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Portraits have a way of looking back at you, and in Whispers of Inner Self, they do so quietly and honestly without asking for permission. In his recent solo exhibition, Suchin Shrestha brings together fragments of emotion, desire and inner reflection gathered over years of making. 

From the beginning Suchin Shrestha has been his own compass. During his residency, the canvas became his mirror, a space to pour every flicker of feeling, every shadow of desire, every restless thought. He moved through the full spectrum of being:  joy, longing,frustration , tenderness, curiosity, solitude, all lived and felt through him, then traced onto the surface. Each painting reflects the self, quietly reckoning with what it means to be human, and gently inviting us to see the fragments of experience we carry but rarely name. For Shrestha colour is never accidental, it carries feeling, memory and story. Some works shine with rays of hope, while others linger in the gentle warmth of togetherness.

During our conversation, he spoke about how the exhibition traces different phases of his life. The bachelor years, when companionship was still an abstract idea, appear in works shaped by inward observation, moments held in solitude, and longing. He described how after marriage the work began to shift. The figures open into a quieter sense of shared existence, reflecting mutual understanding and the unspoken routines that grow between two lives. Shrestha explains that this evolution reflects a gradual shift from introspection toward companionship , from solitary to the reassurance of shared presence. 

He also spoke about how this inward focus begins quite literally in front of a mirror. Standing there, he watches his expressions change, moods rise and fall, thoughts pass across his face. Each nuance, each change became a subject in itself, a spark for what would later appear on canvas. I found it striking that he chose to observe himself, turning in a way we rarely do in the rush of modern life. There is something almost meditative in this self observation, a slowing down, a patience, a willingness to witness fleeting emotions, contradictions, and small, private moments. Through this inward gaze , he does more than capture a likeness or a mood, he captures a living, a shifting interior world, a portrait of the self in constant dialogue with itself. It is in these quiet, introspective moments that his paintings find their resonance, gently reminding us how seldom we truly pause to watch ourselves. 

In a noisy world, the exhibition offers a quiet presence, soft, vulnerable, still, yet brimming with life. Solo shows like these are vital for the Nepali contemporary art sphere, offering artists the space to explore personal narratives and the depths of their inner life. They allow viewers to engage with work that is introspective, layered and deeply human. Whispers of the Inner Self exemplifies how such exhibitions create a dialogue between artist and audience, between the personal and the universal , showing that contemporary art can be as much about reflection and emotional depth as it is about form or spectacle. Visitors can experience the exhibition at Artudio, Patan, until Jan 10, and immerse  themselves in the reflective world of Shrestha’s art.

Singer and composer Arjun Sapkota has been named the most popular Nepali music artist of the past month, according to the December ranking released by music data platform “Viberate.”

Sapkota topped the list with a score of 492.4K. The platform publishes the popularity ranking on a monthly basis. His song Jhaliko, composed by Sapkota, has gained wide attention on social media. The song has received more than 19.5m views on YouTube, while thousands of users have also created videos using the track on TikTok.

The folk-style song features vocals by Melina Rai and Samikshya Adhikari alongside Sapkota, with lyrics written by Santosh Sapkota.

Maithili and Bhojpuri singer Sannu Kumar from Rajbiraj ranked second on the list with 444.7K points. Kumar enjoys significant popularity in Nepal’s Tarai and Madhesh regions.

Singer Sushant KC ranked third, followed by Tanka Budathoki in fourth place and Balen in fifth. The remaining artists in the top 10 are Sajjan Raj Vaidya, Trishna Gurung, Vten, Prakash Dutraj, and Melina Rai.

Viberate compiles its rankings using real-time data collected from major streaming platforms, social media, and radio, aimed at tracking artist popularity for musicians, managers, and record labels.

Celebrating a decade in the photography scene, PhotoKTM’s sixth edition continues to shape visual culture at home and abroad. This year, PhotoKTM brought together hundreds of photographers and visual artists from across the world, drawing in massive crowds to its exhibitions, talks, workshops, and community conversations. Over the years, the festival has covered subjects like who we are, how we live, and the power dynamics between people, using photography to show different stories and communities and how they shape the world around us.

The 2025 edition, themed “Global South Solidarities” tapped into the energy of the GenZ movement, sparking conversations about resistance, solidarity, and how communities across the Global South are shaping their own futures. The festival featured over 40 artists around the world, including Nepali photographers , along with eight emerging Nepali talents from the 2025 photo.circle offering a fresh and varied look at contemporary photography. The works on display told bold visual stories, reflecting shared histories, identities and cultural connections.

Guided by a clear curatorial direction,the exhibition included everything from documented photography to more experimental pieces, using archives to personal narratives. Some projects focused on everyday life and community stories while others looked at memory, a sense of belonging, and social change, showing how photography is being used in a more thoughtful and meaningful way.

By bringing local and international artists together the festival has opened doors for emerging photographers, encouraged fresh conversations about storytelling and strengthened the country’s creative community. These events give artists a platform to grow, collaborate and play a part in developing Nepal’s visual culture. It’s a space where photographers can experiment, learn from peers and find their voice. The diversity of work pushes local artists to challenge themselves and explore fresh approaches to storytelling.

For artists and the creative community, PhotoKTM shows that photography is more than just pictures, it’s a way to connect, share stories and bring people together, looking beyond individual works, the festival shows how photography in Nepal is evolving as a whole, opening doors and new ways of seeing the world.

And for readers and audiences the festival offered a chance to see stories, histories and cultures across the Global South that they might not have encountered otherwise. The images encouraged reflection, sparked conversations and offered insights into shared struggles, solidarity and ways communities connect and support each other. PhotoKTM’s impact went beyond the exhibitions, helping audiences see how photography can tell powerful stories and connect people from different places and experiences. 

Kumari, the new Nepali romantic film directed by Dinesh Raut, has released its first official song, “Kata Chhau Mero Phool.” Along with the song launch, the production team announced that the film will be released nationwide on 6 Feb 2026. The release date, close to Valentine’s Day, suggests the film is targeting young audiences.

The song was first performed live during a grand announcement event held at Tundikhel, which generated significant attention on social media. Sung by Kehar Singh Limbu and his band Kehar & The Lunga, the track has been gaining popularity on YouTube and TikTok, particularly among GenZ listeners.

The film features Abhishek Khadka and Aakriti Rajbhandari in lead roles, both making their debut as main actors. The cast also includes Ghanshyam Joshi, Sunita Shrestha, Aakanksha Karki, Madhu Khadka, Sanam Shrestha, Saku Shah, Saroj Lamichhane, and Manisha Sharma, among others.

Director Raut, known for romantic films such as I Am Sorry, November Rain, and Classic, has recently focused on social-issue-based projects.