Dayahang Rai


Dayahang Rai is a Nepalese actor, director and play writer known for his work in Nepali cinema. He is one of the most popular and acclaimed actors in Nepal. He has starred in 40 plus films and is one of the leading contemporary actors in Nepal.
Dayahang rose to prominence from the television series Yuva, Dalan and Hamro Team. His first leading role in a film was in Anagarik and had only one successful film Dasdhunga to his name but the 2012 Industry Hit film Loot marked turning point in his career and since then has starred in successful films Chhadke, Badhshala, Karkash, Jholey, Kabaddi and its sequels Kabaddi Kabaddi and Kabbadi Kabbadi Kabbadi, Talakjung vs Tulke, Woda Number 6, How Funny, Bir Bikram, Loot 2, Kaanchi and Jatrai Jatra. He has starred in the film White Sun which was his first film that was entry of Nepal for Academy Awards.
Dayahang Rai is also the recipient of numerous awards including three National Awards for Best Supporting Actor in 2009 for Dasdhunga, Best Actor in 2015 for Sambodhan, and Best Actor in 2016 for Kabaddi Kabaddi.''

Early life

Dayahang Rai was born on August 6, 1981, in a remote village in Bhojpur district in Eastern Nepal. He belonged to a middle-class family of seven members. His father had two wives. Dayahang has two younger sisters and an elder brother, Bidur Lamichhane Rai. Dayahang completed his lower secondary-level study from Pashupati Lower Secondary School in Khawa VDC, Bhojpur District, and his high school from Annapurna Secondary School, Dilpa, in 1998. He was inspired by his mother, who used to narrate him numerous fairy tales in his childhood. Dayahang started acting from his schooldays. He completed his intermediate-level studies at Bhojpur Multiple College, with geography as the major subject. He came to Kathmandu in 2001 and joined the Nepal Maanawiki Campus as a journalism major. He could not do well in studies. He then moved towards theatre and stage shows.

Acting career

Theatre

After participating in the play Talakjung vs Tulke as an actor, Dayahang joined Actors’ Studio in 2007. He is now affiliated to Mandala Theatre, Nepal, which he co-founded.

Films

Dayahang first acted in the telefilm Yuwa. He then worked in Dalan, another teleserial directed by Nabin Subba in 2003. The telefilm was later broadcast by Nepal Television in 2009. He got his first opportunity as a lead actor in Anagarik, a feature film by Ram Babu Gurung that won two awards in the Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival. Dayahang then acted in the romantic film Mero Euta Saathi Chha that was directed by Sudarshan Thapa. Dayahang received considerable recognition for his next role in the film Dasdhunga. He received his first National Award for Dasdhunga for best supporting actor. He then played the role of a doctor in Acharya, directed by Prashant Rasaily. He then acted in Mero Love Story in 2010. In 2012, Dayahang acted in the hit Nepali film Loot. Dayahang also co-wrote the dialogues of this film. His character Gofle earned him good appreciation from critics and audiences. The film marked turning point in his career. He won the TV Filmy Popular Award for Loot. In the multi-starrer film Highway, Dayahang was noted for his role in this film that dealt with a bus trip to Kathmandu during a strike. The 2013 film Chhadke brought Dayahang and other well-known actors of Nepali cinema like Saugat Malla and Arpan Thapa together. Badhshala marked the first of Dayahang's films on the Maoist-led Civil War in Nepal. The film was banned following objections from the Nepalese army. In Karkash, released in 2013, Dayahang took the role of a drummer of a struggling music band. In the critically acclaimed film Saanghuro, Dayahang had a smaller but notable role. Dayahang and Aryan Sigdel starred in the suspense thriller Loafer in 2013. In Mukhauta, some of the top actors of Nepali cinema came together such as Dayahang, Rajesh Hamal, Saugat Malla and Sunil Thapa.
Dayahang's two films Kabaddi and its sequel Kabaddi Kabaddi became huge hits in Nepal and abroad. He received his third National Award for best actor for Kabaddi Kabaddi. In 2014, Dayahang teamed up with Priyanka Karki in the commercially successful Jhole. Dayahang won his second National Award for the film Sambodhan in the best actor category. The critically acclaimed Talakjung vs Tulke showcased Dayahang's versatility as an actor in the film that was set in the backdrop of the Nepalese civil war. In 2015, Dayahang acted in Fanko, a critically acclaimed film also starring Saugat Malla, Priyanka Adhikari and Keki Adhikari. In 2016, Dayahang acted in the critically acclaimed White Sun based on the civil war in Nepal, which was Nepal's submission to the 2018 Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Dayahang acted in the Ram Babu Gurung film Purano Dunga, which was a commercial success. The sequel to Loot was released in 2017 as Loot 2 with Dayahang returning with the favourite character of Gofle. Dayahang teamed up with Keki Adhikari in Ghampani in 2017, which became a commercial and critical hit. The action thriller Lappan Chhappan saw Dayahang in the role of a police officer chasing a mafia. In Taandro, Dayahang acted in his fourth film on Nepal's civil war, which was critically acclaimed.

Personal life

Dayahang Rai is married to Nepali singer Benuka Rai. They have a son named Samduhang Rai.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNote
2006AnagarikDebut
2009Mero Euta Saathi Chha
2009DasdhungaAmar Lama
2010Acharya
2010Mero Love Story
2012LootGopley
2012Highway
2013ChhadkeDawa
2013Badhshala
2013Karkash
2013Saanghuro
2013Uma
2013Loafer
2013Mukhauta
2013KabaddiKaji
2014JholeyHarke
2014Talakjung vs TulkeDonNepal's entry to the Oscars
2014Nagbeli
2014Ichya
2014SambodhanRamji Goley
2015Kabaddi KabaddiKajiSequel to Kabbadi
2015FankoBuddha Bir Rai
2015Woda Number 6Daya
2016How FunnyTej Bahadur Rai
2016White SunAgni/ChandraNepal's entry to the Oscars
2016Bir BikramBir
2016Purano DungaBatase
2016Rahadani
2017Loot 2GofleSequel to Loot
2017GhampaniPhurba Tamang
2017Lappan Chhappan
2017Taandro
2017Lalteen
2018Happy Days
2018Mr Jholey
2018KanchhiHira
2018Jhumkee
2018Nepte
2018'
2019Jatrai JatraSequel to Jatra
2019Appa
2019'
2019Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi

Awards and nominations

YearCeremonyCategoryFilmResult
2009National Film Awards Best supporting actorDasdhunga
2015National Film Awards Best actorSambodhan
2016National Film Awards Best actorKabaddi Kabaddi
2016LG AwardBest actorKabaddi Kabaddi

Videos

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