Nepali Filmmakers Allege Bribery and Bias in Controversial Oscar Selection

A storm of controversy has erupted within Nepal's vibrant film industry, casting a dark shadow over the country's official entry for the coveted International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards. Explosive allegations of bribery, entrenched bias, and a shocking lack of transparency have plunged the selection process into a full-blown scandal, igniting an urgent call for accountability from prominent filmmakers.

At the heart of the outcry is acclaimed director Min Bahadur Bham, whose film "Aina Jhyain Jhyankaa" was a contender for the prestigious nomination.

Bham has come forward with a startling claim: a member of the Oscar selection committee allegedly offered him a substantial sum of money to withdraw his film from consideration. This direct accusation of an attempted bribe has sent shockwaves through the industry, raising serious questions about the integrity of the entire selection mechanism.

Adding fuel to the fire, director Deepak Rauniyar, known for his critically acclaimed work, has voiced profound concerns regarding the committee's impartiality and methodology.

Rauniyar, whose film "The Great Nepali Dream" was also vying for the Oscar spot, lambasted the selection process as opaque and rife with potential conflicts of interest. He specifically pointed to Laxminath Sharma, the head of the selection committee, alleging that Sharma's dual roles within various industry bodies compromise the fairness of the judging panel.

The chosen film, Bikram Sapkota’s "Halkara," now finds itself caught in the crossfire of this escalating dispute.

While "Halkara" is ostensibly Nepal’s official submission, the controversy threatens to overshadow its cinematic merit and its journey to the global stage. Filmmakers like Rauniyar and Bham are not merely questioning the final choice but are vehemently challenging the very legitimacy of the process that led to it, demanding answers for what they perceive as systemic corruption.

Further grievances include allegations that the committee arbitrarily altered selection criteria mid-process, deviating from established international guidelines that govern such prestigious awards.

The lack of clear communication, the absence of detailed rationale for their decisions, and the purported disregard for standard procedures have collectively eroded trust in the committee. Many in the Nepali film fraternity now believe the process was engineered to favor a predetermined outcome, rather than to objectively identify the most deserving film.

As the accusations mount, the integrity of Nepal's representation on the global film stage hangs precariously.

This escalating scandal not only jeopardizes "Halkara's" Oscar prospects but also risks damaging the international reputation of Nepali cinema as a whole. Filmmakers are united in their demand for a thorough, transparent investigation and a complete overhaul of the Oscar selection process to ensure that future selections are based purely on artistic merit and fair play, free from the stain of corruption and undue influence.