Dayahang Rai
Description
Dayahang Rai is a well-known Nepali actor who has impressed viewers with his versatile performances and significant contribution to modern Nepali cinema. He started his career in films in 2009 with the romantic comedy Mero Euta Saathi Chha, for which he gained recognition at an early stage. During the same year, he acted in a bold role in the political thriller Dasdhunga as the prime suspect in the murder of Communist Party leader Madan Bhandari. His passionate acting in the film earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, which labeled him as a talent to watch in the industry.
Rai’s breakthrough role was in 2012 with the blockbuster film Loot, where he played the character of “Gofle,” a small-time thief who joins a group of friends to rob a bank in Kathmandu. The film was a breakthrough in Nepali commercial cinema and established Rai as a leading actor. He followed this with acting in Highway (2012), directed by Deepak Rauniyar, dealing with the socio-political themes of post-conflict Nepal and gaining international exposure. In 2013, he acted in a controversial role in Badhshala, a film regarding human rights abuses of the Nepali Army during the civil war. The film was banned by the army as it sympathized with Maoist insurgents, but Rai’s performance was appreciated.
Rai expanded his repertoire in 2014 with the comedy Jholay, playing a character who ventures abroad seeking opportunities, a role that critics appreciated. That year itself, he performed in two major films: Ram Babu Gurung’s Kabaddi, a rural rom-com, and Nischal Basnet’s Talakjung vs Tulke, a class struggle and social change-based drama. Both films were critically acclaimed, and Talakjung vs Tulke was even submitted as Nepal’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film in the 88th Academy Awards. Rai won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in Sambodhan, a political thriller, in 2015. He also starred in Kabaddi Kabaddi, the sequel to Kabaddi, one of Nepal’s highest-grossing films, and he further won another National Film Award for Best Actor.
Rai continued to critical and commercial success with White Sun in 2016, where he played the role of a former Maoist rebel who returns to his village for the first time after the civil war. The film was universally praised abroad and was Nepal’s submission for the 90th Academy Awards. In 2017, he again starred in Loot 2, which, despite receiving mixed reviews, was a commercial success. He also played in Ghampani as a Tamang boy who is in an inter-caste relationship and in Taandro as a dedicated underground Maoist activist—both roles that showcased his versatility as an actor.
Rai appeared in Saili in 2019 in a supporting role that won him the Kamana Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also played a comic don in Jatrai Jatra, which was critically acclaimed. Later that year, he starred in Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi, the third installment in the highly successful franchise, which broke box office records by earning 14.7 million Nepali rupees on its opening day—the highest in the history of Nepali cinema. In 2020, he starred in Senti Virus, a political satire that was pulled out of cinemas after only three weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from acting, Rai also ventured into producing a movie named Machha Machha in 2019, showing that he is committed to serving the Nepali movie industry not only in front of the camera but also behind it.
Movies
Mero Euta Saathi Chha
Dasdhunga
Mero Love Story
Loot
Highway
Chhadke
Badhsala
