Prashanta Nanda Biography

Prashanta Nanda is an Indian National Award-winning veteran actor, director and political leader from the state of Odisha. He worked in the Odia film industry as an actor, director, screenplay writer, lyricist and playback singer. Mr. Nanda also acted and directed in the Hindi and Bengali movie industry. During his film career, he has given a lot of super hit blockbuster movies to the Odia film fraternity. Currently, Nanda is a Member of Parliament at Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, for Odisha. Also, he was a former minister in Odisha state.

Early Life And Education

Prashanta Nanda was born in Cuttack, Odisha, on 2nd May 1947 in a well educated Odia family to Shri Jagannath Nanda and Shrimati Kanchan Nanda. He showed an interest in acting by participating in different dramas from his schooling time. He also performed in a children’s program named Sisu Sansar at Cuttack’s Akaash Vaani with the character name Bulu. 

Along with his acting, he was also very bright in his studies. He did his schooling at Ravenshaw Collegiate School. Later, Prashant Nanda did his B.Sc. at Ravenshaw College, M.A. and Ph.D at Utkal University, LL.B. at M.S. Law College, and have D.Litt. from MIT University, Pune.

Career In Films

Such a versatile genius like Prashant Nanda is quite rare. He is an actor, director, screenplay writer, lyricist and playback singer. He started his acting career from an early young age as a young actor. While the young Prasant was performing in a drama at Kala Vikash Kendra, one of the film producers of that time named Kaviraj Krushna Chandra arrived there. The director was looking for a teenage young actor for the movie Dasyu Ratnakar, and he chose Prasant Nanda after seeing his performance. 

In an interview, Prashant Nanda shared his beginning journey in the film industry. He shared, “I started my career when I was very young and had no idea what was happening in the film industry. I just did what I was told by my director and seniors.” 

As Actor

In 1962, he debuted as a lead actor with the movie Nua Bou which later got the National Award for best feature Odia film. As an actor, Prasant Nanda witnessed his three movies, Nua Bou (1962), Matira Manisha (1966) and Adina Megha (1970), three times National Award within just eight years. These movies he did under different veteran directors like Prabhat Mukharjee, Mrinal Sen, Amit Maitra. In his acting period, he also acted with many veteran co-actors like Sharat pujari, Md. Mohasin, Hemant Das, Dhira Biswal, Uttam Mohanty, Dukhiram Swain, Bijay Mohanty, Ajit Das and many more.

As Director

As a director, Prashanta Nanda gave a lot of great movies to the film industry, which reflects his style of cinematic craft. The 1976 movie Sesha Srabana was his directorial debut, where the versatile actress Mahesweta Ray made her debut with the movie. Mr. Nanda said before Sesha Srabana, he had already started his direction with the movie Mamata, but due to his younger age, the producer suggested not to disclose his name. Movies like, Sesa Srabana, Hisab Nikas, Balidaan, Swapna Sagara, Maa O Mamata, Dora are some of his milestone classics for odia film industry.

Prashant Nanda directed many movies by collaborating with different actors and actresses from different generations, where Ajit Das, Uttam Mohanty, Mahesweta Ray, Sidhant Mohapatra, Babushan will be counted. But, with Sidhant Mohapatra, director Nanda gave eight all-time blockbuster movies to Ollywood. He also directed several Hindi and Bengali movies like, Naiyya, Pahali, Grahasthi, Lal Pan Bibi, etc.

As Film Writer

Prashant Nanda is also very good in the department of writing. He has written many film stories, Screenplay, Dialogues, lyrics of many hit songs. His working style towards the film and it’s story is different from other directors and writers. He always preferred to write his film dialogue at the last moment. It means on the location or shooting set according to the location and the available resources. 

According to him, a film’s script and dialogue should always be updated. That’s why he never provides film dialogues to his artist, only the one-liner concepts. Movies like Ghara Sansar, Kandhei, Golamgiri, Dora, etc. are some of the examples of his writing.

As Music Director And Playback Singer

Prasant Nanda is also a very good music director. He gave music compositions in movies like, Ghara Sansar, Loot Tara, etc. He has also sings some number of songs in movies like, Jaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu, Hira Moti Manika, Bahu Heba Emiti, etc.

