Nila Madhab Panda
Encyclopedia
Nila Madhab Panda is a film maker and director from Subarnapur district of Orissa
. Nila Madhab Panda’s I Am Kalam
has won many national and international awards.
of Orissa
. His mother name was Maya Panda and father name was Aditya Prasad Panda. He has three sisters and one brother. His primary education was in the village school which didn't have proper building and for upper primary he had to walk 8 km daily. He studied at the Ulunda High School which is 9 km away from his home, So he had to go by cycle. He also studied Entrepreneurship at IIM Bangalore.
, Saregama, the European Union Media International Programme, EON Productions
, Goethe Institute in Germany, Cinekid in Amsterdam, Children’s Film Society, India. It's a result of his focused efforts, that has started off a sort of a movement towards creating New Wave Indian Cinema, which is changing the very face of Bollywood
. He also is the Indian Creative Associate for the UK Arts Council funded 'Moti Roti 360 Degrees'.
He has produced and directed over 70 shorts, documentaries, television drama and films for national broadcasters, the BBC, Discovery Channel, NGC and private producers. His films have won him several awards. He has also served on the juries of several national and international film festivals. Most of his films have unique insights drawn from his life, which has been a long journey from a village based in a tribal area of India, to metropolitan cities across the globe. A story he encountered while shooting for a documentary, which later on went to take on the shape of a Feature Film called I Am Kalam
, is all set for release early this year. The film is a new wave world cinema from India. The film has already been highly appreciated by global audiences, with the international distribution channels giving it high priority, and is in competition in 16 international film festivals, including BFI London Film Festival, Asia Pacific Screen Awards
and the International Film Festival of India
in Goa. His movie I Am Kalam
is selected for screening at Silent River Film Festival, USA.
Apart from his films and numerous awards, he has also received a UK Film Fellowship and United Nations Media Fellowship, and has been awarded by the British Council's Creative Futures Programme in 2007.
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. Nila Madhab Panda’s I Am Kalam
I Am Kalam
I Am Kalam is a Bollywood film directed by Nila Madhab Panda. The plot revolves around Chhotu, a poor Rajasthani boy, who is inspired by the life of the former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. and his strong desire to learn to read. The character of Chhotu has been performed by Harsh...
has won many national and international awards.
Early life
Nila Madhab Panda, who hails from Dasharaj Pur, SonepurSonepur
Sonepur, also known as Subarnapur, is a town and district headquarters of Subarnapur district of Orissa. Sonepur was formerly the capital of a princely state of British India. The district spreads over an area of 2284.89 km2. It is also known as Second Varanasi of India for its cluster of...
of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. His mother name was Maya Panda and father name was Aditya Prasad Panda. He has three sisters and one brother. His primary education was in the village school which didn't have proper building and for upper primary he had to walk 8 km daily. He studied at the Ulunda High School which is 9 km away from his home, So he had to go by cycle. He also studied Entrepreneurship at IIM Bangalore.
Career
In 1998 Madhab founded Eleeanora Images, a multimedia production house producing diverse and cutting edge films from India. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of the India Screenwriting Lab, which focuses on creating quality scripts for Indian Cinema, with the British CouncilBritish Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, Saregama, the European Union Media International Programme, EON Productions
EON Productions
Eon Productions is a film production company known for producing the James Bond film series. The company is based in London's Piccadilly and also operates from Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom...
, Goethe Institute in Germany, Cinekid in Amsterdam, Children’s Film Society, India. It's a result of his focused efforts, that has started off a sort of a movement towards creating New Wave Indian Cinema, which is changing the very face of Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
. He also is the Indian Creative Associate for the UK Arts Council funded 'Moti Roti 360 Degrees'.
