This year’s runaway hit Chhakka Panja is all set to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf country that has emerged as a major hub for Nepali migrants. The Deepashree Niraula directorial, that shattered all previous records in Nepali box office earlier this month, is now slated to be screened at 17 film theatres across the UAE.

“We are all set to screen Chhakka Panja across the UAE starting Nov 10,” informed Rajan Adhikari, a distributor of Nepali films in the country. “The Gulf countries are home to a huge number of Nepali migrants; and the love for Nepali literature and films they show can’t be underestimated. This momentous development, we hope, will prove helpful in promoting Nepali films, hence our culture and tradition, among the global audiences,” Adhikari added.

“We have high hopes regarding this effort to globalise the Nepali cine industry—especially after the positive reception of Bir Bikram, the film that kicked off the UAE screening of Nepali films,” said Salik Subedi, who represents the Concept Vision Film Production and Distributors, the company behind the drive to globalise Kollywood movies. Adhikari further informed that the Concept Vision will begin screening the films across other Gulf countries such as Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. The screening of Chhakka Panja in the UAE is also noteworthy because of the theme it pivots around—the impact of foreign employment on Nepali families.  An overwhelming success at home, garnering more than Rs 12 crores, the highest ever for a Nepali movie, Chhakka Panja is actor-cum-director Niraula’s debut venture. The film features actors Deepak Raj Giri, Priyanka Karki, Shiva Hari Poudel, Jitu Nepal and Kedar Ghimire in lead roles.