Bishal Lohane: Award-Winning Nepali Filmmaker Behind 'Syal Ra Simha' (Lion & Fox)
Nepali writer-director Bishal Lohane (also spelled Bishal Lohani or विशाल लोहनी), founder of Pratiphal Films / Ahuri Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, has emerged as one of the most versatile names in Nepal's independent short-film scene. At the second edition of the Social Media Film Award (सोसियल मिडिया फिल्म अवार्ड) 2078, organized by Dream World of Film Makers Pvt. Ltd. in Kathmandu, Lohane's animated short "Syal Ra Simha" (Lion & Fox) was honored with the award for Best Animated Film, while three of his other projects picked up nominations across multiple categories.
Best Animated Film: 'Syal Ra Singha( Lion & Fox)' Sweeps Six Credits
What makes this win especially notable is the range of roles Bishal Lohane took on for Syal Ra Simha. Rather than a single-department contribution, he was credited across nearly every core creative function of the film:
- Direction / Concept — Director
- Screenplay — Screenplay writer
- Narrator — Voice
- Editing — Film editor
- Background/Design — Visual background design
- Animation — Animator
This multi-hyphenate involvement — writer, director, editor, animator, and designer on a single project — reflects the hands-on, independent filmmaking approach that has come to define Lohane's body of work.
Multiple Nominations Across Other Films
Beyond the win, Bishal Lohane and his collaborators picked up several nominations at the same ceremony:
| Film | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|
| Pushpa Nepali | Best Director | Bishal Lohane |
| Pushpa Nepali | Best Short Film | Film itself |
| Pushpa Nepali | Best Sound Design | Pramod Pariyar |
| Seti Didi | Best Editor | Bishal Lohane |
| Raju Gaule | Best Sound Design | Pramod Pariyar |
These nominations underline a consistent presence across different genres and formats — from the animated storytelling of Syal Ra Simha to the narrative short Pushpa Nepali and the character-driven Seti Didi.
Career Snapshot: Writer, Director, Editor, Animator
.jpeg)
Bishal Lohane's filmography and public profile point to a filmmaker who works across the full production pipeline rather than staying in one lane:
- Writing & Direction — Credited story, screenplay, and direction across several short films, including Syal Ra Simha, Pushpa Nepali, and earlier work like Kale & Sete.
- Editing — Recognized separately for editing work, including a nomination for Seti Didi.
- Animation & Design — Hands-on animation and visual background design on Syal Ra Simha, a rarer skill set in Nepal's short-film space.
- Production banner — Much of this work is produced under Pratiphal Films and Ahuri Entertainment.
About the Social Media Film Award
The Social Media Film Award, organized by Dream World of Film Makers Pvt. Ltd. with support from institutions such as the Nepal Film Academy, recognizes short films, documentaries, and social-media-native content across categories including Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Editor, and Best Sound Design. The 2078 (2023) edition — its second — was held in Kathmandu and recognized over twenty creators across technical and performance categories.
Why This Matters for Nepali Independent Cinema
Wins and nominations like these highlight the growing space for animated and independently produced short films within Nepal's film awards ecosystem. For a filmmaker to be recognized simultaneously as a director, editor, and animator on a winning film — while also picking up nominations for separate projects in the same ceremony — signals a rare breadth of craft that's increasingly being noticed by juries and audiences alike.
Sources
- Nagarikpati — 'सोसियल मिडिया फिल्म अवार्ड' अन्तर्गत विभिन्न विधाका उत्कृष्ट पाँच सार्वजनिक
- Nagarikpati — सोसियल मिडिया फिल्म अवार्डसको दोश्रो संस्करण सम्पन्न
- Himalaya Times — सोसियल मिडिया फिल्म अवार्ड सम्पन्न
- Rastra Khabar — 'बेस्ट सर्ट फिल्म अफ द इयर' अवार्ड लघुचलचित्र बेलुनलाई
- Ujyaalo Online — 'बेस्ट क्रियटिभ सर्ट फिल्म अफ द इयर' अवार्ड लघुचलचित्र बेलुनलाई
- Milap News — सोसियल मिडिया फिल्म अवार्ड सम्पन्न
- Celebrity Nepal — 'सोसियल मिडिया फिल्म अवार्ड' उत्कृष्ट पाँच सार्वजनिक
Note on sources: This summary draws on award coverage from the Nepali entertainment outlets linked above. Some award-role details were consolidated from multiple reports; readers and publishers are encouraged to cross-check specific credits against the original news coverage before republishing, since a couple of these pages (e.g. Nagarikpati) blocked automated verification and one source (Ujyaalo Online) covers the short film "Beluna" rather than naming Bishal Lohane directly.
