Kabaddi (franchise)

Kabaddi (franchise)
Nepaliकबड्डी
Directed byRam Babu Gurung
Written by
Produced by
  • Nischal Basnet
  • Sunil Chand Rauniyar
  • Raunak Bikram Kandel
  • Mani Ram Pokharel
  • Arjun Karki
  • Om Chand Rauniyar
  • Bishal Gurung
  • Sushma Gurung
  • Madhu Mijar
Starring
Cinematography
  • Shailendra D Karki
  • Purushottam Pradhan
Edited byNimesh Shrestha
Music byRohit Shakya
Production
companies
  • Baasuri Films
  • Cinema Art
  • Black Horse Pictures
CountryNepal
LanguageNepali
Budgetरू6.85 crore
Box officeरू46.70 crore

Kabaddi (Nepali: कबड्डी) is a series of comedy drama films directed by Ram Babu Gurung and is one of the biggest franchises of Nepali Cinema. The first film in the series, Kabaddi was released in 2014. The latest film, Kabaddi 4: The Final Match was released in 2022. Total of four films have been produced in the franchise as of 2025.[1]

The franchise is one of the most successful and popular film series in Nepali cinema, known for its unique blend of romantic comedy-drama and authentic portrayal of life, primarily set in the beautiful region of Mustang. The story is essentially connected to the Thakali community and its culture.[2]

Films

The franchise was launched with the release of the first film, Kabaddi (2014), which was both written and directed by Ram Babu Gurung. It received overwhelming positive response from the audience to become an all time blockbuster and a landmark film in modern Nepali filmmaking. The central and recurring plot revolves around the relentless, often comedic, attempts of the main character , Kaji (played by Dayahang Rai), an uneducated but earnest young man from a village, to marry the women he loves, with each sequel continuing the saga of his pursuits and failed attempts.[3]

The films have consistently featured a strong ensemble cast, including Dayahang Rai, Bijay Baral, Buddhi Tamang, and Saugat Malla, and have been praised for their authentic setting, relatable humor, and cultural depth. The latest installment, Kabaddi 4: The Final Match (2022), was marketed as the final film in Kaji's arc. Directed by Ram Babu Gurung and co-written with Upendra Subba, it broke several box office records, becoming the highest grossing Nepali film in Nepal at the time of its release. Its immense commercial and critical success firmly cemented the Kabaddi franchise as a monumental figure in Nepali film history.[4][5]

These are the films that have been released in this franchise.

List of Kabaddi Franchise Films
Film Release date Director(s) Writer(s) Ref(s)
Kabaddi 25 April 2014 Ram Babu Gurung Ram Babu Gurung [6]
Kabaddi Kabaddi 27 November 2015 Ram Babu Gurung
Upendra Subba
[7]
Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi 20 September 2019 [8][9]
Kabaddi 4: The Final Match 27 May 2022 [10][11]

Cast

This table below lists the main characters who appeared in the Kabaddi Franchise.

Actors Films
Kabaddi
(2014)
Kabaddi Kabaddi
(2015)
Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi
(2019)
Kabaddi 4: The Final Match
(2022)
Dayahang Rai Kaji (Main)
Bijay Baral B.K. (Main)
Buddhi Tamang Chhantyal (Main)
Rishma Gurung Maiya (Main) Maiya (Cameo)
Saugat Malla Bam Kaji (Main) Bam Kaji (Main)
Puskar Gurung Mukhiya
Karma Shakya Myaki (Main)
Miruna Magar Miss Shanti (Main)
Upasana Singh Thakuri Kasi (Main)
Nischal Basnet Bibek (Main) Bibek (Cameo)

Producers

The table below lists the producers who were part of the production team, including producers, co-producers, and executive producers.

Producer Films
Kabaddi
(2014)
Kabaddi Kabaddi
(2015)
Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi
(2019)
Kabaddi 4: The Final Match
(2022)
Nischal Basnet Producer Executive
Sunil Chand Rauniyar Producer
Om Chand Rauniyar Executive Co-Producer Producer
Mani Ram Pokhrel Producer
Arjun Karki Executive Co-Producer Producer Executive
Raunak Bikram Kandel Producer
Ruden Sada Lepcha Co-Producer
Bishal Gurung Producer
Sushma Gurung Producer
Madhu Mijar Producer

Box office performance

Film Release date Budget Nepal Box Office[12] Verdict
Kabaddi 25 April 2014 रू35 lakhs रू7.35 crore All Time Blockbuster
Kabaddi Kabaddi 27 November 2015 रू1 crore रू10.35 crore All Time BlockBuster
Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi 20 September 2019 रू2.5 crore रू7.60 crore Hit
Kabaddi 4: The Final Match 27 May 2022 रू3 crore रू21.40 crore All Time Blockbuster
Total रू6.85 crore रू46.70 crore

References

  1. ^ "कबड्डी-४ जत्तिको फिल्म बनाए बलिउड र साउथसँग डराउनु पर्दैन". ukeraa.com. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  2. ^ "'कबड्डी' फिल्म छायांकन भएको थलोमा पर्यटकलाई आकर्षित गर्दै मार्फाली". Personal Website. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  3. ^ "दोस्रो भाग 'कबड्डी कबड्डी'". nagariknews.nagariknetwork.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  4. ^ "युट्युबमा रिलिज भयो सर्वाधिक कमाउने नेपाली फिल्म 'कबड्डी ४'". ukeraa.com. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  5. ^ "वर्षमा धेरै कमाउने फिल्म 'कबड्डी ४', कुन फिल्मले कति कमाए (सुचीसहित)". www.ratopati.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  6. ^ Rai, Jessica (6 December 2015). "The director who made the nation go Kabaddi". The Himalayan Times. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Laugh riot in Kabaddi Kabaddi". The Himalayan Times. 28 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  8. ^ Dixit, Abhimanyu (28 September 2019). "Did we really need a third Kabaddi movie?". The Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 21 May 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  9. ^ Mahat, Sunny (25 September 2019). "A complete family entertainer". The Annapurna Express. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  10. ^ नेपाल, सुकृत (30 May 2022). "कमेडी शैलीको चलचित्र 'कबड्डी ४'". Gorkhapatra (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  11. ^ बराल, सजना (4 June 2022). "यी हुन् चर्चामा नआएकी कबड्डी–४ की पम्फा". Himal Khabarpatrika (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  12. ^ "FDB honours 25 highest-grossing films". GorakhaPatra. Archived from the original on 3 July 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  • This is being editied by the Goat! Maanadop.
  • This movie was names as the legend of the asia at one point.