Nila Madhab Panda
Director & Producer
Nila Madhab Panda, who hails from a remote village in eastern Indian state of Odisha, is one of India's emerging generation of innovative young filmmakers.
A veteran of over 70 documentaries, short films, television drama (including 2 mega TV serials) and corporate & advertising films, Panda's new feature film "I am Kalam" (2010) has won a dozen of prestigious national and international awards. It has won him the best debut director nationally, three best feature film awards, three audience award and also two best actor prize.
Panda has also designed and implemented several IEC campaigns for Ministries, UN organisations and International NGOS which includes, female foeticide campaign, Right to education, Sanitation and drinking water.
"I am Kalam" also opened at the National Film School Week in London laste year. Panda was among the final three of "India's Creative Future" award in 2007 and received the "Longest Journey Award"from the British Council. He was a United Nations Media Fellow in 2003 and got the UK Film Fellowship in 2005. In 2010 he was also honoured with the "Excellence in Media" for his work in creating awareness against female foeticide. He also received the "Heroism in Cinematography" award in 2003.
Panda has made films for India's National Broadcaster Doordarshan (DD), BBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel and private producers across the globe.
At a very early stage in his career, the association with Barbara Brocolli (producer of James Bond films) and Robin Romanov gave him a window to make films that appeal widely all over the world.
His 14years of global experience in cinema, documentary and television has given him a strong understanding of contemporary storytelling methods. His films have won him various awards and he has served on the juries of several national and international film festivals.
Most of his films have subjects that deal with the society that he has lived in, during his long journey from a tribal village to metropolitan cities across the globe. Quite naturally, he specialise in family and children's cinema.
His idea of dealing with social issues in an entertaining way has been applauded widely in successful campaigns like the 100-plus-episode series "Atmajaa" on female foeticide and other related issues that was telecast on DD. In 1996, Panda founded Eleeanora Images, a production house, to produce diverse and cutting-edge films from India.
He also founded the "International Screenwriting Lab in India" in partnership with Performing Arts Lab, London, to create "quality family and children cinema scripts in Asian Cinema". The lab is funded by the British Council, the European Union Media International programme, EON production, Goethe Institute, Germany, Cinekid, Amsterdam, Children's Film society of India and HMV/ Saregama. It is a part of his movement for 'Indian new wave cinema', which is changing the face of Bollywood.
He has also served as the "Indian Creative Associate" for the UK Arts Council-funded Moti Roti 360 degrees 60x60 Secs programme. As part of this, 60 one-minute films were commissioned in Britain, India and Pakistan, to established and emerging artists from the South Asian Diaspora to present their personal perspective on what 'home and boundaries' mean to them.
Bidhu Bhushan Panda
Creative Producer
Associated with Eleeanora Images since its inception, Panda has been associate director and casting director of the much-awarded "I Am Kalam". With extensive experience of working in projects relating to various social issues, Panda worked as episode directorin"Atmajaa-born from the soul" ,asoap opera based on social issues like female foeticide, education of the girl child, child marriage, dowry, etc., telecast onDD NATIONAL.He also directed & edited "Winds Have Changed", a one-minute film on climate change, and a series of eightdocumentary films on fishery produced by UNDP. He has also directed a number of corporate films for government & private sector organisations and corporate houses, apart from having worked as associate director to feature film "JohDil Mein Hai" and a number of documentaries, and as an assistant director in feature films "Dhoop" (starring Om Puri, Revathy, Sanjay Suri and GulPanag), "Lado" (winner of National Award in 2002), "Humsaaya" and "Siskiyaan".
