A well known personality of Nepali film industry as a film director, actor and a businessman, Neer Bikram Shah, is commonly known as Neer Shah or Nir Shah. Being related to the former Royal family of Nepal, created a certain aura around him but, that doesn’t undermine his capacity as a talented artist. He has multiple identities – as an actor is is top class actor in negative role, as a producer and director he is the director of many super-hit films. He is a well known poet, lyricist and a successful businessman. In addition to that he has also written scripts of a number of films.

Nir Shah debuted as an actor in ‘Paribartan’ an 2024 B.S. release film directed by Hira Singh Khatri. He was paid Rs. 700 for the role.

Nir Shah as a Manager

When Nepal government decided to start Television Station in 1991 Nir Shah was chosen to head the organization He was the founding director of Nepal Television. The success of television in Nepal is credited to Shah and his visionary leadership.

He is the chairperson of Shangri-La TV (STV). STV is a film production and microwave TV Distribution Company that has produced a number of programs for NTV. The organization also distributed cable television network in Kathmandu valley. In a United Kingdom-based firm, Galaxy, telecasting Nepalese TV channels overseas, Shah holds 33 percent equity.

Nir Shah as an Actor

Nir Shah is an all-rounder in acting. But, his role as an antagonist have been very popular. His roles in superhit movies like “Prem Pinda” and “Balidan” were of negative type. Most of his film he is featured in antagonist roles. In addition to Nepali movies, he has also acted in Bollywood films.

Nir Shah as a lyricist

He has penned down some popular Nepali and Nepal Bhasa songs. Some of his popular songs are
– Prem ko mala pahirai diye (Narayan Gopal)
– Samjhi rakha yeslai

Along with acting, producing, directing and writing songs, he has also written scripts for some of his movies.

Nir Shah as a film director and producer

All of these movies were successful with a few exceptions:

• Basudev
• Pachchis, Basanta
• Rajamati (Newa language movie)
• Basanti
• Masan
• Seto Bagh
• Aakal (with thanks to Bijay Ratna in comment)

Oscar nominated Nepali movie, Himalaya – l’enfance d’un chef was coproduced by Neer Shah. The movie was released as Caravan in Canada and Himalaya in Denmark and France. It was co-produced and directed by the French movie maker Eric Valli. In the history of Nepali film making this is the first and the only movie win an Oscar nomination.

One of the most successful plays of Nir Shah was ‘Mutuko Byatha’, director by Harihar Sharma. Nir Shah invited the director Harihar Sharma the first movie he directed, ‘Basudev’ and featured Harihar in leading role.

Nir Shah Records

– first head and the founder of Nepal Television (NTV) (2041 BS)
– First person to start a acting school in Nepal. Nir started Oscar College of Film Studies.
– First person to be named in Oscars Award (He was the one and the only person to be nominated in Top 5) for being the producer of Caravan, a movie directed by Eric Valli, a French director.

In his first movie ‘Basudev’ he created a song out of a popular poetry of Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota ‘Yatri’. He went to Mumbai to rector the song. His son died at that time.

Nir Shah Biography

He was born on Ashoj 26, 2010 to father Devendra Bikram Shah and mother Bodh Kumari Shah. He was the youngest son of his parents. He started acting even before he joined school. In his childhood he did a play with local kids. Later he started acting in various plays in theater.