Pradeep Khadka, a popular and talented Nepali actor who contributed to the success of the Prem Geet film series, Prakash, and Love Station. He made his acting debut in 2015 with the film Escape and is now regarded as one of the highest-paid actors in the Nepalese film industry. Recently, he worked on the all-time blockbuster film Prem Geet 3, which received great recognition & acclaim not only in Nepal but also around the world, particularly in India, as we will look into Pradeep Khadka’s films based on his performance and movies highlighting features.
Prem Geet 3 (2022)
Prem Geet 3, the third film in the Prem Geet series, is a historical action romance directed by Santosh Sen and Chhetan Gurung and stars Pradeep Khadka and Kristina Gurung in the lead roles, with Shiva Shrestha and Sunil Thapa in supporting roles. The film is set 200 years ago in the Himalayan kingdom of Khajak and follows the story of two princes, Aman (Manish Raut) and Prem (Pradeep Khadka), who have opposite personalities as they contend for the kingdom or King throne. Everyone believes the younger Prem to be the country’s future King, but the elder Aman refuses the royal family to make Prem the next King.
Pradeep’s most successful film, a blockbuster in Nepalese cinema, received international acclaim, particularly in India, where it was released in Hindi. Despite the film’s success, Pradeep’s performance had room for improvement, but he put forth an outstanding effort. Debutant Kristina Gurung delivered a fine performance with good chemistry alongside Pradeep, but there is room for improvement in dialogue delivery and acting skills. The film provides a unique story and experience in Nepali cinema, but it could have benefited from a more in-depth narrative and character development. Nonetheless, the film has excellent music, cinematography, background score, and a unique plot, making it an entertaining watch.
Box Office Verdict: Hit
Prem Geet 3 Movie Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Watch Prem Geet 3 Movie Trailer
Prakash (2022)
The social drama film, Prakash, is directed by Dinesh Raut and stars Pradeep Khadka, Deeya Maskey, and Renu Yogi. The film tells the story of Prakash (Pradeep Khadka), a bright youth from Nepal’s rural district of Jumla who is preparing to become a teacher despite his poor family background and the struggles that he faces along the way, as he is supported by a widowed mother in completing his academics.
In “Prakash,” Pradeep Khadka shines as the character, displaying natural acting and giving one of his best performances to date. His ability to elicit emotions and inject humor into the role makes the character engaging and entertaining. Joined by a stellar cast, particularly Deeya Maskey, both leads deliver outstanding performances, representing the peak of their careers. The director’s dedication shines through as the film beautifully addresses social issues through superb cinematography, a compelling narrative, and meticulous costume design. “Prakash” is not only a must-see, but it also has done well at the box office, demonstrating the collaborative efforts that went into the film’s making.
Box Office Verdict: Average
Prakash Movie Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Watch Prakash Movie Teaser
Love Station (2019)
Love Station, directed by Ujwal Ghimire and starring Pradeep Khadka and Jassita Gurung their second pairing after the film Lily Bily. The film follows the love story of Sagar (Pradeep Khadka) and Rani (Jassita Gurung) as they deal with the marital affair and kidnapping that occurred years ago, navigating love, betrayal, and family secrets on an emotional journey.
Pradeep Khadka and Jassita Gurung’s improved chemistry in their second film falls short due to weaknesses in scriptwriting and character development. Nevertheless, the movie offers a refreshing departure from typical Nepali romantic dramas, exploring unique themes and showcasing the beauty of East Nepal and Darjeeling. Despite its box office success, the film could have reached greater heights with a stronger narrative.
Box Office Verdict: Average
Love Station Movie Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Watch Love Station Movie
Rose (2018)
A film with a new theme, Rose, a suspense thriller directed by Nirak Poudel and starring Pradeep Khadka, Miruna Magar, and Paramita Rajya Laxmi Rana. The plot follows pilot Avi Jung Thapa (Pradeep Khadka) who unexpectedly kills his girlfriend Rose Rana (Paramita Rana), who is a Miss Nepal, shocking everyone, including a lawyer named Sneha who takes his case. As the story progresses, the case becomes more complicated, revealing secrets.