Some Of His Unique Movies

In the Odia film industry, Prashanta Nanda is very well known for his versatile skills in the movie-making process. In his film career, he produced a lot of superhit movies by his cinematic craft and from that list, there are some movies with a lot of stories.

Sesha Shrabana

When Prasant Nanda wanted to start his directorial career with the movie Sesha Shrabana, no one believed him that he could also direct a film. So most of the producers refused to collaborate with the project. But anyhow, Mr. Prashant got a production house named Shri Jagannath Films and started shooting by introducing the debutant actress Mahesweta Ray opposite of him in lead roles. 

When the movie is completed, the direction, casting, screenplay, performance, music, etc. everything liked by the audience. It did very well at the box office collection and also got the National Award for best feature Odia film. The whole Odia film industry was surprised by the debut director’s work. Sonia and Manika‘s Character duo is still remembered in the industry.

Suraj R. Barjatya from Rajshri Productions, when saw this movie, he approached Prashant Nanda to direct this film in Hindi. It is the only Odia movie remade in Hindi as Naiyya, released in 1979. It was directed by Prashant Nanda and also acted as the lead character alongside Zareena Wahab and the veteran actor Amrish Puri. 

The whole shooting of the movie Naiyya was done in the Odisha’s bank of Mahanadi area. The film’s music was given by the legendary musician Ravindra Jain, especially the song Ooo.. Goriya Re.. Tere Ane Se Saj Gayi… Ye Tuti Futi Nao.. was an evergreen hit song.

Balidan

The 1957 film Mother India is Prashant Nanda’s favourite film. He often saw that film, and inspired by that, he decided to make that kind of film in Odia but with a regional people’s story. As a result, in 1978, he made a film named Balidan, and he was the writer of that story, dialogues, screenplay. Also, he acted in lead roles along with other co-stars like Ajit Das, Hemant Das, Dukhiram Swain, Sujata Anand and Md. Mohsin etc.

Also, the music and lyrics of that movie were so unique that given by Prafulla Kar. Especially the song Bahi Jaye Re Ganga …. Ude Teeranga was so patriotic, describing the class barrier and other problems of the society.

Matira Manisha

Matira Manisha was a national award-winning film adapted from the novel written by Kalindi Charan Panigrahi. The story revolves around the life of two brothers with unmatched values and their conflict relating to their inherited property. 

The plot explores human relationships, with the themes between two ideologies of Gandhian and Marxist, post-war social conditions, rural life and traditional family values. The film’s music was composed by Akshay Mohanty, which still has its charm in the fans.

In an interview, Prashant Nanda reveals, “I always wanted to work in socially relevant films, and I got an opportunity to do so by Godʼs grace. In 1966 I acted as one of the lead actors in Mrinal Senʼs Matira Manisha. That gave me the experience to understand how socially committed films are made. 

Matira Manisha was an eye-opener. I tried to evaluate myself as an artist and determine whether I was a puppet or my own master. Working with Mrinal Sen gave me the confidence to become a director. Itʼs like a child who has all the respect for his parents but wants to be recognised as an individual in his own right.”  

Maa O Mamata

From childhood, Prasant Nanda had shown his writing skills. While he studied in 9th standard, he wrote a story based upon a love story in a diary. One day his mother got that dairy and got disturbed by reading that dairy. She worried about the young Prashant, and both parents punished him for that.

Later, in 1980 Prashant Nanda made a movie named Maa O Mamata, where he was the lead actor along with Mahesweta Ray, Hemant Das and Anita Das. Also, he was the director and writer of that movie. The movie was a blockbuster at the box office, and everyone appreciated the film. 

His father never saw his films, but by hearing a lot of appreciation from everyone’s mouth, he asked Prasant Nanda about the movie and showed interest to watch it. After that, Mr. Nanda showed him that movie. When his father saw that movie, he was surprised and asked where he found this kind of brilliant story and how he managed the all direction, writing, and acting flawlessly. 