Sanghuro
Uma
Karkash
Loafer
Jholay
Kabaddi
Mukhauta
Nagbeli
Talakjung Vs Tulke
Sambodhan
Ichchha
Woda Number 6
Kabaddi Kabaddi
Fanko
Rahadani
How Funny
Bir Bikram
Jhumkee
Purano Dunga
White Sun (Seto Surya)
Loot 2
Lappan Chhappan
Ghampani
Lalteen
Taandro
Mr Jholay
Kanchhi
Nepte
Happy Days
Bhaire
Saili
Jatrai Jatra
Appa
Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi
Machha Machha
Senti Virus
Kabaddi 4
Dui Numbari
Fulbari
Jaari
Bihe Pass
Neerphool
Nango Gaun
Dimaag Kharaab
Hattichhap
Dayarani
Rangeli
Degree Maila M.A. 3rd Class
Mansara
Gaun Aayeko Bato
Gharjwai
Karsang
Dukhi Aatma
Anjila
Rajagunj
Pitambar
Bhuthan - The World's Happiest Man
Mahabhoj
Personal Details
All Movies
| Year | Movie Name | Character Played |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Mero Euta Saathi Chha | - |
| 2010 | Dasdhunga | - |
| 2011 | Mero Love Story | - |
| 2012 | Loot | Gopal "Gofle" |
| 2012 | Highway | Manoj |
| 2013 | Chhadke | Dawa |
| 2013 | Badhsala | Captain Rai |
| 2013 | Sanghuro | Tika |
| 2013 | Uma | Comrade Sonam |
| 2013 | Karkash | Andy |
| 2013 | Loafer | Vanta |
| 2014 | Jholay | Harke |
| 2014 | Kabaddi | Kaji |
| 2014 | Mukhauta | Police officer |
| 2014 | Nagbeli | Phurba |
| 2014 | Talakjung Vs Tulke | Kathmandu Gang Boss |
| 2015 | Sambodhan | Ram |
| 2015 | Ichchha | Friend |
| 2015 | Woda Number 6 | Daya |
| 2015 | Kabaddi Kabaddi | Kaji |
| 2016 | Fanko | Buddhabir Rai |
| 2016 | Rahadani | Friend |
| 2016 | How Funny | Tej Bahadur Rai |
| 2016 | Bir Bikram | Bir |
| 2016 | Jhumkee | police officer |
| 2016 | Purano Dunga | Batase |
| 2016 | White Sun (Seto Surya) | Agni / Chandra |
| 2017 | Loot 2 | Gopal "Gofle" |
| 2017 | Lappan Chhappan | Inspector Tamang |
| 2017 | Ghampani | Furba |
| 2017 | Lalteen | Lalle |
| 2017 | Taandro | Ganga Bahadur Lama (Koshish) |
| 2018 | Mr Jholay | Purne |
| 2018 | Kanchhi | Hira |
| 2018 | Nepte | Antagonist |
| 2018 | Happy Days | Kumar |
| 2018 | Bhaire | Bhaire |
| 2019 | Saili | Birman |
| 2019 | Jatrai Jatra | Dawa |
| 2019 | Appa | Birkhe / Appa |
| 2019 | Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi | Kaji |
| 2019 | Machha Machha | Police officer |
| 2020 | Senti Virus | Leader |
| 2022 | Kabaddi 4 | Kaji |
| 2022 | Dui Numbari | - |
| 2023 | Fulbari | - |
| 2023 | Jaari | Namsang |
| 2023 | Bihe Pass | - |
| 2023 | Neerphool | - |
| 2023 | Nango Gaun | - |
| 2023 | Dimaag Kharaab | - |
| 2024 | Hattichhap | - |
| 2024 | Dayarani | - |
| 2024 | Rangeli | Vijay |
| 2024 | Degree Maila M.A. 3rd Class | Degree Maila |
| 2024 | Mansara | - |
| 2024 | Gaun Aayeko Bato | - |
| 2024 | Gharjwai | - |
| 2025 | Karsang | - |
| 2025 | Dukhi Aatma | |
| 2025 | Anjila | - |
| 2025 | Rajagunj | - |
| 2025 | Pitambar | - |
| 2025 | BhButhan - The World's Happiest Man | - |
| 2025 | Mahabhoj(up comming) | - |
Awards Recieved
| Year | Movie Name | Character Played | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| lnas Award 2015 | Kabaddi | Kaji | Awarded |
| National Film Award 2066 | Dasdhunga | - | Awarded |
| Nefta Film Award 2070 | Sanghuro | Tika | Awarded |
| Nefta Film Award 2071 | Kabaddi | Kaji | Nominated |
| National Film Award 2071 | Sanghuro | Tika | Awarded |
| Nefta Film Award 2072 | Kabaddi Kabaddi | Kaji | Awarded |
| Dcine Award 2072 | Kabaddi | Kaji | Awarded |
| National Film Award 2072 | Kabaddi Kabaddi | Kaji | Awarded |
| LG Film Award 2073 | Kabaddi Kabaddi | Kaji | Awarded |
| NFDC National Film Award 2073 | Loot 2 | Gopal "Gofle" | Nominated |
| Kamana Film Award 2076 | Saili | Birman | Awarded |
| Cine Circle Award 2080 | Jari | Namsang | Awarded |
Photos
