On Tuesday, the Nepal government announced a grant of Rs35 million in the current fiscal year to encourage the production of films that highlight the country’s culture, history and tourism. The Ministry of Information and Communication invited applications for the grant under the ‘Procedure for Providing Incentive Grants for Film Production in Areas of Cultural and National Significance, 2026’. It provided a 21-day deadline for the applications. 

The grants are available in three categories: scriptwriting, production and post-production. The ministry will offer up to Rs500,000 each for five scripts, Rs7 million each for three film productions and Rs2 million each for five post-production projects. The initiative is part of the ministry’s approved programme for the 2026-27 fiscal year to support the development and promotion of Nepali cinema.

But filmmakers say the short notice leaves too little time to develop strong proposals. 

Actress Nisha Adhikari questioned both the short application window and the decision to run the programme through the ministry rather than the Film Development Board.

“First, the programme should have been run through the Film Development Board,” she wrote on Facebook. “And what can anyone prepare in 21 days?”

Speaking to Kantipur, Adhikari welcomed the government’s decision to provide grants but criticised the way the scheme had been announced, saying the information could have been communicated more clearly and the deadline could have been realistic.

“The grant announcement should have been clearer and easier to understand,” she said. “The ministry could also have worked with the Film Development Board to plan the initiative for the entire year.”

Adhikari said creative work should not be rushed at the expense of quality.

Quality filmmaking takes time and the short deadline could discourage newcomers while favouring those who had already developed their scripts, she added.

Film producer and distributor Pradeep Kumar Udaya also questioned the decision to administer the programme through the ministry. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he said the Film Development Board should have handled the initiative. He noted that the board had previously distributed grants under similar programmes and ran an initiative called Story Board.

“Why didn’t the ministry allocate the budget to the Film Development Board and let it run the programme?” he wrote on Facebook.

Udaya also expressed concern about the limited time available to prepare and submit scripts.

Actor and film director Ashant Sharma also called out the announcement bluntly. “If this is true, it is corruption!” he wrote on social media. “What can anyone prepare in 21 days?”

Sharma said films exploring Nepal’s history, culture and tourism require extensive field research, including visits to locations and conversations with local people.

“Preparing a script and doing even the basic groundwork can take three to four months,” he said.

He argued that the short deadline would favour filmmakers with scripts already in development and disadvantage newcomers. While welcoming the government’s initiative to support cinema, he said the application process was impractical.

Film producer Ram Krishna Pokharel likewise welcomed the grant scheme but said the short deadline and lack of advance notice had made the process disorderly. He said the programme should have been announced well in advance and included in the government’s annual calendar to give filmmakers time to prepare.

“Had this been announced publicly when the budget was being prepared, interested filmmakers and other stakeholders could have planned,” he said. “The process needs to be made more practical.”

Meanwhile, Rakesh Gurung, an undersecretary in the ministry’s Audiovisual and Broadcasting Section, defended the government’s move. He said the 21-day deadline was for applications, not completed scripts, and could be extended if the response was insufficient.

“Some applicants may already have scripts ready, while others can develop them in stages after applying,” he said. “If we do not receive enough applications, we will extend the deadline.”

Ministry spokesperson Bishnu Koirala acknowledged that the programme could have shortcomings because it was being implemented for the first time, but said the ministry could revise the process in response to feedback.

Addressing concerns about why the ministry was handling the scheme instead of the Film Development Board, Koirala said the board would lead implementation and provide technical recommendations, while the ministry would handle budgetary matters.