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Bipana Thapa’s father, active in the politics of the Nepali Congress, used to say, “I will make my beautiful daughter a star like Manisha Koirala.” Perhaps he saw a reflection of the famed actress Manisha, who hailed from a politically influential family, in his own daughter.
It’s likely that the widespread fame of a Nepali girl like Manisha Koirala in Bollywood sparked this idea in his mind. However, fate had different plans, and Bipana’s father never got to see his daughter on the silver screen as an actress. He passed away when Bipana was only six years old, leaving her with only faint memories of him.
The actress, who had heard her father’s dreams, had a knack for dancing from a young age. Born in Syuchatar, Kathmandu, Bipana had no clear career goals during her school days. Her neighbor, popular dancer Bimala Shrestha, served as her inspiration. Young Bipana, already skilled in dancing, would often dream of becoming like Bimala, telling herself, “One day, I will dance just like Aunty Bimala.”
Indeed, Bipana became so proficient in dancing that, by the time she was in grade 9, she was already teaching dance to others during school events. Torn between her father’s dream of making her the next Manisha and her own desire to become a dancer like her aunt, she got her first acting opportunity at the age of 13. Director Reshraj Acharya was the one who opened that door for her.
She recalls her first acting experience as a child artist: “He was a friend of my father. He offered me the role of a daughter in a television series called ‘Aama’ (Mother). That was how my acting journey as a child artist began. By the time the series was completed, I had turned 14. Unfortunately, it never got released.” Though the series was never aired, it laid the foundation for her long acting journey.
This was around the year 1994 (2051 BS). Alongside the TV series, Acharya also cast her in an advertisement for Shakti Soap. During the shoot for ‘Aama,’ actor and director Mohan Niraula, who was an old friend of Acharya, happened to visit the set. Impressed by Bipana, he offered her a role in his upcoming film.
At just 14, Bipana thought TV series and films were the same thing, so she innocently responded to Niraula’s offer by saying, “I have already acted.” When Niraula clarified that he meant a big-screen movie, she replied, “You’ll have to ask my family first.” Soon after, producer Chhabi Raj Ojha, Rajkumar Sharma, and Niraula visited her home to discuss the matter with her family.
“It was right after I took my SLC (School Leaving Certificate) exams,” she said. Her family eventually gave their consent, leading to her debut in the film ‘Janmabhoomi.’ The day she was confirmed as an actress, she recalled her father’s words and thought, “Wow! I’ve become something big because the only actress I had heard of was Manisha Koirala. She came from a political family, just like me. My father used to say he wanted me to become like her, so once I was certain about becoming an actress, I felt like I was turning into Manisha herself.”
For her first film, Bipana received a fee of five thousand rupees and a handful of the then-popular White Rabbit chocolates. When asked whether the money or the chocolates made her happier, she laughed and said, “Oh, five thousand rupees back then was like five lakh today.”
The success of her debut film ‘Janmabhoomi’ led to a flood of offers that year. She worked in seven films, earning fees between twenty to twenty-five thousand rupees for each. Although she doesn’t remember the exact details, she recalls making up to thirty-five thousand rupees that year.
Before stepping away from the film industry, Bipana had reached the peak of her career, commanding fees of up to five lakh rupees per film. At that time, it was big news, especially when people started talking about how Rajesh Hamal and Bipana Thapa were charging five lakh per film. She earned this amount for two movies, ‘Varmala’ and ‘Bahadur.’ Her acting journey, which began in 1994, spanned almost 15 years until 2008, keeping her busy throughout.
Reflecting on her career, Bipana attributes her growth as an actress to her debut film ‘Janmabhoomi,’ particularly because of the chance to work alongside talented and established actors like Saroj Khanal, Shiva Shrestha, Mausami Malla, Gitanjali, and Sunil Thapa.
In her first year, she went on to win the Best New Actress award. “That year, along with ‘Janmabhoomi,’ I acted in seven films like ‘Gothalo,’ ‘Apharan,’ and ‘Chunauti.’ I won the Best New Actress and Most Active Actress awards,” she shared.
She recalls how, during that time, actors would take on any role they were offered, without thinking about the character or storyline. “We didn’t say no to roles. We would accept whatever was offered and work as much as time allowed. There wasn’t the same level of discernment as there is today.”
Her versatility in portraying various characters, from modern women to traditional daughters-in-law, made her popular among audiences. She claims to have acted in over 114 films but holds a special place for her role in the film ‘Ta ta Sarai nai Bigris ni Badhri,’ which she considers unforgettable.
After a long break, Bipana is making a return to Nepali cinema with the film ‘Hraswa dirgha,’ nearly 17 years after leaving the industry. She credits her husband and son for encouraging her comeback. “The reason I am returning to films is because of my son and husband. Both encouraged me to work if I wished to,” she said.
During her absence from films, despite family responsibilities, she remained connected through social media, where fans constantly encouraged her to return. Now, with three to four films in hand, she is set to revive her acting career.
Upon returning to the set after so many years, she couldn’t hold back her tears, feeling as if she had reunited with a long-lost love. “Meeting the people I had known for so long made me emotional. Even now, my eyes well up just thinking about it,” she shared. Her comeback film ‘Hraswadirgha’ is set to release on November 13th.
-BY ASHESH ADHIKARI
(Translated as it is, published in RSS except the headline)
