Keki and Bijay win best artists

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 27: The fourth edition of the Birat Film and Music Award concluded with Bijya Baral winning Best Actor and Keki Adhikari being named Best Actress.

Organised by the Celebrity Nepal Foundation in collaboration with the Film Development Board, the event honoured works released and made public in 2081.

According to programme coordinator Suraj Poudel, awards were presented in 36 categories this year, including 24 in music and 12 in film, with the top five nominees selected through a public call. A total of 35 awards were distributed during the ceremony.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to artist and director Subhash Gajurel, along with a cash prize of Rs 25,555. Journalist Shree Krishna Bhattarai received the Journalism Award, which carried a cash prize of Rs 11,111.

Writer-director Kaji Limbu, artist Shreya Dulal, producers Sunita Sapkota and Ram Narayan Upadhyay, and Bigyan Shrestha were also honoured. The jury team comprised director and editor Raksha Singh Rana, cinematographer Shiva Dhakal, lyricist Pramod Dhungana, director Rishi Lamichhane, writer-director Amardeep Sapkota, and singer Nabin Kumar Poudel.

In the film category, Satidevi won Best Film. Milan Chams was named Best Director for Anjila, while Bijay Baral secured Best Actor for his role in Purna Bahadurko Sarangi. Keki Adhikari won Best Actress for Boksi Ko Ghar.

In the music category, Rudra Shekhar Sharma was named Best Modern Singer for Ke Chha Saanani, while Shashi Bikram Thapa received the Jury Award for Timrai Karan. Anju Panta won Best Modern Female Singer for Thahai Thiyena Dil, and Manoj Chaulagain was recognised as Best Music Composer. Likewise, Chandra Lama was declared Best Folk Singer for Mutuma Baseki Maya, while Saddam Hussein won Best Bhojpuri Model for Kamar Dhake.