Nandita Das
Nandita Das | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Occupation(s) | Film actor, director |
| Years active | 1990 - present |
| Spouse | Soumya Sen 2002 - 2006 |
| Awards | Best Actress – Santa Monica Film Festival 2001 Bawander Best Actress – Cairo Film Festival 2002 Amaar Bhuvan Zee Cine Award for Best Actress 2002 Amaar Bhuvan Nandi Award for Best Actress 2006 Kamli Best Film – Asian Festival of First Films 2008 Firaaq Best Screenplay – Asian Festival of First Films 2008 Firaaq Purple Orchid Award for Best Film – Asian Festival of First Films 2008 Firaaq Special Jury Award – International Film Festival of Kerala 2009 Firaaq Special Prize – International Thessaloniki Film Festival 2009 Firaaq |
| Website | http://www.nanditadasonline.com |
Nandita Das (born November 7 1969) is an award-winning Indian film actress and independent filmmaker. As an actress, she is known for her critically acclaimed performances in Fire (1996), Earth (1998), Bawandar (2000) and Aamaar Bhuvan (2002). As a director, she is known for her directorial debut Firaaq (2008), which has won a number of national and international awards.
Early life
Nandita Das was born in New Delhi. Her father was the celebrated Indian painter, Jatin Das, originally from Orissa, and her mother was a writer, Varsha Das.
She went to Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in New Delhi. She received her bachelor's degree in Geography and Post Graduation from the Delhi School of Social Work.[1]
Career
Acting
Nandita Das started her acting career with a theatre group called Jannatya Manch. She taught at the Rishi Valley School.[2]
She is best known for her performances in Deepa Mehta Films Fire, Earth alongside Aamir Khan, Bawander (directed by Jagmohan Mundhra) and Amaar Bhuvan (directed by Mrinal Sen).
Das has played storyteller/narrator in the audiobook series for kids "Under the Banyan" by Karadi Tales. She has also been the narrator in the audiobook of Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography by Charkha Audiobooks "The Story of My Experiments with Truth". She has also lent her voice for the children's series, The Wonder Pets as the Bengal Tiger.
Directing
She has recently completed filming her directorial debut, Firaaq. [3][4] Firaaq is a work of fiction, based on a thousand true stories and is set a month after the Gujarat carnage in 2002. It is an ensemble film that interweaves multiple stories over a 24 hour period, as the characters from different strata of society, grapple with the lingering effects of violence. The film traces the emotional journeys of ordinary people- some who were victims, some perpetrators and some who chose to watch silently. The film’s stellar cast includes Naseeruddin Shah, Raghubir Yadav, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval, Sanjay Suri, Tisca Chopra, Shahana Goswami and Nowaz.
The film won top honours at the Asian Festival of First Films 2008 in Singapore, where it won the awards for "Best Film", "Screenplay / Script", and "Foreign Correspondents Assn. Purple Orchid Award for Best Film".[5][6] The film has also won awards at other international film festivals, including the Special Prize award at the International Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece, the Special Jury Award at the International Film Festival of Kerala, and the Best Editor award for the film's editor Sreekar Prasad at the Dubai International Film Festival.[7] It will be released in India on the 20th of March 2009.[8] The film also won an award at the Kara Film Festival.
"I'm so glad 'Firaaq' has been applauded by audiences around the world, from Toronto, London, Pusan to Kolkata and Trivandrum. After all, human emotions are universal and after the kind of feedback I have got in different parts of the world, I understand that more. Audiences have been able to empathize with the journeys of the characters everywhere. It's more so in India, where it's set and hence people can identify with it more. It's been said that the film gave a voice to so much that remains silent and that it should be seen at least once. Though it's always great to win awards at every competitive festival we entered the film in, but it's actually the audience reaction that really matters," Nandita Das told Radio Sargam.[9]
In 2002, Das married long-time boyfriend Saumya Sen.[10] The couple began Leapfrog, an advertising organization geared towards making socially conscious ad films. [11] The couple divorced in 2009. [12]
Philanthropy
Das gives talks around the world about the impact of her films and the need for powerful social movements in India. She spoke at MIT on April 12, 2007 after a screening of Fire.
