London — Anmol KC and Keki Adhikari have been crowned Best Actor and Best Actress at the Yeti International Nepali Film Awards (INFA UK 2024), which took place at the Town Hall in Greenford, London, on Saturday, 14th September. The prestigious event, organized by Yeti Nepali Association UK, celebrated the best of Nepali cinema and brought together top actors and filmmakers from Nepal.

Anmol KC won the Best Actor award for his performance in the film Furky Farky, while Keki Adhikari was named Best Actress for her role in Prasad 2. The event was filled with excitement and glamour, as both stars accepted their awards in front of a cheering audience.

Top Honors for Nepali Cinema

The award for Best Film went to Jari, a production that has gained widespread acclaim in Nepali cinema. The film’s director, Upendra Subba, also took home the Best Director award, marking a significant achievement for the team behind Jari.

Other top awards included Pradeep Khadka winning Best Actor (Jury) for his role in Pujar Sarki. The Public Choice Female Award went to Jasita Gurung for Farki Farki, while Paul Shah won the Public Choice Male Award for his performance in Pujar Sarki.

Additionally, Supla Sapkota received the Best Actress (Jury) award, while Dayahang Rai was named Popular Actor of the Year for his work in Jari. The event highlighted the range of talent within the Nepali film industry, recognizing not only established stars but also emerging artists.

Honoring Lifetime Achievement

A particularly emotional moment occurred when veteran actor Bhuvan KC was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. This marked a special milestone in his career, and the audience was touched when his son, Anmol KC, bowed down to him on stage in a heartfelt gesture of respect. Bhuvan KC expressed his gratitude, stating that the award had given him renewed encouragement in his lifelong dedication to Nepali cinema.

Technical Excellence and Special Recognitions

The awards also acknowledged technical excellence in filmmaking. Akash Baral won the Best Story-Screenplay Award for Dimag Kharav, and Rajesh Shrestha took home the Best Cinematography award for his work on Prasad 2. In the music category, Kaliprasad Baskota was awarded Best Playback Singer for the song “Chari Basyo” (continued), and Prakash Saput won Best Music Director for Boksika Ghar.

Other notable winners included Arpan Thapa, who received the Best Negative Character award for his role in Prasad 2, and Shishir Khatri, who was named Best Dance Director for his choreography in Pujar Sarki. Actress Garima Sharma was presented with the Encouragement Award for her role in London to Paris.

The jury for the event included esteemed Nepali actors Sunil Thapa, Gauri Malla, and director Ujjwal Ghimire, who spent 26 days evaluating a total of 56 Nepali films produced in 2023. In total, 22 awards were given out in various categories.

A Star-Studded Evening

The award ceremony was attended by a host of prominent Nepali celebrities, including actors Gauri Malla, Jasita Gurung, Zia KC, Sushant Khatri, Miruna Magar, Garima Sharma, Shilpa Maske, and singer Amrita Limbu. The attendees enjoyed performances by Garima Sharma, Shilpa Maske, and Sushant Khatri, who wowed the crowd with their lively dance routines.

Promoting Nepali Cinema Abroad

Yeti Nepali Association UK, founded in 1960 and the oldest Nepali social organization in Europe, organized the event in a bid to promote Nepali films abroad. Although the association has hosted film screenings before, this marks the first time it has organized an event of this scale to celebrate Nepali cinema.

Speaking at the event, Yeti President Pipla Dewan noted that the awards were a major milestone in promoting the Nepali film industry in the UK. He emphasized that this was just the beginning, with hopes of organizing similar events in the future to support and honor Nepali artists.

Challenges and Success

Umeshraj Moktan, the chief coordinator of the event, acknowledged the challenges of organizing the awards but expressed his satisfaction with its success. He committed to improving the event in future years, ensuring that it continues to grow and represent the best of Nepali cinema.

The event was technically managed by KK Films and Media, with sound engineering by Hem Bist, while Sangiksha Films Entertainment from Nepal coordinated the overall program. Senior singer Deep Shrestha and Lakhe Naach promoter Vinod Chipalu were also honored during the event for their contributions to Nepali culture.

A Celebration of Nepali Talent

Chief guest Ambassador Roshan Khanal praised the organizers, stating that such programs would help raise the profile of Nepali films internationally, while providing much-needed encouragement to the artists. The event, co-hosted by Yeti General Secretary Tank Bhattarai and Miss World Nepal 2011 Malina Joshi, concluded with a sense of pride in Nepali cinema’s achievements and optimism for its future.

With an enthusiastic audience and talented winners, the Yeti International Nepali Film Awards 2024 successfully shone a spotlight on the growing influence of Nepali films on the global stage.