Nila Madhab Panda

Nila Madhab Panda (born 18 October 1973) is an Indian film producer and director. Panda has directed and produced over 70 films, documentaries, and shorts^[1] based on social issues, such as climate change, child labor, education, water issues, sanitation and other developmental issues in India.^[2] Many of his films are based on his own experiences. He has won several awards and received critical acclaim for his films which have been described as "entertaining yet socially relevant."^[3][4]

Nila Madhab Panda
Born	(1973-10-18) 18 October 1973 (age 51) Sonepur, Odisha, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation(s)	Filmmaker, director
Years active	1998 – present
Spouse	Barnali Rath Panda
Children	Aatman Panda
Honours	Padma Shri (2016)

Early life

Panda, an Indian filmmaker and entrepreneur, was born in Dasharajpur Village, located in the Subarnapur District of western Odisha, India, as the youngest of five siblings. Panda's education in a rural village posed challenges due to the lack of a proper school building, forcing him to walk 4-9 km daily to get to school. In 1995, after failing to complete his education, Panda relocated to Delhi and found work as a camera attendant, his first experience in the film industry. Panda also studied Entrepreneurship at IIM Bangalore.^[5]

Career

Nila Madhab Panda is an Odia director and producer involved in making Hindi films, documentaries, short films and public service advertising campaigns.^[6] He has served on the juries of national and international film festivals, such as International Film Festival of India (IFFI).^[7] He started his career by assisting director Robin Romanov and producer Barbara Broccoli.

His first feature film I Am Kalam won 34 international awards along with a national award.^[8][9] His second feature film Jalpari (Desert Mermaid) received the MIP Junior award at Cannes.^[10] His project Kadvi Hawa (Dark wind) was critically acclaimed and received a national award.^[11][12] This is one of the first films that brought climate change into Indian cinema.^{[citation needed]} His feature-length documentary God's own people narrated by Amitabh Bachchan connects between people's faith with tree and God.^[13]

Halkaa (Relief), a musical film with children, narrates a story about the Swachhata Abhiyaan (Clean India Mission) and the importance of sanitation. It won Best Film at the Grand Prix in Poland.^[14] In February 2021, Panda announced that his First Odia language film Kalira Atita had been submitted to the Oscars 2021 in the General Category and was available for Academy screening.^[15] However, the film did not make the cut for Oscar nominations.^[16]

Direction

Feature films

Year	Title	Credited as			Notes	Ref(s)
		Director	Producer	Writer
2002	Swajaldhara	Yes	Yes		Documentary	[17]
2005	Climates First Orphans	Yes	Yes		Documentary	[17][18]
2010	I am Kalam	Yes		Yes		[19]
2012	Jalpari	Yes				[20]
2014	Babloo Happy Hai	Yes	Yes			[21]
2015	Kaun Kitne Paani Mein	Yes	Yes	Yes		[22]
2016	God's Own People	Yes			Documentary	[23]
2017	Kadvi Hawa	Yes	Yes	Yes		[24]
2018	Halkaa	Yes	Yes			[25][26]
2019	Biju Babu		Yes
2020	Kalira Atita	Yes	Yes			Odia film
2023	The Jengaburu Curse	Yes		Yes	TV series on SonyLIV

Film awards

• Jalpari won MIP Junior award for best film, 2012, Cannes^[10]
• Viewers' Choice award at IFFLA, 2011
• Best Feature Film (I am Kalam) in Chicago International Children's Film Festival, 2011^[27]
• People's Choice Award at the Montreal International Children's Film Festival, 2011^{[citation needed]}
• Best Feature Film award at Silent River Film Festival (SRFF), California, 2011^{[citation needed]}
• Best Director award at Silent River Film Festival (SRFF), California, 2011^{[citation needed]}
• Winner of the Don Quixote Prize of the International Cine Club Federations at the Lucas International Film Festival, Germany, 2010^[28]
• Winner of "Best feature film" at the Lucas International Film Festival, Frankfurt 2010^[28]
• "Special Jury mention" CineKid International Film Festivals 2010^{[citation needed]}
• "International Jury's Special Mention" at the Ale Kino International Film Festival, Poland 2010^{[citation needed]}
• Bronze Cairo for Best Feature at Cairo International Film Festival for Children, Cairo, 2012^{[citation needed]}
• The Prize of the International Center of Films For Children & Young People (CIFEJ) at the Cairo International Film Festival for Children, Cairo, 2012^{[citation needed]}
• Winner of "Best feature film" from the Indian Panorama by the Young Jury at the 41st International, Film Festival of India 2010^{[citation needed]}
• Best Debut Director – Aravindam Purashkaram, 2011^[29]
• Golden Elephant Award for the Best Screenplay at 17th International Children's Film Festival, India,2011^{[citation needed]}
• Best Feature Film in CMS International Film Festival, 2011^{[citation needed]}
• "Audience Favorite choice" at the Barbican London Children Film Festival 2010^{[citation needed]}
• Audience Favorite at Barbican London Children's Film Festival, 2011^{[citation needed]}
• Best Feature Film, Dream Fest – Slatina, 2012^{[citation needed]}
• Best Film (Halkaa) at the Grand Prix in Poland, 2018^[14]

