1984–1990: Modelling, film debut, and breakthrough Before entering the film industry, Hamal modeled for a magazine in India named
Fashion Net while studying at the
University of Delhi. He appeared in a fashion show organized by the Indian Embassy Women's Association in the late 1980s. Rayamajhi's film was successful, and he then signed Mainali and Hamal for his next film, which was
Yug Dekhi Yug Samma (1991). The plot of this movie follows two young couples who are impacted by the pressure of family rivalries. Besides Hamal and Mainali, the film was the debut of producer Chhabiraj Ojha and action director Rajendra Khadgi. Hamal later told
Teenz: "Actually, somewhere inside, I always wanted to act. More than acting, I was fascinated by films. I wanted something in this field, but I did not know how to begin. Luckily, my cousin was in the film industry, and he offered me a role. That was in 1990, and at that time, I did not know I would be doing films for the next 20 years".
1992–2004: Superstardom and Mahanayak of Nepali cinemas In 1992, Hamal joined up with
Tulsi Ghimire for the first time in his directorial film project called
Deuta. The film starred Hamal,
Shrawan Ghimire, Srijana Basnet, with Tulsi Ghimire in support. On the film's release, it became a box office hit in Nepal and is now regarded as the breakthrough for Hamal in
Nepali cinema.
The Kathmandu Post wrote: "Incidentally, this was also the film that catapulted Hamal into stardom, and while that alone could place
Deuta in a Kollywood Hall of Fame (if such a thing existed), the movie is much more than that". In 2000, Hamal was cast in actor
Neer Shah's directorial film titled
Basanti. He portrayed
Gagan Singh Khawas. His co-stars were
Karishma Manandhar,
Gauri Malla, and
Divya Dutta. The film is based on the novel of the same title written by
Diamond Shumsher Rana. Hamal says his favorite films are
Deuta and
Basanti. Bijaya Adhikari of
Online Khabar wrote: "filmmakers like Nir Shah, one of the forerunners of the historical period drama genre, have been consistently making successful films in the genre like Basanti, Masaan, and Seto Bagh". Rachana Chettri and Preena Shrestha of
The Kathmandu Post wrote: "Cinematographically, the film achieves its purpose of bringing the old palaces and courtyards populated by royals and their supporters back to life". In 2004, Hamal appeared in a
Shiva Regmi directorial film named
Hami Tin Bhai, which had an
ensemble cast including
Shree Krishna Shrestha,
Nikhil Upreti,
Jharana Thapa,
Nandita K.C., and
Rekha Thapa. In 2018, it was announced that a sequel would be produced. Other films featuring Hamal include
Kasam (1992),
Sadak and
Prithvi (1994),
Simana (1996),
Shankar (1997),
Chadhni (1999)
, Ek Number Ko Pakhe (1999),
Dhukdhuki (2000), and
Ajambari Nata (2005).
2005–2017: Continuation of success, television debut, and acting break Hamal expanded his career beyond just film, appearing on television shows and commercials in 2004. A popular Nepalese show called
Wai Wai Quiz Whiz was his television debut, and he made a guest appearance on the
Miss Angel Program the same year. Hamal was also endorsed by various companies to star in commercials for products such as steel, soap, and cement. He also endorsed the first bike made in Nepal, which is called "Cosmic
Ying Yang". In addition, he has been the face of
NMB Bank Nepal, Indica Easy, and
Global College of Management.
2018–2023: Music videos and television appearances Beginning in 2018, Hamal opted to act in fewer movies, taking a pause in his film career. During this time, he dedicated himself to charities, social work, and youth empowerment. Meanwhile, he was modestly involved in several music videos, including Malingo, Hajur Mussukai, and Shailung by Bikas Rana, directed by
Nitin Chand. He also appeared on
Mundre Ko Comedy Club and other shows as guest appearances.
2024–present: Acting comeback In 2025, Rajesh Hamal made come back with titled
Narasimha Avtar. This marked his first comeback in the film industry after a seven-year hiatus.
Television hosting Hamal has twice been a judge for
Miss Nepal. In 1997, he judged alongside Kamal Rupakheti, Laxmi Keshari Manandhar, and Sanjaya Agarwal; the event was won by
Jharana Bajracharya. Ten years later, he was the chief judge of
Miss Nepal 2007, alongside
Malvika Subba, and
Bhusan Dahal; the winner was
Sitashma Chand. In 2019, he hosted the
Nepali version of
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, titled
Ko Bancha Crorepati. == In the media ==