Despite Pradeep Shrestha’s efforts, the film’s lack of scriptwriting, screenplay, and unappealing storyline made his character and others, such as Miruna and Pramita, appear detached from the audience. Because of the rarity of courtroom dramas in Nepali cinema, the filmmaker deserves praise for their efforts. However, the film needs significant improvements in scriptwriting, cinematography, and screenplay because it fails to convey emotions, proper character interactions, and suspense, resulting in box office failure.
Box Office Verdict: Flop
Rose Movie Rating: ⭐⭐ / 5
Watch Rose Movie
Lily Bily (2018)
Lily Bily, a romantic drama film directed by Millan Chams and starring Pradeep Shrestha, Jassita Gurung, Anoop Bikram Shahi, and Priyanka Karki. The plot revolves around Avash (Pradeep Khadka) and Shruti (Jasita Gurung), who meet at a Scottish cinema as they are looking for their soulmate but eventually fall in love with each other. However, the story takes a turn when they learn the truth about each other.
Pradeep Shrestha gave an excellent performance in the film, but the repetitive nature of his previous roles left the audience wanting something new to showcase his full acting potential. In her debut, Jassita Gurung struggled to establish chemistry with Shrestha, and the lackluster plot failed to captivate viewers. The film had flaws in cinematography, screenplay, and dialogue, resulting in mediocre performances from the leads and an average box office reception despite high expectations.
Box Office Verdict: Hit
Kri Movie Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Watch Lily Bily Movie
Prem Geet 2 (2017)
Following the success of Prem Geet, Pradeep Shrestha was once again cast in Prem Geet 2, a romantic drama directed by Ram Sharan Pathak and starring Aaslesha Thakuri as the second lead. The film tells the story of Geet (Aaslesha Thakuri), who was born in Myanmar and now lives in Thailand. She travels to Nepal to meet her grandmother. In Nepal, she meets a boy named Prem (Pradeep Shrestha), who falls for her and later decides to go in search of her to tell her how he feels as Geet departs for Thailand.
Pradeep Shrestha shines in this film, playing a multifaceted character with humor and depth, demonstrating his potential as the next big thing in Nepali cinema. The film’s highlights include his outstanding performance, beautiful cinematography in breathtaking locations, melodious music, and a compelling overall plot. While the story may not live up to its predecessor, with some awkward dialogue, unnecessary scenes, and minor plot holes, the film is still enjoyable. Although Aaslesha Thakuri’s acting has the potential to improve, the film still performs well at the box office and is worth seeing.
Box Office Verdict: Hit
Kri Movie Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Watch Prem Geet 2 Movie
Prem Geet (2016)
Prem Geet, a romantic film directed by Sudarshan Thapa and starring Pradeep Khadka and Pooja Sharma as leads, tells the story of Prem (Pradeep Khadka) and Geet (Pooka Sharma), who meet on the way to Kagbeni after being pressured by their parents to marry, which they fake but eventually fall in love with each other, causing problems and a tragic incident as a result of their lies to their parents.
Pradeep Khadka’s one-of-a-kind and entertaining performance as Prem in search of love, combined with Pooja Sharma’s good chemistry and excellent performance, elevates the film to the status of a Nepali classic. Despite room for improvement, their excellent performances are enhanced by appealing cinematography, a touching story, and solid music, resulting in an enjoyable movie experience.
Box Office Verdict: Hit
Gajalu Movie Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Watch Prem Geet Movie
Escape (2015)
Last but not least, we have Escape directed by Ananta Ghimire starring Pradeep Khadka, Reema Bishowkarma, Kamal Shrestha, Nischal Kharel, and Santosh Karki. The film revolves around a mistake committed in the past that continues to haunt an individual in the present, undermining the achievements the person has made in his life exploring the theme of drugs, crimes, lies, and disguise.
Pradeep Khadka’s performance in the film Escape was impressive for a debut actor, especially given that the film was released under his own banner, Pradeep Media, with his own script and story to raise audience awareness about social issues. Though he needed to work on his acting skills to portray the best version of the character, we can observe his potential to be a great actor in the future.
Box Office Verdict: Flop
Jerryy Movie Rating: ⭐⭐/ 5