How common is the 'Bhasa' variation in Pokhara vs Kathmandu?

I'm preparing for a first conversation with a native speaker who is from a village near Pokhara. I’ve been learning standard Nepali (Khas Kura) through textbooks, but I’m worried about regional variants. Will people look at me sideways if I use the 'standard' pronunciation, or is it better to just stick to the formal version until I'm more confident?