Tulsi Ghimire (born 15 July 1951) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, film editor, cameraman, actor and lyricist known for his works in Nepali films.[1][2][3] Regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Nepali cinema, he is known for his romantic and masala films that deal with social issues of Nepali society and portrayal of deep human emotions. He has directed some iconic Nepali films like Kusume Rumal (1985), Lahure (1989), Deuta (1991), Chino, (1991) Dakshina (1994), Balidaan (1997) and Darpan Chaya (2001). The Majority of his films in the 1990s were blockbusters and Kusume Rumal and Darpan Chaya went on to become the highest grossing Nepalese films of all time.[4]

Tulsi Ghimire
Ghimire in KTV Podcast (2023)
Born (1951-07-15) 15 July 1951 (age 74)
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • actor
  • film editor
SpouseBharati Ghimire
Children2
RelativesShrawan Ghimire (brother)

Personal life

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Tulsi Ghimire was born on 15 July 1951 in Sindeybong, Kalimpong district (then Darjeeling district), West Bengal, India to Indian Gorkha parents Dhojman Ghimire and Narbada Ghimire.[1][3] He has two younger brothers and a sister.[citation needed]

Ghimire studied at the Mani Memorial Primary School in Sindeybong up to second grade, and then from grade 3 to 11 at the Scottish University Mission Institute (SUMI), Kalimpong. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kalimpong College.[citation needed]

He is married to Bharati Ghimire (Gazmer), who has sung in many of his films. His brother Shrawan Ghimire is a film producer. Tulsi's children, Bhawana Ghimire and Panchami Ghimire, appeared in his children's film, Swarg Ko Pari.[citation needed]

Films

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In addition to being a film director, Tulsi Ghimire has also been a screenwriter, editor, cameraman, actor and lyricist.[3]

Ghimire initially moved to Mumbai from Kalimpong in 1974 to work in the Indian film industry, Bollywood. He lived in poverty for a while and his mentor and Bollywood editor Kamlakar Karkhanis advised him to make Nepali movies at that time. Ghimire debuted in the Nepali film industry with the Nepali movie Bansuri in 1981 as a director. He made his second movie Kusume Rumal in 1985, based on his own story, which became very successful.[3]

Among his movies, Kusume Rumal, Lahure, Deuta, Chino, Balidaan, Dakshina and Darpan Chhaya are considered superhits. Darpan Chaya is considered to be one of the biggest blockbusters of Nepali cinema.[5][6]

Although he found lot of success in 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, he was unable to comeback with another hit. He was unable to find success with films he directed later on in his life, those films include Drishtikon, Mrigatrishna, and Darpan Chhaya 2 which were all considered flop in box office.[7]

Filmography

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YearFilmTitle translationStarring castGhimire's role
1981BasuriFluteRakesh Pandey, Banni Pradhan, Rajani SharmaDirector
1985Kusume RumalSilk handkerchiefBhuwan K.C., Tripti Nadakar, Udit Narayan, Neer ShahDirector, editor, story writer
1988AnyaayaInjusticeMeera Madhuri, Biswa Basnet, Prakash AdhikariDirector
1989LahureSoldierShrawan Ghimire, Tripti NadakarDirector, actor, editor, story
1989ChinoEmblemShiva Shrestha, Bhuwan K.C., Sunil Thapa, Kristi Mainali, Sharmila Malla, Sinaura Mistry, Subhadra Adhikari, Aaron Malla, Sushila RaymajhiDirector
1991DeutaGodRajesh Hamal, Srijana Basnet, Shrawan GhimireDirector, editor, story writer, screenwriter, lyricist
1992Dui Thopa AansooTwo drops of tearsBhuwan K.C., Shrawan Ghimire, Anuradha SawantDirector
1993KoseliGiftTripti Nadakar, Krishna Malla, Bharati Ghimire, Shrawan Ghimire, Vijaya LamaDirector
1994DakshinaHonorariumTulsi Ghimire, Bhuwan K.C., Bharati GhimireDirector, actor
1996RaharWishTulsi Ghimire, Bharati Ghimire, Prashant, Niruta SinghDirector
1997BalidaanSacrificeHari Bansha Acharya, Madan Krishna Shrestha, Anjana Shrestha, Neer ShahDirector, cameraman, editor
2001Darpan ChayaReflectionDilip Rayamajhi, Niruta Singh, Uttam PradhanDirector, editor, story writer
2002LahanaAuspicious Moment[8]Dilip Rayamajhi, Niruta Singh, Uttam PradhanDirector, editor, story writer
2007Dui KinaraTwo banks of riverNiruta Singh, Suman Singh, Bhupen ChandDirector
2009Maya Ta Maya HoLove is loveNikhil Upreti, Sanchita Luitel, Suraj R.D., Tulsi GhimireDirector, actor
2010DeshNationRajesh Hamal, Nikhil Upreti, Niruta SinghDirector, lyricist
2010Swarg Ki PariAngel from heavenNeer Shah, Bharati Ghimire, Prithviraj Ghimire, Prakriti Bhattarai (child artist)Director
2011MrigatrishnaMirageKarma Shakya, Biraj Bhatta, Nandita KCDirector, editor, lyricist
2012Drishtikon Point of viewBharati Ghimire, Bhaskar Pradhan, Lalit GoleyDirector
Unreleased as of 2016Gautama Buddha(animated film)Director
2017Darpan Chhaya 2ReflectionPushplal Khadka, Sahara Karki, Shraddha PrasaiDirector
2026PahaadMountainBipin Karki, Sunil Thapa, Madan Krishna Shrestha, Arun Chhetri, Panchami GhimireyDirector

Awards

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref(s)
2020 National Film Award Lifetime Achievement Award Won [9]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 Sarkar, Sudeshna (10 January 2010). "Nepal's India-trained director bridges divide with his art". The Gaea Times. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012. Seven years after he made his last film in Nepal, the lone Indian director here is poised to make a comeback with his new movie exploring the psyche of Nepalis and Indian Gorkha people scattered all over the world.
  2. "Multitalented director Tulsi Ghimire". Boss Nepal. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Portel, Parbat (18 April 2024). "Tulsi Ghimire Making a Comeback". Kantipur. Tulsi said, 'I am Indian but ours The language is Nepali.' ... However, all his goods are now in Nepal, but he is not a citizen of Nepal.
  4. Portel, Parbat (12 March 2017). "'I am learning from the youngsters'". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  5. "नेपाली चलचित्रको स्वर्णिम कोसेली : कुसुमे रुमाल". Online Khabar (in Nepali). 31 August 2021. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  6. Dhakal, Renuka (10 November 2020). "Film Based On Nepali Literature Never Fails: Tulsi Ghimire". The Rising Nepal. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020.
  7. "पुरानै लयमा निर्देशक तुलसी घिमिरे". Online Khabar (in Nepali). 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 21 July 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  8. Cowie, Peter, ed. (2003). Variety International Film Guide. p. 247.
  9. "राष्ट्रपतिले बाँडिन् ३ वर्षको राष्ट्रिय चलचित्र पुरस्कार र दीर्घ साधना सम्मान". Setopati (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
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