By Renuka Dhakal, Kathmandu, Mar. 5: Last Thursday, veteran comedian Hari Bansha Acharya was seen jubilant at the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts.Since the academy was holding a week-long portrait workshop, he went there to have a portrait of himself made.

In addition to Acharya, Madan Krishna Shrestha, Manisha Koirala, Anuradha Koirala, KK Karmacharya and other personalities had their portraits made at the workshop. Artist Di-Ram Palpali painted the senior comedian’s likeness on canvas.

When asked how he felt, Acharya said that he felt honoured and shared that it was the first time he was directly sitting in front of the artist to have himself painted. Even though a clay statue of him has been made earlier, the portrait was a new experience, he added.

Emphasising the significance of fine art, Acharya said “As someone involved in the motion picture industry, I believe painting (fine art) is the oldest from of art.”“In the past, when cameras did not exist, it was customary to call a painter to paint a portrait. So, fine art is the oldest form of art,” he said.

Acharya also added that fine arts were the mother of other forms of pictures. “Cinema, photography and the like are the products of fine art,” he said. “The seed of every form of art is fine art.” Acharya also said that he had immense respect for the medium.

“For me, this is the most revered art. Just as the walls appear empty without pictures, art would be null without fine art.”Questioned about the need to make a film on fine art, he said that as Nepal’s market was small, filmmakers felt obligated to focus on commercial movies rather than experimental films.

“Producers in Nepal don’t dare to make films related to art because of the challenge in securing investment,” he stated. “But it is important to make a film about fine arts to inform the next generation about it.”“The government should realise the importance of fine arts and it is necessary to make a film about it,” he added