Other awards and recognition

• Padma Shri, 2016^[30]
• British Council - Creative Futures of India 2006 (Longest Journey award)^{[citation needed]}
• UK Environment Film Fellowship 2005^{[citation needed]}
• Heroism in Cinematography, 2003 THP, New York^{[citation needed]}
• "Excellence in media" for fighting the cause female foeticide^{[citation needed]}
• United Nations Visual Media fellowship 2002^{[citation needed]}
• "Odisha icon" 2011^{[citation needed]}
• "Living Legend" 2012^{[citation needed]}
• "Son of Odisha" 2012^{[citation needed]}
• "Bharat Gaurav (India's pride)" 2015^{[citation needed]}
• Asia Pacific entrepreneurship award^{[citation needed]}
• Karmaveer Purasakar^{[citation needed]}
• 2021 - Jury member at 52nd International Film Festival of India, Goa 2021^[31]

References

1. "Nila Madhab Panda - Times of India". The Times of India. 24 November 2016. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
2. "Nila Madhab Panda - Filmography". Art House Cinema. 28 January 2022. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
3. "Nila Madhab Panda's next film is on climate change - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
4. "blowing-the-wind-of-change". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
5. Shukla, Anuradha. "B-School Brigade On Untrodden Paths". BW Businessworld. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
6. "Climate's First Orphans". YouTube. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
7. "IFFI Jury - Press Release". Government of India - PIB. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
8. "I Am Kalam Awards". IMDb. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
9. "I Am Kalam Review". Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
10. "'Jalpari' wins award at Cannes". www.indiatvnews.com. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
11. Prachitara (7 April 2017). "Nila Madhab Panda's Kadvi Hawa bags National Film Award". Odisha Bytes. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
12. Rajpal, Seema (29 December 2017). "Why you have to watch Nila Madhab Panda's climate change film Kadvi Hawa ASAP". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
13. Bal, Sandip (25 October 2016). "Bachchan's Voice for Nabakalebara Documentary". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
14. "Nila Madhab Panda's Halkaa bags best film Grand Prix in Poland". Hindustan Times. 10 June 2018. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
15. Balachandran, Logesh (20 February 2021). "Nila Madhab's Odia film Kalira Atita joins Oscars race. Details here". India Today. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
16. "Odia Film 'Kalira Atita' Out Of Oscars 2021 Race". Odisha Bytes. 16 March 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
17. Panicker, Anahita (23 November 2017). "We deserve every kind of cinema". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
18. "Climate's First Orphans, from : British Council India". Culture Unplugged. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
19. "I Am Kalam Director to Receive Padma Shri, Says It's an 'Achievement'". NDTV. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
20. "Panda's 'Jalpari-The Desert Mermaid' wins in Singapore". The Times of India. 19 June 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
21. "Babloo Happy Hai: I am not selling sex and vulgarity, says director". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 September 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
22. "'Kaun Kitne Paani Mein' is a satire: Director Nila Madhab Panda". The Indian Express. 26 August 2015. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
23. "Odia filmaker Nila Madhab's documentary 'God's Own People' to be screened at Cannes". DNA India.^{[dead link‍]}
24. "Kadvi Hawa director wants people to be conscious about environment". Hindustan Times. 10 August 2017. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
25. "Nila Madhab Panda's Halkaa heads to Montreal for world premiere". Mid-Day. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
26. "Nila Madhab Panda's 'Halkaa' wins top honour at FIFEM fest". Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
27. "28th ANNUAL CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL 2011 AWARDS" (PDF). festival.facets.org/awards. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
28. "I am Kalam wins Best Feature Film award at Lucas Film Festival | Smile Foundation". www.smilefoundationindia.org. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
29. "Aravindan Puraskaram for Nila Panda". The New Indian Express. The New Indian Express. 23 February 2011. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
30. PrameyaNews7. "Odisha's Nila Madhab Panda and Kosli poet Haldhar Nag chosen for Padma Shri Award". Prameya News7. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
31. "Martin Scorsese, Istvan Szabo to be honoured at Iffi 2021". Times of India. 23 October 2021. Archived from the original on 15 July 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2021.

External links

• Nila Madhab Panda at IMDb
• Nila Madhab Panda on Twitter
• Smile Foundation India