He has produced and directed over 70 shorts, documentaries, television drama and films for national broadcasters, the BBC, Discovery Channel, NGC and private producers. His films have won him several awards. He has also served on the juries of several national and international film festivals. Most of his films have unique insights drawn from his life, which has been a long journey from a village based in a tribal area of India, to metropolitan cities across the globe. A story he encountered while shooting for a documentary, which later on went to take on the shape of a Feature Film called I Am Kalam
I Am Kalam
I Am Kalam is a Bollywood film directed by Nila Madhab Panda. The plot revolves around Chhotu, a poor Rajasthani boy, who is inspired by the life of the former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. and his strong desire to learn to read. The character of Chhotu has been performed by Harsh...
, is all set for release early this year. The film is a new wave world cinema from India. The film has already been highly appreciated by global audiences, with the international distribution channels giving it high priority, and is in competition in 16 international film festivals, including BFI London Film Festival, Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the State Government of Queensland, Australia, through Events Queensland, to honour and promote the films, actors, directors, and cultures of Asia-Pacific to a global audience and to realise the objectives of UNESCO to...
and the International Film Festival of India
International Film Festival of India
The International Film Festival of India , founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually in the beach town of Goa, in the Western Coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excellence of...
in Goa. His movie I Am Kalam
I Am Kalam
I Am Kalam is a Bollywood film directed by Nila Madhab Panda. The plot revolves around Chhotu, a poor Rajasthani boy, who is inspired by the life of the former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. and his strong desire to learn to read. The character of Chhotu has been performed by Harsh...
is selected for screening at Silent River Film Festival, USA.
Apart from his films and numerous awards, he has also received a UK Film Fellowship and United Nations Media Fellowship, and has been awarded by the British Council's Creative Futures Programme in 2007.
Honors
- United Nations Visual Media fellowship (2002)
- Heroism in Cinematography (2003) THP, New York.
- UK Film Fellowship (2005).
- Creative Futures of India (2006) (Longest Journey award) by British Council.
- Excellence in media (2010) for fighting the cause Female foeticide.
- Aravindan Puraskaram best debut director award for I Am KalamI Am KalamI Am Kalam is a Bollywood film directed by Nila Madhab Panda. The plot revolves around Chhotu, a poor Rajasthani boy, who is inspired by the life of the former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. and his strong desire to learn to read. The character of Chhotu has been performed by Harsh...
of 2011.
Feature Films
- I Am KalamI Am KalamI Am Kalam is a Bollywood film directed by Nila Madhab Panda. The plot revolves around Chhotu, a poor Rajasthani boy, who is inspired by the life of the former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. and his strong desire to learn to read. The character of Chhotu has been performed by Harsh...
(2011) - The Woman from Georgia (USA, under production)
- +ve, -ve (on hiv/aids, Under production)
Documentaries
- Swajaldhara (8 min Hindi)- On rural water supply in India and Panchayats involvement, for Ministry of Rural development and WHO.
- Water - our lifeline (7 min Hindi and English) - A launching film “fresh water year 2005” by Ministry of Rural development, GOI.
- Smile again (25 min English) - On rehabilitation of orphan children in an innovative way by district administration of Ganjam, Orissa, Government of Orissa.
- Desert rose (15 min each in English) - A two parts film discovering the perennial new water sources in the desert of Rajasthan, India. For Development Alternatives.
- Anukampan (20 min English and Oriya) - On disaster preparedness in Orissa. Disaster Mitigation Authority and Orissa Government.
- Hope again(21min English) - On the rehabilitation and recovery after super cyclone 1999 in Orissa. Government of Orissa and UNDP.
- Hum Hongekamyab (20 min English) - On the youth and adolescence activism on health. For Creche, NGO
- 21st century folktale - Bonda tribe (21 min English) - On the indigenous tribe Bonda, whose population was stagnant for past many decades because of high infant mortality and maternal mortality rate, which is growing now after an initiative by an NGO, for Action Aid.
- Hope rekindles (18 min English) - On one of the biggest success story of 100% sanitation area (Nandigram II) in West Bengal. For Ministry of Rural Development, GOI, Rajiv Gandhi Drinking water Mission and WHO.
- Climate’s first Orphans (22 min English and Hindi) - A film on the impact of climate change in India, UK High commission and Discovery channel.
