Bipin Karki faces double box office flop in two months

KATHMANDU: Nepali actor Bipin Karki, considered among the top three most expensive actors in the country’s film industry, has come under renewed public discussion over his recent box office performance despite commanding a reported fee of over Rs 50 lakh per film.

According to industry discussions, Karki has been charging more than Rs 50 lakh per project in recent years. In 2081, the producers of the film Tel Visa had publicly revealed that he was paid Rs 50 lakh for his role.

Since then, it is widely believed that he has rarely worked for less than that amount.

However, his films have struggled to meet box office expectations.

Out of his recent releases, only Unko Sweater has been declared a hit in the past two years, while five of his films released between 2080 and 2083 have reportedly underperformed or flopped commercially.

His latest setbacks came in 2083. The film Pahad, released on Baishakh 1, earned less than Rs 65 lakh at the domestic box office, marking one of the year’s first commercial failures.

Following this, his next release Kaji, which hit theatres on Jestha 8, also failed to perform as expected.

According to box office data published by the Film Development Board, Kaji collected just Rs 44.48 lakh gross by 31 Jestha, despite high expectations.

Reports suggest Karki’s remuneration alone exceeded Rs 50 lakh for the project, raising questions about the film’s commercial viability.

Amid these mixed results, Karki is now awaiting the release of Kabaddi 5.

As a successful franchise, it is widely expected to perform strongly at the box office, potentially offering a major boost to his recent career trajectory.

Industry observers note that franchise films such as Jatra and Pashupati Prasad series have previously played a crucial role in stabilizing his star power.

Overall, franchise-based projects continue to act as a key pillar in sustaining Karki’s standing in Nepal’s competitive film industry.