It takes a village to make a film. For Gauthali Entertainment<\/a>, that village is shaped by feminist intent, sustained by allies and led by women, on and off the screen.<\/p>\n The making of the television film \u2018Chasing Rainbow<\/a>s\u2019 in 2013 marked a sharp turn in the trajectory of Sahara Sharma and Abhimanyu Dixit\u2019s relationship, from friends to creative partners. \u201cWe do not like each other,\u201d says Sharma while Dixit laughs, \u201cBut we surely love us.\u201d<\/p>\n Out of that dynamic grew a female-led feminist production company, Gauthali Entertainment,<\/a> working at the intersection of filmmaking, activism and education. Based in Kathmandu, Gauthali carries feminism as a way of working, advocating, and creating, rather than limiting it to just a slogan or, as Dixit explains, \u2018a cool acquaintance\u2019. <\/p>\n \u2018Chasing Rainbows\u2019 has received multiple awards in various film festivals, including the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival in 2013 and the Toronto Nepali Film Festival. The company has also created short films, web series and documentaries, including \u2018Nirnaya<\/a>\u2019 (2020), \u2018Gauthali Ka Katha Haru<\/a>\u2019 (2017 to 2018) and \u2018Maya Bhanne Cheez Estai Ho<\/a>\u2019 (2018 to 2019).<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Positioned in Nepal\u2019s largely male-dominated film industry, Gauthali foregrounds voice, collaboration and flexibility. They let the narration flow and ripple rather than forcing a message into the work. While they do pay keen attention to making the stories central to femininity, the process in itself is not rigid. \u201cThe whole point of feminism for us is choice,\u201d says Sharma, \u201cand it comes naturally to us as an identity.\u201d<\/p>\n Even within this predominantly male-centric field, they recall that introducing themselves as a feminist filmmaking company has often met with more enthusiasm than resistance.<\/p>\n Internationally, they say, their introduction as a feminist filmmaking company is considered neither a medal nor a setback. It is considered simply a quality that exists alongside work.<\/p>\n While structural barriers persist, their day-to-day interactions tell a different story. \u201cWhen it comes to people, it naturally gets filtered out,\u201d adds Dixit. \u201cThey, as an audience, are aware of what we are trying to do, and hence react nicely to our work.\u201d<\/p>\n The ease of collaborating, however, does not determine which stories dominate the screen. Nepali cinema has long centred women in its films. But their inner worlds, perspectives, contradictions and choices are still rarely explored.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n In Nepali cinema, female characters brought to the centre often conform to patriarchal beliefs. The representation assures a triumph, yet the portrayal still, somehow, feels uncomfortable.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of these women are written by men, and often their roles seem to be adjusted within the societal patriarchal system,\u201d shares Dixit. \u201cIt becomes difficult to find the depth and honesty.\u201d<\/p>\n However, they believe men are not entirely incapable of writing female characters if they present simple and crude honesty. Sharma adds, \u201cI can see how these stories are inherently written with a saviour complex.\u201d For her, the problem lies in intention. When a story is written to \u2018save\u2019 others, it risks flattening the very experience it seeks to represent.<\/p>\n This discomfort shapes the way Gauthali approaches its characters. Rather than keeping women as symbols or solutions, their films allow them to exist with full complexity: messy, contradictory, and unburdened by the need to represent anything beyond themselves. With this depth and brevity, they reflect a wider, more honest picture of the society.<\/p>\n However, telling stories that carry this nuance comes with its own challenges. In an industry that often rewards familiarity, such narratives can be at risk. \u201cThe market for this storytelling, I believe, has not been made at all,\u201d explains Dixit.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n![](\"https:\/\/assets-cdn.kathmandupost.com\/uploads\/source\/news\/2026\/third-party\/third2-1777856919.jpg\"\/)