By Tara Chapagain
Kaski, Jan. 28: Nepal Film Association, Kaski, organised a dialogue in Ghandruk on Tuesday to discuss cinema tourism and its potential in Nepal.
Director and Actor Sudarshan Thapa and president of the Pokhara Tourism Council Gopi Bhattarai spoke at the event which was facilitated by journalist Basu Mishra.
The discussion began with Mishra claiming that cinema and tourism were two of the worst-affected sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Informing that consultations were underway to promote domestic tourism, Mishra informed that they had been holding discussions with the Government of Nepal to make the tourism sector dynamic.
Asked if the two sectors coordinated with each other, Mishra replied that no coordination existed at present but assured everyone that that would change in the future, “We will move forward by correcting past weaknesses.”
Thapa reiterated Mishra’s view that COVID-19 had severely impacted the film and tourism industries. “Tourism and cinema are complementary sectors,’ he said, adding, “Cinema can help promote tourism.”
Giving the example of Manhukot, a previously unknown place in Tanahun which became popular because of a 15-second TikTok video, he opined that cinemas could help bring a location into the limelight.
“The tourist hub Pokhara has also been featured in many movies,” he noted.
“Nevertheless, while films and music may help introduce people to a particular place, they cannot develop infrastructures,” Thapa remarked.
Stating that the local governments were more supportive to film shootings than the central government, Thapa said that the audience would watch any movie with a greater interest if it featured the loca l culture, custom and religion of the place it was shot in.