Kathmandu, 30 June: Nepali cinema has built a legacy spanning six decades. This long journey began with the film Aama, and over the years, hundreds of films have been added to its history. By now, many may wonder: which of these films have earned the most at the box office?
This question has gained renewed interest, especially after the recent success of Purnabahadurko Sarangi, which set a new benchmark in earnings. Addressing this curiosity, the Film Development Board has released a list of the 25 highest-grossing Nepali films to date.
The Film Development Board is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary. On this occasion, the board has released a list of 25 Nepali films that have earned the highest box office revenue over the past 60 years.
Topping the list is Purnabahadurko Sarangi. Directed by Saroj Paudel, the film sold 1.7 million tickets and earned a total of over NPR 468.74 million.
Top 25 Highest-Grossing Nepali Films Released – Based on 60 Years of Box Office Data
In second place is Kabaddi 4, which earned over NPR 214 million.
12 Gaaun, starring Biraj Bhatt and Samir Bhatt, ranks third with earnings of over NPR 199.2 million.
Following that is Chhakka Panja 4, a film by Deepak Raj Giri and Deepa Shree Niraula, which collected more than NPR 175.3 million.
In fifth place is Jaari, directed by Upendra Subba, with earnings exceeding NPR 174.7 million.
Chhakka Panja 1 is sixth, grossing over NPR 161 million.
Seventh is Mahajatra, directed by Pradeep Bhattarai, with more than NPR 156.7 million in revenue.
Chhakka Panja 5 ranks eighth with over NPR 152 million in earnings.
Ninth is Kohinoor, starring Shree Krishna Shrestha, which earned over NPR 147.5 million.
Chhakka Panja 2 takes tenth place with NPR 145.1 million.
At eleventh is Shatru Gate, with more than NPR 126.5 million.
Twelfth is Unko Sweater, directed by Navin Chauhan, earning NPR 106.2 million.
Kabaddi 2 comes in thirteenth with over NPR 103.5 million.
Boksi Ko Ghar ranks fourteenth, having grossed more than NPR 101 million.
Chh Maya Chhapakkai is in fifteenth place with over NPR 99.2 million.
At sixteenth is Dimaag Kharaab, which earned over NPR 89.8 million.
Anjali holds the seventeenth spot with NPR 88.3 million.
Eighteenth is Paradeshi 2, with more than NPR 79.2 million.
Chhakka Panja 3 ranks nineteenth, grossing NPR 78.3 million.
Twentieth is Prem Geet 3, which made over NPR 76.3 million.
In twenty-first is Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi, which earned NPR 75.9 million.
Pujar Sarki is twenty-second with NPR 73.8 million.
Mahapurush ranks twenty-third with NPR 73.5 million.
Kabaddi is in twenty-fourth place with NPR 73.4 million.
At the bottom of the list, in twenty-fifth place, is Pashupati Prasad 2 (Bhasme Don), which grossed NPR 73.2 million.
These figures reflect box office earnings based on ticket sales recorded by the Film Development Board. However, they do not fully represent a film’s quality or success, as production budget and timeline also play critical roles in determining a film’s overall impact.
Nonetheless, the earnings data indicate a strong audience preference for social drama films like Purnabahadurko Sarangi, Kabaddi, and Chhakka Panja series.
