The problems of Nepali theatre extend beyond the pandemic

Nepali theatre has been struggling financially for a long time. If the condition before the pandemic was poor, it is now dire.

Five years ago, Sandeep Shrestha abandoned his family to focus on theatre. His family wanted him to be a software engineer but his passion was in acting, directing and writing. He built his network in Kathmandu’s small yet robust theatre scene. Soon, he would be involved in new shows almost on a monthly basis and would earn enough to sustain himself. He could perform in both Nepali and English-medium plays (whose remuneration on an average tends to be slightly higher than the former’s). Sandeep, who is 32, would go on to appear in 27 plays, and write and direct two in his eight-year-old career. His relationship with his family had smoothened again.