2–2015: directorial and acting debut Before making his directorial debut in 2012, Basnet said that he "didn't have the slightest clue that [he] would be getting into moviemaking" and added that he had not given any thought to it; after watching "mind-numbingly boring Nepali movies" in 2009, being disappointed that Nepalese films were "so terrible", he decided that he would "make a film within the next 5 years at any cost". This film started struggling during its
post-production: Basnet recalls that he "tried every way to save the movie but [they] weren't professionals" and that he "hopelessly [tried] to edit the movie and sync the sound on [his] laptop with [a] friend". crime-thriller
Loot. The film is set around Nepal's capital
, Kathmandu, and the plot focuses on five young men who are in desperate need of money. The film features an
ensemble cast and went on to win
National Film Awards for Best Actor, Best Art Director, and Best Editing. Nischal Basnet contributed vocals as a playback singer to the film's original song, "
Udhreko Choli", with
Indira Joshi.
Loot became a
blockbuster at the box office, earning NPR 25.5 million Nepalese rupees (approximately US$218,000 in 2019). According to
Republica, the film became a
cult classic. After making his directorial debut, Basnet acted in
Uma (2013) and
Kabaddi (2014). In
Kabaddi, he appeared in a lead role as Bibek, who tries to abduct a
gangster's daughter. His role in the film received acclaim. In 2014, Basnet directed the
dark comedy Talakjung vs Tulke, which is set during the
Nepalese Civil War (1996–2006). The film was commercially successful and received critical acclaim, with Basnet winning a National Film Award for Best Director. Of the selection, Basnet said: "I make my movie my way; others make movies their way. It is up to the panel of judges and how they see a movie." and made a special appearance in
Zindagi Rocks (2015).
2017–present: Loot 2 and Prasad In 2017, Basnet directed the sequel to his debut
Loot, titled
Loot 2. After
Loot became a blockbuster, Basnet had planned a sequel, but its pre-production of writing the plot had taken a long time. The film starred the original cast of
Loot as well as new stars, including
Bipin Karki and Alisha Rai. Like the original,
Loot 2 became a blockbuster at the box office, grossing NPR 78.5 million.
OnlineKhabar wrote that they "can sense director Basnet's genuine involvement in trying to elevate
Loot 2 beyond the obvious comparison to its prequel. His characters have matured, not in a way warranting epiphanies, mind you, but subtly like the effect passing of time has on individuals". The same year, Basnet acted in the comedy-drama
Dui Rupaiyan (2017). The plot concerns his character, Jureli, and
Asif Shah's Dari searching for two rupees; he also sang "Talkyo Jawani" for the soundtrack of the film. This role was less well received by
OnlineKhabar, with Sandhya Ghimire writing that the two leads "are informal to the point of being almost cringe-worthy". playing Ramesh, a villainous character who interferes with the life of a couple who cannot conceive. He received praise from critics for this role, with
OnlineKhabar saying that he "has contributed his distant gesture, cold facial expression, and thoughtfully articulated dialogues to his projection as a conspirator". The film stars Basnet,
Swastima Khadka, Sushma Niraula, and
Gauri Malla. The film went on to become a semi-hit., Basnet's wife, in May 2019. Early == Early life and personal life ==