By Renuka Dhakal
Kathmandu, Mar. 15: Actor Bipin Karki and actress Menuka Pradhan have won the Best Actor and Actress Awards in the 10th LIC NEFTA Awards.
They were presented the covetous awards of the entertainment industry Saturday night amid a grand ceremony organised at Soaltee Crowne Plaza in Kathmandu.
While Karki bagged the Best Actor Award for his role in ‘Prasad’, Pradhan won it for ‘Saili’.
The ceremony graced by Vice President Nanda Bahadr Pun was attended by artistes of both old and young generations, technicians, producers, directors and others.
In the first grand award ceremony held after the terror of COVID- 19pandemic and lockdown, Chhakka Panja-3’ and ‘Prasad’ each won six awards.
Deepa Shree Niraula got the Best Director Award for ‘Chhakka Panja-3. Winning in six important genres, including the Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay Awards, ‘Chhakka Panja-3’ dominated the 10th NEFTA Film Awards.
Only the films released in the year 2018 contested for the awards.
Actor Deepak Raj Giri also won the Best Story and Best Screenplay for Chhakka Panja-3. Receiving the Best Director Award, Niraula thanked the audience and said that the award gave her more energy. Their movie was also declared Popular Film of the year 2018.
The award ceremony was organised by the Film Technical Association NEFTA and presented by Dream High Nepal.
Likewise, ‘Prasad’ that won the best Dialogue and Actor Awards bagged all four genres of music.
Sound Engineer Pradip Kumar Upadhyay and Lighting Manager Narayan Tamilsina were honoured with ‘Life Time Achievement Award’. Vice President Pun handed over Rs. 51,111 cash prize to each of them.
Suhan Thapa for ‘Ye Mero Hajur-3’ and Dhiraj Magar for ‘Intu Mintu Londanma’ received debut Actor Awards. Likewise, actor Anmol KC and actress Smaragyee RL Shah were awarded the Popular Actor and Actress Awards.
Speaking at the event, president of the NEFTA Puskar Lama said that NEFTA Award would help retrieve the film industry affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.