Kathmandu

An oxygen concentrator greets you first as you enter his room in Mid Baneshwor. As you go inside, you are welcomed by an oxygen cylinder beside the bed. And lying on the bed with the oxygen pipes is 90-year-old Hari Prasad Rimal — the first singer of Radio Nepal, a prolific actor of both stage and screen, a director, and a lyricist.

“He used to walk up to the balcony and move downstairs until two years ago. But as his health is gradually degrading these days, he spends most of his time in bed. He can’t even hold a bowl while eating,” his wife Kalyani Rimal expresses as she leads the way to her husband who has been surviving on semi liquid food.

Hari Prasad is a patient of chronic bronchitis and prostate, and has been bedridden for last two years. “Due to his health condition, we are planning not to allow anyone to interview him in future. He has also started feeling irritated and disturbed lately — it is because of his old age. We must do what he feels comfortable,” Kalyani further reveals.

Famous for his songs such as Mero Mann Tukra Bhayera, Fagat Ek Nazaar Ma, Jaau Hami Baadal Paari, among others;

and for his acting in Nepali movies like Aama, Maanko Baandh, Pariwartan, Ke Ghar Ke Dera and Santaan among others,

Hari Prasad has contributed to cinema and music. His contribution to Nepali theatre is equally important.

Interviewing such a great personality would be an opportunity for anyone. But Hari Prasad’s poor health condition makes you feel like giving up the idea of interviewing him. But when Hari Prasad hears his wife saying, “Please get up, they have come for an interview,” the veteran artiste slowly opens his eyes and manages to sit on the bed where he has been sleeping.

“Ke sodhnuhunchha nani? (What do you want to ask?),” Hari Prasad murmurs adding, “I can’t speak for long.” And with his wife’s assistance, Hari Prasad — the man who has dedicated his decades of life to play, films and music — unravels his gripping and inspiring story.

Awards and honours

The walls of their sitting room are adorned with the awards Hari Prasad has received. Others, that could not accommodate here, lie on the book case in another room.

Of one of his special honours, Kalyani reveals, “Bishesh Sworna Padak was given by king Mahendra for his role in Ke Yeta

Ke Uta.”

Other felicitations include Nepal Chalachitra Kalakar Sangh Puraskar (1998), Indra Rajya Laxmi Puraskar (1985), Hiranya Kumari Karki Puraskar (1998) among various others for the contribution Hari Prasad made in the Nepali literary world.