Bandipur Rural Municipality honours Hollywood artists

By Amar Raj Naharki,Tanahun, June 6: Bandipur Rural Municipality of Tanahun has honoured Hollywood actors, producers, directors, and managers amid a programme held in Bandipur on Tuesday.

 The municipality honoured them in recognition of their selection of the scenic town of Bandipur for the shooting of a Hollywood film.

According to the rural municipality, the shooting of the Hollywood film ‘Tashi’ took place in Bandipur, and this will contribute significantly to the international promotion of Bandipur as a tourist destination.

 The honour was jointly presented by ward chairman Surendra Bahadur Thapa and Vice-Chairman Panchamaya Gurung.

 Thapa said that while Bandipur has already been a hub for domestic films and music videos, it has now started attracting international filmmakers, and is a matter of pride for locals. 

He added that the team behind the film, based on the life of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first climber of Mount Everest, was honoured during their farewell from Bandipur.

‘Tashi’ is a film rooted in historical and cultural context, aiming to portray Bandipur as a calm, beautiful, and culturally rich destination, reminiscent of Darjeeling or Sikkim in the 1960s.

 To create this setting, Bandipur was transformed to resemble 1960s Darjeeling, its houses, hotels, people, lifestyle, and culture all adapted accordingly.

For the shoot, the production team used houses in the Bandipur market area, compensating homeowners with daily payments ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 30,000.

Around 300 local residents of varying ages were also employed as extras, receiving daily wages of Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500. According to Ghanashyam Upadhyay, President of the Bandipur Market Unit of the Tanahun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, due to the presence of around 300 foreign technicians over the past week, all hotels in Bandipur were fully booked.

 He added that this film would boost Bandipur’s international promotion, raising hopes for increased tourism in the coming days.

The shoot is estimated to have brought around Rs. 10 million in economic benefit to Bandipur during the shooting period.

 The rural municipality said the film will artistically showcase Bandipur’s natural beauty, traditional settlements, Himalayan views, culture, and lifestyle. After the film's release, it is expected to help further introduce Bandipur to the global audience.

Bais Gurung, coordinator of Bandipur Visit Year 2025, said that Bandipur's ability to preserve its originality made it an ideal choice for a Hollywood film. 

The film will feature renowned actors like Willem Dafoe and Tom Hiddleston and will depict the inspiring story of legendry mountaineer Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.

 The film is being directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jennifer Peedom and produced by Oscar-winning See-Saw Films.