In reply, Prasanta said, the story was the same as what he had written in that dairy in his childhood for which they had punished him and hid that dairy. After that, his father got emotional with happiness and told him, “As a parent, sometimes we behave more protective towards our children, and we never want our child to go the wrong way but it is difficult to find what talents our child has gifted by god”.

Also, while sharing about this movie Mr. Nanda has shared one of the songs ‘Jane Radha Jane Meera‘ and some parts of the film with the veteran Bollywood actor Raj Kapoor. Later, the song lyrics and theme of the movie Maa O Mamata reflects in his 1985 film Ram Teri Ganga Maili.

Career In Politics

Once Prashant Nanda was the Bharatiya Janata Partyʼs senior leader and Odisha state Vice President. In August 2007, he resigned from his membership. After that, he joined the National Congress Party for a certain period. Later he became a member of the Biju Janata Dal. Within the BJD government, he was a former minister in the state of Odisha. He is currently a Member of Parliament at Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, for Odisha. In March 2019, his son Rishabh Nanda joined the BJP party. 

Prashant Nanda Family

Prashant Nanda was born in Cuttack, Odisha, on 2nd May 1947 in a well educated Odia family. His father’s name is Shri Jagannath Nanda and his mother’s name is Shrimati Kanchan Nanda. His wife’s name is Anupama Nanda, and they Both have a son named Rishabh Nanda. Also, he is a politician and member of the BJP party.

Prashanta Nanda also has a younger brother named Srikant Gautam. He has also acted in some number of movies but mostly he is a prominent lyricist in the Odisha Music Industry. He mostly writes for Odia Bhajan, Albums and Odia films. Songs like, To Agare Kichhi Dhupa … Mo Agare Kichhi Dhupa, Hey … Bandhu, Sakha He, Hey.. Samaya, and Batare Chalu Chalu, etc are some of his evergreen milestone works. Those are still so popular and have their own charm within the fans of Odia Music.

Charitable Work

In 2013, he announced that he had joined other Bollywood and international celebrities in the TeachAids initiative, a state-of-the-art approach to worldwide HIV prevention, developed at Stanford University.

His Advice To Present Odia Filmmakers

While sharing the reason for today’s crisis in the Odia film industry, Shri Prashanta Nanda shared that in earlier times, those who had produced films were professional producers. They made movies only after reading the scripts, and if they liked it, then went for the following process. 

But nowadays, those who are producing movies are not actual producers in their profession. They come from other professions like Builders, Politicians, Real Estate people or Businessmen, so they don’t have the film vision mindset. They only prefer to watch a hit, Telugu or Tamil movie; if they like their stories, they remake that movie in Odia. 

Also, we are not getting enough screens to release our films in our state. Every week, a big-budget movie from Hollywood or Bollywood grabbed the most screens. So it would be solved if the number of cinema halls increases in the state and provides a balanced opportunity to all language movies.

Awards And Recognitions

National Awards

• In 1962 his debut movie Nua Bou was awarded National Film Awards in Best Feature Film in Odia.
• In 1966, Matira Manisha was awarded National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Odia.
• In 1969, Adina Megha was awarded National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Odia.
• In 1976 his directorial debut movie Sesha Shrabana was awarded National Awards in Best Feature Film in Odia. 
• Jianta Bhoota won the National Film Award under National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Environment/Conservation/Preservation Film category.

State Awards

• In 1976 his directorial debut movie Sesha Srabana was awarded Odisha State Awards for the Best Actor and Best Director category. 
• In 1984, movie Dora was awarded Odisha State Awards for the Best Actor category. 
• In 2005, FitFat Bioscope award 
• In 2015, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Odisha Filmfare Award.

