- Nandita Das
-
Nandita Das 
Born November 7, 1969
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaOccupation Actress, director Years active 1989, 1996–present Spouse Soumya Sen (2002–2009)
Subodh Maskara (2010–present)Website http://www.nanditadasonline.com Nandita Das (born 7 November 1969) is an award-winning Indian film actress and director. As an actress, she is known for her performances in Fire (1996), Earth (1998), Bawandar (2000), Kannathil Muthamittal(2002) 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. She has been awarded the Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France for her work.[1]
Contents
Early life
Das was born in New Delhi to noted Indian painter, Jatin Das, an Oriya Hindu, and a Gujarati Jain mother named Varsha who is a writer.[2]
She went to Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Lodhi Estate in New Delhi. She received her bachelor's degree in Geography from Miranda House (University of Delhi) and Master of Social Work from the Delhi School of Social Work.[3]
Career
Acting
Nandita Das started her acting career with a theatre group called Jana Natya Manch. She taught at the Rishi Valley School.
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.
Nandita has acted in films in ten different languages to date: English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Marathi, Oriya and Kannada.
Directing
In 2008, she completed filming her directorial debut, Firaaq.[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]
Personal life
In 2002, Das married Saumya Sen.[10] The couple began Leapfrog, an advertising organization geared towards making socially conscious ad films.[11] The couple divorced in 2009.[12] After dating Subodh Maskara, an industrialist based out of Mumbai for a couple of months, she married him on January 2, 2010 and moved to Mumbai.[13][14] Das and Maskara had a baby boy named Vihaan on 11 August 2010.[15]
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 12 April 2007 after a screening of Fire.
She also speaks to campaign for child survival, against AIDS, and violence against women.[16] She was appointed as the chairperson of the Children's Film Society of India in 2009.[17]
Awards and honours
- 2001 Santa Monica Film Festival
- Won - Best Actress - Bawander
- 2002 Cairo Film Festival
- Won - Best Actress - Amaar Bhuvan
- Won - Special Prize - Kannathil Muthamittal
- 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
- 2008 Government of France
- Won - Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- Won - Special Jury Award - Firaaq
- Won - Special Prize (Everyday Life: Transcendence or Reconciliation Award) - Firaaq
- Nominated - Golden Alexander - Firaaq
- 2010 Filmfare Awards
- Won - Special Award - 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 Rajasthani 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 ActressKannaki 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 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 Provoked Radha Dalal English Naalu Pennungal Kamakshi Malayalam Paani: A Drop of Life Mira Ben Hindi Short film 2008 Before the Rains Sajani English, Malayalam Ramchand Pakistani Champa Urdu 2011 I Am Afia English, Hindi, Bengali Director
Year Title Language Others 2008 Firaaq Hindi
Urdu &
GujaratiWon, 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
- ^ 'My work has been less visible in India'—India Buzz-Entertainment The Times of India, 23 April 2008.
- ^ "The Painter’s Daughter". www.outlookindia.com. http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?261783. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ Mendis, Isidore Domnick (23 June 2003). "Independent stardom". Hindu Business Line. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2003/06/23/stories/2003062300180100.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ Saltz, Rachel (4 June 2009). "The Variety of Life, Real and Imagined, in Movie-Mad India". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/movies/05indi.html?ref=arts. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ Patrick Frater (10 December 2008). "'Firaaq' scoops Asian fest honors: Indian film picks up multiple awards". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117997193.html?categoryId=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
- ^ Firaaq wins best film award at Asian Festival of 1st Films. Indiantelevision. 11 December 2008. http://www.indiantelevision.com/aac/y2k8/aac747.php. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
- ^ "PPC's FIRAAQ wins five International Awards". Bollywood Trade News Network. 22 January 2009. http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/09/jan/22-ppcs-firaaq-wins-five-international-awards-010913.asp. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
- ^ www.firaaqthefilm.com
- ^ Nandita Das talks about her directorial debut Firaaq. Radio Sargam. 26 January 2009. http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archives/32209/nandita-das-talks-about-her-directorial-debut-firaaq.html.
- ^ "Nandita, Saumya remain friends". OneIndia. 2 August 2006. http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/nandita-das-020806.html. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ "Her own person". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 19 December 2004. http://www.hindu.com/mag/2004/12/19/stories/2004121900440500.htm. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
- ^ Anand, Utkarsh (24 May 2009). "Actor Nandita Das files for divorce". Yahoo! India News. http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20090524/1251/ten-actor-nandita-das-files-for-divorce.html. Retrieved 2009-06-20.[dead link]
- ^ "Nandita Das is dating again". Movies.indiatimes.com. 2009-11-21. http://movies.indiatimes.com/Gossip/Nandita-Das-is-dating-again/articleshow/5255407.cms. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ Jha, Subhash K (6 January 2010). "Nandita Das marries, moves to Mumbai by SUBHASH K JHA". The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Nandita-Das-marries-moves-to-Mumbai/articleshow/5413317.cms.
- ^ Lalwani, Vickey. "It's a baby boy for Nandita!". Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Its-a-baby-boy-for-Nandita/articleshow/6297801.cms. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
- ^ Gautam, Savitha (27 September 2004). "Ms. Sense". The Hindu (Chennai, India). http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/09/27/stories/2004092701100300.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ "Profile of Chairperson". CFSI website. http://www.cfsindia.org/nandita-das.htm.
External links
- Official Website
- Nandita Das at the Internet Movie Database
- Interview 2003
- Interview 2006
- Nandita Das @ SPICE
- EVERYONE campaign of Save the Children India
Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut 1989–2000 Juhi Chawla (1989) · Bhagyashree (1990) Pooja Bhatt (1991) · Raveena Tandon (1992) · Divya Bharti (1993) · Mamta Kulkarni (1994) · Sonali Bendre & Tabu(1995) · Twinkle Khanna (1996) · Seema Biswas (1997) · Mahima Chaudhry (1998) · Preity Zinta (1999) · Nandita Das (2000)
2001–present Kareena Kapoor (2001) · Bipasha Basu (2002) · Esha Deol (2003) · Lara Dutta & Priyanka Chopra (2004) · Ayesha Takia (2005) · Vidya Balan (2006) · Kangana Ranaut (2007) · Deepika Padukone (2008) · Asin Thottumkal (2009) · Not awarded (2010) · Sonakshi Sinha (2011)
Categories:- 1969 births
- Living people
- People from Delhi
- University of Delhi alumni
- Indian actors
- Indian film actors
- Hindi film actors
- Hindi-language film directors
- Indian film directors
- Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
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