03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Film on centenarian teacher's life wins best docu award at Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival
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Kendrapada: A
documentary
on centenarian teacher
Nanda Kishore Prusty
, '
Nanda Mastraanka Chatasali
' (village school of Nanda sir), has won the best documentary award at the 15th
Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival
. The 90-minute documentary, directed by Pranab Kumar Aich and produced by Abhaya Pati, was chosen for the award from 700 entries.
The film portrays the life of Padma Shri awardee Prusty, who taught students for free in Jajpur district's Kantira village for over 70 years. "The film explores the human quest for salvation through service, focusing on Nanda sir's struggle to preserve one of India's last traditional open-air schools, known as chatasali," said Aich. The documentary blends real footage shot over two years with dramatised sequences using local non-actors to depict Prusty's early life.
Prusty started teaching in 1946 and was honoured with the Padma Shri on Nov 9, 2021. He died on Dec 7 the same year at 103. The documentary has earned international recognition, premiering at the NETPAC section of the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival and was screened at the 16th Habitat Film Festival, Delhi.
Its trailer and poster were also unveiled at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Director Aich, who has received over 50 film festival awards, hopes for a theatrical release in Odisha and for the film to be declared tax-free.
