Nepal-inspired animated fantasy adventure ‘Lost In Mandala’ has taken another step towards the big screen, with Apple Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. joining the project as its official theatrical distribution partner for Nepal and selected international territories.
Created as an ambitious animated feature for international audiences, the film draws inspiration from the spiritual traditions, mythology and landscapes of the Himalayas. It follows a 12-year-old girl and her friends after they become trapped in a mysterious alternate dimension.
Faced with a sinister dark force, the young characters must find their way through an unfamiliar world while discovering how friendship, courage, love and compassion can become their greatest strengths.
The newly announced distribution partnership gives the Nepal-rooted project access to Apple Entertainment’s theatrical network. The company distributes major international films in Nepal and works with Hollywood studios including Disney, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.
“With Lost In Mandala, we are proud to bring a story inspired by Nepal to the world and demonstrate the immense potential of our creative industry to tell globally relevant stories,” executive producer Nakim Uddin said in the announcement. Uddin is also chairman of Apple Entertainment and a co-founder of QFX Cinemas and Labim Mall.
Apple Entertainment Managing Director Bipashyana Shrestha said the film offered the company an opportunity to take a culturally rooted Nepali story to broader audiences. “We are proud to bring this culturally rooted film to theatres through our distribution network,” she said.
Nepal-Inspired Fantasy with Global Ambition
‘Lost In Mandala’ is created and directed by Kiran Bhakta Joshi, founder and co-CEO of Incessant Rain Studios. Joshi previously worked as a visual-effects supervisor at Walt Disney Studios and has been associated with productions including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The screenplay has been written by Zack Stentz, whose film credits include Thor and X-Men: First Class. His television work includes Fringe, The Flash, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Netflix’s Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.
Deepa Chipalu Joshi, co-founder and co-CEO of Incessant Rain Studios, is producing the film and overseeing its production and international partnerships. Her VFX production credits include Yellowstone, Gangs of London and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
The film is being developed by Incessant Rain Studios in partnership with NIMB Ace Capital, bringing together filmmaking, animation and financial expertise.
Independent reports in late July confirmed that the project was in pre-production and that a sneak peek was presented at QFX Cinemas, Chhaya Center, on July 27.
Potential Milestone for Nepali Animation
The project is being billed by its makers as Nepal’s first animated feature developed specifically for the global market.
Beyond that claim, its wider importance lies in the attempt to turn Nepal’s visual heritage, Himalayan landscapes and spiritual storytelling traditions into a large-scale animated production.
Nepali stories have often reached international viewers through travel films, documentaries and live-action cinema. Lost In Mandala is attempting something different: building an original fantasy world that remains culturally connected to Nepal while using themes that can be understood across countries and generations.
The film could also create new visibility for Nepal’s animation and visual-effects professionals, particularly if it secures a meaningful international theatrical rollout.
However, several major details remain under wraps. The producers have not yet publicly confirmed the film’s release date, voice cast, budget or the complete list of international territories covered by the distribution agreement.
For now, the Apple Entertainment partnership gives ‘Lost In Mandala’ a stronger route towards cinemas and signals growing confidence in a Nepal-originated animated project with global aspirations.
