Veteran Nepali actor Sunil Thapa died at the age of 68 on Friday morning after his health suddenly deteriorated.
The actor died while undergoing treatment at Norvic Hospital in Thapathali, Kathmandu.
The chairperson of the hospital, Rajendra Bahadur Singh, said that the patient was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state, and an ECG conducted at 7:44 am confirmed his death.
Thapa was a massive figure in Nepali cinema, appearing in more than 300 films.
One of his most well-known roles was as ‘Rate Kaila’ in the film Chino. The character gained him widespread recognition and established him as an actor who can play antagonists.
In India, he earned recognition for his role in the biographical sports drama Mary Kom, playing the titular charcater's coach. He received a nomination at the Filmfare Awards for his role.
He had debuted in Bollywood with Ek Duuje Ke Liye and later went on to work in several Hindi, Tamil and Bhojpuri productions. His most recent screen appearance was in Eklo and as 'David Khuju' in Family Man 3.
Before he began acting he was a photojournalist for JS magazine. He also worked as a model for fabric brands and played proffesional football.
I was always flabbergasted by the fact that Sunil Thapa actually started his career from a Bollywood movie before coming into Nepali movies.
— RED_DEVIL_MOVIE_GEEK (@REDDEVILGEEK1) February 7, 2026
This scene from "Ek Duje Ke Liye" proves his acting performance alongside veterans like Kamal Hassan.
Rest in Peace legend Rate Kaile. pic.twitter.com/XfrRHI8GlC
Thapa is survived by his wife, son and daughter. His family, who is currently based in Mumbai are reportedly travelling to Nepal.
