Nepali media is improving every year and so are opportunities with that. People now see the future in the Nepali media field and are pursuing their passion because of top franchise shows in Nepal. There are now many platforms for people to showcase their talents in the country these days. There are singing shows, dance shows, acting shows, and so on from where you can head start your career.

Best Programs aired in Nepal

Despite having so many shows, people always complain that shows don’t meet the minimum standard and create no big impact on the lives of the contestants afterward.

Also since our audiences already love Bollywood, Nepali shows and the industry itself struggle to make a place in audiences’ hearts. Our audience loves Bollywood and its shows. This makes it often very hard for Nepali shows to sustain. But the Nepali industry now has improved. The Nepali industry is also reaching up to the level of international shows. We have now franchise shows in Nepal. 

The shows which are already very successful and popular in other countries are now being brought to Nepal. This has given a new height to the industry and also opened the door to opportunities for all young talents in the country. Also, the international shows hosted by Nepal give strong competition to all the Indian and American shows our audiences watch.

What is a media franchise?

A media franchise is a concept where international shows and programs are produced all over the world with local production while the content and copyright belong to the original creator. In simple words, it is starting the same program in another country with permission and minimal supervision of the original creator. While doing a franchise show there are many standards that a local production house must meet. There are specific requirements for the stage, the layout of the program, the protocol, and the rules. It shouldn’t deviate from the original show.

Top Franchise Shows in Nepal

Franchise shows in Nepal

In no particular order, I am listing the most popular and successful franchise shows produced in Nepal. These shows are also one of the most-watched shows in Nepali industry.

Idols: Nepal idol

Idols is a reality television singing competition. The format is by British television producer Simon Fuller and developed by Fremantle. The format began in 2001 with the British television series and its first adaptation was Polish Idol in 2002. Now the series airs in forty-six regions and around 150 countries with grand success. The worldwide audience of the idol series is around 4 billion and has generated more than 2.5 billion dollars. You can speculate on the popularity of this show not just the revenue the idol series has given some best singers in the world.

Nepal adopted the idol series in 2020 as Nepal Idol which is also the first franchise show in the country. The program was broadcast by the only HD channel in the country “AP1 HD” and became the most-watched Nepali show both on TV and YouTube.

The ultimate aim of the idol series is to find the most outstanding and unsigned solo recording artist in a region. After a series of auditions, a Panel of judges selects a group of finalists. The finalists then perform in the weekly live shows. On each live show, the contestants all sing and each week there is elimination of one contestant.

Elimination takes place based on judgment by the panel and a vote by the audience. Then there is the finale where the contestant with the highest number of votes becomes the winner for the season. The winner receives a cash prize and many contracts. Not only for the winner the idol series opens opportunities for many contestants; contracts, international shows, and much more.

The first season was completed with huge success and Buddha lama became the winner of the first season. Similarly, the second season also started in 2020 and it also created a huge buzz. We could see a better pool of candidates and it was a tough choice. But with the maximum votes, Ravi Oad became the winner of Nepal Idol season 2.

The Voice: The Voice of Nepal

The Voice is another international singing competition franchise created by John de Mol. Since then many other countries have adapted the format and began broadcasting their versions since 2010. It is a show similar to the Idols series.

In 2020, Nepal also started The Voice series, and that too was completed with grand success. The Voice of Nepal Season 1 and Nepal idol season 2 aired together and gave good competition to each other. One thing I like about the Voice is that there is no role of audience vote. Only the judge decides the elimination and selection.

The voice had the best judging panels of Deep Shrestha, Abhaya Subba, Sanup Poudel, and Pramod Kharel. The voice had extraordinary contestants and each finalist was equally deserving. It was CD Bijaya Adhikari who won the title in the grand finale hosted in Qatar.

Himalayan Roadies

Himalayan Roadies is a reality show in Nepal. It is one of its kind and also the most popular show in the country. It has completed two seasons and is preparing for the next. This is a quite different show where selected contestants have to survive till the end with their physical and mental strength. They perform many tasks throughout the season and there is an elimination every week based on their strength and game-planning ability. The tasks usually test the contestant’s mental and physical strength. The one who survives till the last becomes the winner of the season. This show is full of thrill, adventure, and drama that’s why it is one of the most popular shows in Nepal.

Comedy Champion

Comedy Champion is one of the latest additions to a host of franchise reality shows that are currently being aired on Nepali television. The show features emerging standup comedians from different parts of Nepal and has been successful in attracting a large audience.

Looking at the popularity of these shows, more are soon on the way. Nepal Television is bringing a new singing show called the Wai Wai Star while there are also talks of international franchises like Big Boss, Splitsvilla, and Dancing with the Stars being brought to Nepal. These shows have not only entertained the audience but also provided a platform for showcasing local talent, thereby contributing to the growth of the entertainment industry in Nepal.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?: Ko banchha Crorepati?

It is an international television game show. This show has changed many people’s lives and made many people millionaires. The show was created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill, and Steven Knight. The show airs in many countries including India. In India, the show is owned by Sony Pictures Television. In the game show, contestants tackle a series of multiple-choice questions to win large cash prizes reaching up to a million. The program debuted in 1998 and received mostly positive reviews. With grand success all over the country, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” is now in Nepal as Ko Banchha Crorepati?

The program aired in Nepal a few days back and in the first episode, it got quite a good response even though the contestant couldn’t do quite well. Superstar Rajesh Hamal is the host of the show and undoubtedly there could be no better host for this. KBC has just started, let’s see how much buzz it creates in Nepal and who becomes Crorepati.

Conclusion

While many Nepali audiences watch Bollywood shows and Hollywood series, Nepali media is also trying its best to win audiences’ hearts. There are many light-hearted as well as informative shows in Nepal these days. And these shows have a very good fan following too. We now have international shows as well as some of our originated shows which are doing so well. We all need entertainment and these shows give just enough dose for that. With shows like What the Flop, It’s My Show, Herne Katha, Nepal Idol, The Voice, Ko banchha Crorepati and so on Nepali audiences now have a wide variety to choose from.