Music Nepal Launches First ‘Dolby Atmos’ Studio with 100 Million Investment

Kathmandu. With the aim of elevating the technical quality of the Nepali film and music industry to a world-class level, 'Music Nepal' has launched the country’s first Dolby Atmos-certified post-production studio.

Music Nepal, a company that has dominated the Nepali music scene for four decades, constructed this state-of-the-art studio in Pingalasthan, Gaushala, with an investment of approximately 100 million rupees (10 Crore).

The formal inauguration of 'Music Nepal Audio Visual' took place on Friday in the presence of Dinesh DC, Chairman of the Film Development Board, as the chief guest. Senior artists Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya attended as special guests, alongside Music Nepal Chairman Santosh Sharma.

The special guests, Shrestha and Acharya, formally inaugurated the Dolby Atmos studio by lighting a traditional lamp.

This studio, which becomes fully operational today, Saturday, is the first major project expanded by Dolby in South Asia outside of India.

Music Nepal's Dolby-certified studio is one of only ten such limited studios in South Asia. It is the first Dolby Atmos sound mixing studio in Nepal.

The studio's standout feature is its 32.1 Dolby Atmos configuration. The term '32.1' refers to the number of speaker channels used in the system, specifically 32 speaker channels plus one subwoofer (LFE) channel.

While standard 5.1 or 7.1 sound systems only provide surround sound, the 32.1 Dolby Atmos technology makes the audience feel as though they are inside the sound. It creates a '3D' effect through 32 different channels and powerful subwoofers, allowing sound to move overhead, forward, backward, and all around. While watching a film, experiences like rain falling, birds flying, or a helicopter approaching from multiple directions feel realistic.

This studio is the first major project expanded by Dolby in South Asia after India. It ranks among the ten best limited studios in South Asia, promising to provide Nepali audiences with the same 'immersive' experience found in big Hollywood and Bollywood films.

For the setup of this studio, legendary Bollywood sound engineer Daman Sood, Dolby India Director Sameer Seth, and Senior Engineer Bharat Reddy came to Kathmandu. Daman Sood is a renowned figure who has added magical sound to films by Yash Chopra, Karan Johar, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Sood remarked, "This studio is not just a pile of equipment; it is futuristic. Built with a target for the next 10 years, this studio has the potential to take Nepali films to the Oscars and its music to the Grammy Awards."

Studio Rooms Named After Mountains

To provide a touch of Nepali identity, the various rooms of the studio have been named after five mountains higher than 8,000 meters and the national bird.

• Sagarmatha Room: Dolby Atmos Mixing 
• Manaslu Room: Multi-purpose room 
• Annapurna and Lhotse: Editing and Mixing Suite 
• Dhaulagiri: Recording and Control Room 
• Danphe: DI (Digital Intermediary) Room

Golden Opportunity for Filmmakers: Up to 50% Discount

To improve the sound quality of Nepali films, which is often considered a weak point, Music Nepal has announced special concessions for filmmakers. According to Music Nepal Chairman Santosh Sharma, a 50 percent discount will be given to the first three clients who book the studio. Similarly, a 25 percent discount is available for everyone using the services until January 31.

"We took this risk because we felt that the sound effects in Nepali films were not at the level they should be," Sharma said. "Now that it is certified by Dolby, the sound quality of Hollywood and Nepal will be equal."

He stated that as it is a Dolby-certified studio, international-level sound quality will be achieved here. Regarding the quality, he added, "For Dolby, the sound level here and in Hollywood must be equal. Dolby has already certified it, which is a huge achievement."

It was informed that editing, DI, recording, and pre-mixing will all be done at the studio. "All post-production work for films will happen here. All work following the completion of shooting will be handled," said Music Nepal Chairman Sharma.

Beyond equipment, to prepare skilled technicians, Dolby engineer Bharat Reddy has already provided special training to 20 Nepali sound engineers in collaboration with the Film Development Board. This is expected to end the compulsion of having to travel abroad for the post-production of Nepali films in the future.

Bharat Reddy's name is associated with famous films like Three Idiots, Saiyara, Pushpa, Sitare Zameen Par, Thama, Dhurandhar, and the upcoming Toxic. He is a Dolby Certified Trainer.