Singha Durbar

Singha Durbar is a Nepali television drama that imagines the tenure of the country's first fictional female Prime Minister, Asha Singh, as she works to build a system of governance rooted in transparency, accountability, and collaborative leadership. Named after the historic Singha Durbar government complex in Kathmandu, the serial uses the fictional administration as a lens to explore everyday challenges of public service, depicting a leader who tries to balance principle, pressure, and the practical work of running an office. The thirteen-episode series was directed by Tsering Rhitar Sherpa and produced by Yubakar Raj Rajkarnikar.

Each episode pairs the central drama of the Prime Minister's office with a distinct social theme, with storylines touching on issues such as gender equality, agriculture, labor migration, public health, and disaster preparedness. Rather than dramatize real parties or politicians, the show presents wholly fictional characters and situations, using them to model how officials, advisers, and citizens might collaborate to address shared problems. This structure lets the serial function as both a workplace drama set in the corridors of government and an episodic exploration of civic life.

Singha Durbar was a joint production of Search for Common Ground Nepal and Mila Productions, conceived as a media initiative intended to promote positive role models in governance and a culture of cooperation between officials and the public. Anchored by veteran actress Gauri Malla in the lead role, the program drew attention in Nepal for centering a woman at the head of a fictional government and for its sober, issue-driven approach to political storytelling. A follow-up season was later developed to continue the format.