She also speaks to campaign against AIDs and violence against women.[13]
Awards and honours
- Won - Best Actress - Bawander
- 2002 Cairo Film Festival
- Won - Best Actress - Amaar Bhuvan
- May 2005 - Das served as a Member of the Jury at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
- 2006 Nandi Awards
- Won - Best Actress - Kamli
- Won - Best Film - Firaaq
- Won - Best Screenplay - Firaaq
- Won - Foreign Correspondents Association Purple Orchid Award for Best Film - Firaaq
- Won - Special Jury Award - Firaaq
- Won - Special Prize (Everyday Life: Transcendence or Reconciliation Award) - Firaaq
- Nominated - Golden Alexander - Firaaq
Filmography
Actor
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Parinati | Oriya | ||
| 1996 | Fire | Sita | English | |
| 1998 | Earth | Shanta, the Ayah | Hindi | |
| Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa | Nandini Mitra | Hindi | ||
| Janmadinam | Sarasu | Malayalam | ||
| Biswaprakash | Anjali | Oriya | ||
| 1999 | Deveeri | Deveeri (Akka) | Kannada | |
| Rockford | Lily Vegas | English | ||
| Punaradhivasam | - | Malayalam | ||
| 2000 | Hari-Bhari | Afsana | Hindi | |
| Saanjh | Urdu | |||
| Bawandar | Sanwari | Hindi | Won, Best Actress at Santa Monica Film Festival. | |
| 2001 | Aks | Supriya Verma | Hindi | |
| Daughters of the Century | Charu | Hindi | ||
| 2002 | Aamaar Bhuvan | Sakina | Bengali | Won, Best Actress at Cairo Film Festival. Won, Zee Cine Award for Best Actress |
| Kannaki | Kannaki | Malayalam | ||
| Pitaah | Paro | Hindi | ||
| Azhagi | Dhanalakshmi | Tamil | ||
| Kannathil Muthamittal | Shyama | Tamil | ||
| Lal Salaam | Rupi(alias Chandrakka) | Hindi | ||
| 2003 | Ek Alag Mausam | Aparna Verma | Hindi | |
| Bas Yun Hi | Veda | Hindi | ||
| Supari | Mamta Sikri | Urdu | ||
| Shubho Mahurat | Mallika Sen | Bengali | ||
| Kagaar: Life on the Edge | Aditi | Hindi | ||
| Ek Din 24 Ghante | Sameera Dutta | Hindi | ||
| 2004 | Vishwa Thulasi | Sita | Tamil | |
| 2005 | Fleeting Beauty | Indian woman | English | |
| 2006 | Provoked | Radha Dalal | English | |
| Maati Maay | Chandi | Marathi | Marathi Film by Chitra Palekar with Atul Kulkarni | |
| Podokkhep | Megha | Bengali | ||
| Kamli | Kamli | Telugu | Won, Nandi Award for Best Actress (Telugu) | |
| 2007 | Before the Rains | Sajani | English | |
| Naalu Pennungal | Kamakshi | Malayalam | ||
| Paani: A Drop of Life | Mira Ben | Hindi | ||
| 2008 | Ramchand Pakistani | Champa | Urdu | |
| 2010 | Midnight's Children[14] |
Director
| Year | Title | Language | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Firaaq | Hindi Urdu & Gujarati |
Won, Best Film and Best Screenplay at Asian Festival of First Films. Won, Purple Orchid Award for Best Film at Asian Festival of First Films. Won, Special Jury Award at International Film Festival of Kerala. Won, Special Prize at International Thessaloniki Film Festival. Nominated, Golden Alexander at International Thessaloniki Film Festival. |
References
- ^ http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2003/06/23/stories/2003062300180100.htm
- ^ http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/nandita_das/index.shtml
- ^ http://www.saiff.org
- ^ ApunKaChoice. she sjd js kalalal/ "Nandita Das". ApunKaChoice.com. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ Patrick Frater (December 10, 2008). "'Firaaq' scoops Asian fest honors: Indian film picks up multiple awards". Variety. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Firaaq wins best film award at Asian Festival of 1st Films, Indiantelevision, 11 December 2008, retrieved 2008-12-11
{{citation}}: Text "cite web" ignored (help) - ^ "PPC's FIRAAQ wins five International Awards". Bollywood Trade News Network. January 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
- ^ www.firaaqthefilm.com
- ^ Nandita Das talks about her directorial debut Firaaq, Radio Sargam, 26 January 2009
{{citation}}: Text "cite web" ignored (help) - ^ Nandita, Saumya remain friends http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/nandita-das-020806.html
- ^ http://www.hindu.com/mag/2004/12/19/stories/2004121900440500.htm
- ^ Actor Nandita Das files for divorce http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20090524/1251/ten-actor-nandita-das-files-for-divorce.html
- ^ Social Concerns
- ^ Deepa Mehta to adapt 'Midnight's Children'