He mentioned that Sunil was not just an artist but also a true friend to him. He recalled spending intimate moments on many film sets since first working with Sunil in the film 'Chino'. He says, "Sunil always addressed me as 'Dost' (friend) when we met. He will always remain in my heart."

Actor Rajesh Hamal stated that the late artist Sunil Thapa was an important turning point in Nepali cinema history. Through social media, he expressed that his film journey was dedicated to Thapa. "Thapa was a wonderful colleague. His passing has left an irreplaceable void," he said.

Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee also expressed grief over his passing. Bajpayee, who acted alongside Sunil in the popular Indian series 'The Family Man', wrote on social media that the news of the experienced actor's demise made him very sad. He says, "Memories of 'The Family Man' will always remain in my heart."

Veteran director and actor Tulsi Ghimire stated that he lost his closest friend. Expressing disbelief over Thapa's death, he characterized Thapa as an artist of amazing talent. "Sunil himself was the 'best' for many," Ghimire says, "One cannot find a friend like him in life." Ghimire mentioned that Sunil's conduct in friendship and work would always be missed.

Actor Neer Shah expressed unbearable pain over losing his very close friend. "You promised to meet soon, but you couldn't keep the promise," Neer became emotional. He stated that this shock will continue to hurt the audience who kept watching Sunil and waiting for him on screen. Shah shared that although he was a villain on reel, he was an artist with the behavior of a hero in real life. "Even though Sunil is no longer physically present, his absence will always be felt by the entire film fraternity," Shah says.

Film writer and critic Prakash Sayami stated that Sunil Thapa was an excellent artist of cinema. Sayami, who also called Thapa a true friend, revealed aspects of Thapa's life that were not widely known through social media. Sayami mentioned that Thapa, who also worked as a journalist while in Mumbai, was first given a break by Dev Anand in the film 'Saheb Bahadur'. Sayami writes, "Having worked in famous Hindi films like 'Ek Duuje Ke Liye', Thapa stepped into Nepali cinema with 'Mashal' directed by Pratap Subba. Thapa, who held Dev Anand in high regard, was also interested in football and journalism." He stated that the contribution of veteran actor Thapa to Nepali cinema will never be forgotten.