Sunil Pokharel (; born on 16 June 1963) is a Nepalese theatre artist and director. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern Nepali theatre. He is a graduate of

National School of Drama National School of Drama (NSD) is a drama school situated at New Delhi, India. It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and became an independent school ...

, India (1987).He is also the brother of popular Nepalese singar

Sugam Pokharel Sugam Pokharel ( Nepali:सुगम पाेखरेल) is a Nepalese singer, music composer, songwriter, and radio jockey known for his contribution towards Nepali pop music. His first solo recording, ''Mero Sansaar'' (2001), became a top s ...

He has directed more than four dozens of varied Nepali, Indian and European plays. Sunil pokharel with students

Early life

Sunil Pokharel was born in Noula village, in

Khotang District Khotang District () is one of 14 districts of Koshi Province of eastern Nepal. The district, with Diktel as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a population (2021) of 206,312.

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

on 16 June 1963 as the first child of his parents. When he was an adolescent, his family moved to

Mangalbare Mangalbare is a town located in the Deumai municipality in Ilam District in the Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 5,593 persons living in 1005 individual households. Now, Mangalbare and dhu ...

in Morang district, near

Biratnagar Biratnagar () is a List of cities in Nepal, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Koshi Province. With a Metropolitan Urban Agglomeration population of 244,750 as per the 2021 Nepal census, 2021 census, it is the largest c ...

. He completed his school education from Gograha Higher Secondary School in Biratnagar.

Education

Pokhrel got a scholarship to study at

(NSD) in

New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

in 1984. He earned his diploma in drama from this Indian government owned institution.

Career

Sunil Pokharel started his career as a theatre artist at the age of thirteen, when he was in School. In initial days, he worked with artist and director Badri Adhikari and Ramesh Budhathoki in Biratnagar. Later, he moved to Kathmandu and worked in guidance of veteran Nepali theater artist Harihar Sharma. While working in Kathmandu, Pokharel got a scholarship to study at

(NSD) in

., After returning from his study in NSD, Pokharel established Aarohan Gurukul, the first drama school in the country. He is the artistic director of Aarohan Theatre Group and Principle of Gurukul: school of theatre.

Family

Sunil Pokhrel is the elder brother of Nepalese pop singer Sugam Pokhrel. He and Badri Adhikari met Nisha Sharma while she was still at school. They had cast her sister as the lead in their production and they wanted a girl to play her sister. Nisha was cast despite her sister's worries that the job would distract her from her studies. Nisha became a successful actor, the chancellor of an acting academy (and his wife).

Major works

As a director

* Agniko Katha - by Abhi Subedi * Yajnaseni - by

Suman Pokhrel Suman Pokhrel (; born 21 September 1967) is a Nepali people, Nepali poet, lyricist, playwright, translator and artist. Universities in Nepal and India have included his poetry in their syllabi. Pokhrel is the only writer to have received the SAA ...

* ''Mayadeviko Sapana'' - by Abhi Subedi * ''Putaliko Ghar'' - (Nepali translation of

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright, poet and actor. Ibsen is considered the world's pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama." He pioneered ...

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' (Danish language, Danish and ; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act Play (theatre), play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 De ...

) * ''Nyayapremi'' - (Nepali translation of

Albert Camus Albert Camus ( ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, world federalist, and political activist. He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the s ...

's Les Justes) * ''Midnait Samar Sapana'' - (Nepali translation of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

) * ''Jayamaya Aaphu Matra Lekhapani Aaipugi'' (Based on a story of same title by

Indra Bahadur Rai Indra Bahadur Rai (3 February 1927 – 6 March 2018) was an Indian Nepali language writer and literary critic from Darjeeling, India. He wrote multiple essays, short stories, novels and criticism in his lifetime. ''Kheer'' and ''Raat Bhari Huri ...

) * ''Hariyo Dhunga '' (Based on a story of same title by

Upendra Subba Upendra Bahadur Angdembe Limbu who is known as Upendra Subba () is a Nepali poet, lyricist, writer, and film director. He is one of the initiators of the movement called '' Srijanshil Arajakta'' (Creative Anarchy) along with Rajan Mukarung and ...

) * ''Arko Artha Nagalema (Based on newspaper articles written by Sharat Chandra Wasti and published in Kantipur Daily)

As an actor

* ''Putaliko Ghar'' - (Nepali translation of

with Nisha Sharma as Nora) * ''Jaat Sodhnu Jogiko'' - (Nepali translation of

Vijay Tendulkar Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar (6 January 1928 – 19 May 2008) was an Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marathi. His Marathi plays established him as a writ ...

's Jāt Hi Poochho Sādhu Ki) * ''Nyayapremi'' - (Nepali translation of

's Les Justes) * ''Khariko Ghero'' - (Nepali translation of

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known as Bertolt Brecht and Bert Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...

The Caucasian Chalk Circle ''The Caucasian Chalk Circle'' () is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. An example of Brecht's epic theatre, the play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a better mother than the baby's wealthy b ...

) * ''Idamitham'' - by Sarubhakta

As a translator

* Translation of the play

in Nepali as ''Putaliko Ghar''

Awards

* National Talent Award conferred by

Government of Nepal The Government of Nepal () is the central executive authority of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The government is led by the Prime Minister of Nepal, prime minister (K. P. Sharma Oli, K.P. Oli since 15 July 2024) who selects all the o ...