Priyanka Karki has little to prove at home. One of Nepal’s most celebrated stars, she is looking to conquer the Indian audience with the Nepali crime thriller Masterni, in which she plays a science teacher with a twist. She hopes her cross border foray seeking a pan-Indian audience will be a turning point in her career: she is the industry’s most bankable star. Masterni is dubbed in Hindi by Karki herself. The film will appear in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bengali, too.
The film, which Karki says has “layers of education, family and politics”, revolves around a teacher who becomes the mastermind behind a crime. The maze of turns and twists in the plot, she promises, will keep the audience asking, ‘Ab kya hoga?’
Unlike many commercial thrillers in which women occupy the emotional sidelines, Masterni’s female protagonist is firmly at the centre. The romance exists, Karki says, but only as an undercurrent. “There are strong supporting roles, but the plot focus always remains on the story.”
The confidence shown in female-led narratives reflects Karki’s own career. Since winning Miss Teen Nepal and her film debut in 2012, she has consistently chosen projects that expands both her creative ambitions and her influence within Nepal’s film industry, with hit films such as the Chhakka Panja franchise, Jholay, and Nai Nabhannu La 2. Acting, however, is only one part of her identity. “I don’t believe in choosing just one creative role,” she says. “Acting, writing, directing—they all connect. If you understand emotions deeply, you can explore different aspects of storytelling.”
For Karki, creativity isn’t compartmentalised. Producing teaches discipline, directing sharpens perspective, writing develops empathy, while acting brings all those instincts together. “I’ve always believed in stepping outside the box and daring to try everything.”
For Karki, speaking directly to Hindi audiences feels personal. Her grandfather hailed from Amritsar, giving her family longstanding ties with India. “I’ve always felt connected to India,” she says. “I love the culture, the warmth of the people and the opportunities here.”
Awards, Karki believes, are gratifying not because they validate success, but because they remind artists that their work resonates. “It’s a pat on the back,” she says. “It tells you people are watching and appreciating your work.” Karki hopes Masterni will be judged by audiences willing to surrender themselves to its mystery. “Entertainment comes first,” she says. “A thriller should keep you on the edge of your seat. But if audiences also leave with something meaningful, that’s even better.”
For an actor who has spent years redefining what a leading woman in Nepali cinema can be, crossing into Hindi cinema isn’t about reinvention. It’s simply the next chapter. If Masterni delivers on its promise, Hindi viewers could discover a kind of mainstream cinema which Karki calls “distinctly Nepali.”