Sashan Kandel

Sashan Kandel is one of those rare creative souls in Nepal who simply cannot be confined to a single role. A singer, music video director, and now a film director, he has spent the better part of two decades quietly building a career that speaks for itself, not through noise, but through genuine craft and consistency.

For over fifteen years, Kandel worked behind the camera directing music videos, collaborating with some of the most recognized faces in Nepali entertainment, including actors like Rajesh Hamal, Aryan Sigdel, Paul Shah, and Aakash Shrestha, and actresses like Karishma Manandhar, Pooja Sharma, Swastima Khadka, Aanchal Sharma, and Keki Adhikari. Long before he stepped into feature films, he was the person shaping how audiences saw and felt music, a storyteller working frame by frame, song by song.

His voice, too, has found its way into people's hearts. Among his recordings is the deeply moving Hindu bhajan Ekdin Ta Jane Ho Sansar Chhodera, with lyrics and music by Hiralal Kandel, the kind of devotional song that carries weight beyond mere entertainment, touching something spiritual in its listeners.

When Kandel finally made his leap into feature film direction, he did not take a safe or forgettable path. He took on Hostel 3, the much-anticipated third chapter in one of Nepal's most beloved movie series, a story rooted in the universal experiences of young people living away from home, navigating friendships, struggles, and the bittersweet joy of growing up. The story came from his own imagination, with Madhav Sharma shaping it into a screenplay. It was a personal project in every sense of the word.

Released on March 7, 2025, the film connected with audiences in a way that numbers can only begin to describe. Within its first week alone, Hostel 3 grossed over 4 crore 32 lakh rupees, a testament not just to the franchise's loyal fanbase, but to the trust audiences placed in Kandel as a first-time feature director.

Sashan Kandel's journey is a reminder that the most enduring careers are not built overnight. They are built song by song, frame by frame, and story by story, with patience, passion, and a deep love for the art.