Pranab K Aich
Directing
Biography
Pranab Kumar Aich is an Indian filmmaker and photographer from Odisha, India. He is the winner of the Sony World Photography Award in 2009 held in Cannes for his work on the environment. He is known for his multiple award-winning short documentary City's Step Child, Manayun My Wonderland, and Torch. His debut Odia feature film Nanda Master’nka Chatasali was nominated in Asian Select (NETPAC Award) in 29th Kolkata International Film Festival, 2023. Pranab studied Post Graduate Diploma in Photography and Visual Communication from A.J.K. Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He started his career in New Delhi working as a volunteer for NGOs like Goonj, American India Foundation and Manzil to gain an in-depth understanding of humanitarian issues. Later, he produced audio visual content on international developmental issues for NGOs. He enrolled for Post Graduate Diploma in Photography and Visual Communication from A.J.K. Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. In 2009, while studying in AJKMCRC, he became the first Indian Student to win Sony World Photography Award held in Cannes where he was trained by legends in documentary photography like Mary Allen Mark, Susan Welchman, Adrian Evens. He was recently invited to Busan International Film Festival, 2024 to participate in Platform Busan, a sidebar of the festival, which hosts emerging talented filmmakers from around the world. His short documentary films, Manayun: My Wonderland and Torch won the prestigious 34th Odisha State Film Awards, 2022 in Best Documentary Film and Special Jury Award respectively. His first Odia feature film Nanda Master’nka Chatasali was selected in DOK Market Exclusives of 67th DOK Leipzig, 2024 which made it the one and only Odia language film to feature in the prestigious film festival.
Known For
A coming-of-age journey of an inherent minimalist, who struggles to preserve one of India's last traditional open-air schools called Chatasali. This documentary delves into the life of a mystic teacher, centenarian Nanda Prusty, an ordinary Indian villager who gave free education to the poor for more than 70 years. Transforming from an actor to a teacher, Prusty's narrative extends across three generations, marked by his unwavering commitment to selflessly serve his village on a profound spiritual path. Just before his unexpected death, at the age of 103, he eventually came to limelight after receiving Padma Shri, India's prominent civilian award.
Nanda Master'nka Chatasali
The documentary film is set in a remote village near the famous Konark temple in India, on the life of a poor farmer's son who is amazed by the advent of technology in their lives after the arrival of a steel torch to their home.
Torch
Unlike the many rag pickers working at this Dump Hill(Land Fill) in Delhi, young Devendra is committed to collect electronic waste discarded from our homes, in an attempt to create machines. Even the carcinogenic gases emitting from this hill have not been able to poison his engineering dreams.
City's Step Child and The Dump Hill Dreams
A man who is the guard at a grave yard take care of Ajitnath, urban blind boy, his only hope , he leave sin the field with his uncle but none is able to find treatment for his eyes. in 13min documentary set around the outskirts of Pune, India about the story of a homeless orphan child dreaming to join school by overcoming his blindness.
I have a colored dream
A Tribal teacher struggle to establish a village school amidst a forest in the Kalahandi district of Odisha, India
Manayun: My Wonderland
Like every day Delhi Street life, everyone running late for office and mentally drained, an office going man gets stuck in a never-ending traffic jam that feels uncomfortably close to his own messy life. As drivers shout and blame each other, the city quietly fills with SMOG—everyone contributing, no one owning it. In a small but telling moment of clarity, when we are entangled in our egos leading to a dead end, a simple ignored choice might give way to an infinite change.