Prashant Nanda Movies

•  2012 – Thukool (Direction, story screenplay & dialogue)
•  2008 – Jianta Bhuta (Direction, story, screenplay, lyricst & dialogue)
•  2007 – Bandhu (Direction, story & screenplay)
•  2007 – Kali Sankar (Direction, dialogue, screenplay, story & lyricst)
•  2005 – Om Shanti Om (Direction, dialogue, screenplay, story)
•  2004 – Aakrosh (Direction, story & screenplay)
•  1999 – Krishna Kaberi (Direction, dialogue, screenplay, story)
•  1997 – Bapa (Direction, dialogue, screenplay, story)
•  1994 – Aemiti Bhai Jagate Nahin (Direction, dialogue, screenplay, story, Lyricst)
•  1993 – Ghar Sansar (Direction,dialogue, screenplay, story, Music director)
•  1992 – Maa (Direction, screenplay)
•  1990 – Kandhei (story & screenplay, lyricst)
•  1989 – Ja Devi Sarva Bhuteshu (Direction,writer, lyricist & singer)
•  1989 – Panchu Pandav ( Acting, lyricst)
•  1989 – Loot Taraj (Direction, dialogue,Acting, story, screenplay, music & lyricst)
•  1988 – Bahu Heba Emiti (dialogue, Acting, singing, lyricst)
•  1988 – Lal Paan Bibi – Bengali (Direction,writer, Acting, lyricst)
•  1987 – Golamgiri (Direction,story, Acting, screenplay & dialogue, lyricst)
•  1987 – Sabu Maya Re Baya (Acting)
•  1986 – Bagula Baguli (Acting,direction, screenplay, story)
•  1986 – Paka Kambal Pot Chhota (Acting, direction,screenplay, story)
•  1984 – Grahasthi – Hindi (Direction)
•  1984 – Hira Nila (Direction,acting) 
•  1984 – Jaga Balia (Direction,Acting,story & screenplay)
•  1984 – Dora (Direction,story & screenplay)
•  1983 – Swapna Sagara (Direction,Acting,dialogue, screenplay, story)
•  1982 – Hisab Nikas (Direction,Acting, screenplay & dialogue)
•  1981 – Pooja (Direction,Acting, dialogue, screenplay, story)
•  1980 – Maa O Mamata (Acting, Direction, screenplay, story)
•  1979 – Naiyya – Hindi (Acting, Direction & screenplay)
•  1979 – Gauri (Acting)
•  1978 – Balidan (Direction,Acting,dialogue, story & screenplay)
•  1977 – Paheli – Hindi (Direction)
•  1977 – Naga Phasa ( Acting)
•  1976 – Sesha Shrabana (Acting, Direction, screenplay)
•  1976 – Bali Ghara ( Acting)
•  1976 – Krishna Sudama (Acting)
•  1976 – Sindura Bindu ( Acting)
•  1975 – Mamata (Acting)
•  1975 – Samaya (Acting)
•  1974 – Mana Akasha ( Acting)
•  1973 – Ghara Sansar (Acting)
•  1972 – Dharitri ( Acting)
•  1970 – Adina Megha (Acting)
•  1966 – Bandhan (Acting)
•  1976 – Matira Manisha (Acting)
•  1962 – Nua Bou (Acting)
•  1962 – Dashyu Ratnakara (Acting)

Prashanta Nanda Bio Details

Name  – Prashanta Nanda

Nick Name – Kuni, Bhaina

Date of Birth – 2nd May 1947

Gender  – Male

Profession  – Actor, director, screenplay writer, lyricist, playback singer, Producer, politician

Birth Place – Cuttack, Odisha

Nationality – Indian

Religion – Hindu

School – Ravenshaw Collegiate School

Qualification – B.Sc. at Ravenshaw College, M.A. and Ph.D at Utkal University, LL.B. at M.S. Law College, and have D.Litt. from MIT University, Pune.

Age  – 77 (As of May, 2024)

Father – Jagannath Nanda

Mother – Kanchan Nanda

Brother – Srikant Gautam

Marital Status – Married

Wife – Anupama Nanda

Son – Rishabh Nanda

Daughter In Law– N/A

Grandchildren – N/A

Current Place – Bhubaneswar

Debut Film – Nua Bou (1962)

Lastly, Odisha Darsan wishes that God bless Shri Prashanta Nanda with good health, more happiness and lots of strength to continue his good works both in films and for the country.

Dear Readers, kindly share your thoughts here if you like the article. Also, If I have missed something to mention here and need to update within this list, please let me know below in the comment section. – Odisha Darsan