Nanda Master’nka Chatasali directed by Pranab Aich

What did Pranab Aich say about his film?

Odia documentary hybrid Film Nanda Master’nka Chatasali (on popular free education icon Nanda Prusty, a recipient of Padma Shri 2021) directed by WPA Cannes 2009 winner Pranab Aich and produced by Abhaya Pati, a senior journalist in Odisha, has been selected to 15th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival which is to be held in New Delhi on 1st May 2025.

Pranab is a known name in documentaries with more than 50 film festival acclaim for his shorts. His films have travelled to film festivals like BJIFF, Durban, Tirana, Ekotop etc. He was also invited to Platform Busan 2024, a side bar of Busan International Film Festival as an emerging Asian filmmaker.

Nanda Master’nka Chatasali is a biographical hybrid documentary on popular free education icon Teacher Padma Shri Nanda Prusty which world premiered at the prestigious NETPAC Award Section of 29th Kolkata International Film Festival where it won special praise from the international jury and audiences. It was screened in Delhi’s prestigious 16th Habitat Film Festival on 8 May 2024. This is the debut film of both the director and producer.

The official trailer and poster of the film was unveiled at Bharat Pavillion in the 77th Cannes Film Festival, France. All were awestruck by the simplicity and achievements of Nanda Master. In November 2024, the film was selected to the Market Exclusive section of world’s oldest documentary festival DOK Leipzig, held in Germany.

The film is a docudrama where Nanda Prusty’s present life is captured in a span of 2 years while his past life is enacted by local non-actors. The film narrates this mystic teacher's struggle to sustain the last traditional roofless school called Chatasali and his service towards the poor.

While free education is at the heart of the story, this film explores the human quest to achieve salvation through service. The film was shot over two years covering the real life of Nanda Prusty in different seasons.

“Nanda Master’nka Chatasali is much more than a film. It’s an emotional experience, inspirational and a symbol of truthfulness, which teaches the true essence of life"