- Ab Desh Chalana Hey (8 min Hindi) - On women empowerment and women in panchayats of India. Ministry panchayati raj, GOI and the hunger project.
- I Dare to Dream (28 min English) - A film on the children works in railway lines of India.
- Brick by Brick (17 min English) - A film on low-cost housing in disaster-prone areas.
- Letter to Ma (UN Fellowship film) (21 min English) - A film on the usage of information technology in rural areas of India.
- Sankalpa (18 min English and Oriya) - On sanitation movement in India.
- ShikshaYatra - On the massive education movement in India by KailashSatyarthi.
- Breezing Sandunes (17 min English) - On the developmental work by CECODECON.
- Dancing in times (20 min each in English)- A series of four-part documentary on the dances of Kalahandi area of Orissa
- Angaan Angaan Kilkari (16 min each) - A two-part docudrama on adolescence.
- Samaya Sagara Tire - 50 years completion of Hirakud Dam.
- Boond - Panchayat and Gram Shabha’s involvement in community-based work in villages for UNDP and government.
- Faces of history - On 50 years of India’s Independence.
- Swavimaaan - On the success of self-help group in India
- Chilika - Gets a new lease of life, government of Orissa.
- Konark - Ministry of Tourism Advertisement and corporate film.
- We will grow - On Rural development
- A heart for art - A film on the government efforts to preserve traditional folk art in Orissa.
Television
- Atmajaa (Hindi TV serial 52 episodes) The story of this television series revolves around protagonist Mamta, a woman who was coerced by her husband and Mother in law to abort her girl child after the sex of the fetus had been forcibly determined through an ultrasound. But Mamta had secretly managed to save her baby girl who was given up for adoption by the doctor who delivered her. Six years later history repeated itself, as Mamta got pregnant again. But this time she left her husband’s home to save her second child and search for her first daughter. The first phase of the series concluded with Mamta finding her daughter, Atmajaa, in an orphanage and Mamta’s husband realizing his mistake and giving himself up to the law under the PNDT Act. It has also showcased Panchayat’s involvement and gramsabha. For Ministry of Health and Family welfare, GOI and Plan International, USAID and SIDA.
- Chiraag (Hindi TV serial of 26 episodes) Village drama on gender and politics. For Ministry of Health and Family welfare, GOI and the Embassy of the Netherlands.
Short Films
- Lali’s world (40 min Oriya)- Story of Lali, who was withdrawn from the school as the father could not effort to continue. It’s Lali’s struggle to go to school. For Govt of Orissa and UNDP
- Kinara (40 min Hindi) - On male participation in contraception in India. For Ministry of Health and family welfare, GOI and PFI.
- Pahel (7 min Hindi)- On different procedure of contraception, for Population services International.
- Chupee (40 min) - The story revolves around a young school teacher, Jasmine, in a local school in Goa. She is haunted by memories of the sexual abuse and subsequent suicide of her kid sister. A shy withdrawn girl in her class, Khushi, reminds her of her dead sister, who she eventually be friends. For Govt of Orissa and UNDP.
- Atmajaa (30 min) - The pressure on Ruchi the daughter-in-law of the rich Munjal household and Urmila the maid, to go in for the medical termination of their pregnancies when both of them have conceived girls. The ultimate voice of the film is Dr. Suranya Kumar, Ruchi’s sister-in-law and Urmila’s employer. For Ministry of Health and Family welfare, GOI and Plan International, USAID and SIDA.
Corporate films and Public service advertising
- 3 TV spot on female foeticide For Ministry of Health and Family welfare, GOI and Plan International.
- 2 Animation TV spot on sanitation in Hindi, for Ministry of Rural development and WHO.
- 6 TV spot in Hindi, for Ministry of Rural development and WHO.
- 3 TV spot on No scalpel vasectomy, for Ministry of Health and Family welfare and PFI.
- 2 TV spot on Birth spacing.
- 4 TVC on right to education, with Unesco, care India, save the children fun and Ministry of human resources development.
- Corporate films for Wapcos(2 Films), Times, Michelin tyre, NIIT, Allahbad bank.