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added the bio from scratch

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}}

{{Infobox film
| name = Nanda Master’nka Chatasali
| image = File:Nanda Master'nka Chatasali poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Pranab Kumar Aich]]
| writer = Pranab Kumar Aich
| producer = Abhaya Pati
| starring = [[Nanda Prusty]]
| cinematography = Pranab Kumar Aich
| editing = Pranab Kumar Aich
| music = Bibhuti Bhusan Gadnayak
| studio = Abhismita Films<br/>Studiowaala Films
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2023|12|7|[[Film Festival]]|2025|12|12|Theatrical}}
| runtime = 92 minutes
| country = India
| language = {{ubl|Odia|Hindi}}
}}
'''''Nanda Master’nka Chatasali''''' ([[English language|English]]: Nanda School of Tradition) is a hybrid documentary film directed by [[Pranab Kumar Aich]]. It is produced by Abhaya Pati under the banner of Abhismita films. The film narrates the journey of Indian centenarian free educationist [[Nanda Prusty]]'s unwavering commitment and selflessness towards the people of his village.
The film premiered at the [[29th Kolkata International Film Festival]] on 7 December 2023, where it competed in the [[Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema|Asian Select (NETPAC Award)]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema {{!}} Festival Reports |url=https://netpacasia.org/blog3-Festival-Reports |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema |language=en}}</ref> category. The film was theatrically released in India on 12th December 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mullappilly |first=Sreejith |date=2025-12-18 |title=Pranab Aich: Nanda Master’nka Chatasali is my love letter to Bharath |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/international/interviews/2025/Dec/18/pranab-aich-nanda-masternka-chatasali-is-my-love-letter-to-bharath |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bharat |first=E. T. V. |date=2025-12-20 |title=A Centenarian Hero Battles The Tough Screen Economy |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/en/entertainment/pranab-aich-interview-on-nanda-masternka-chatasali-documentary-on-padma-shri-nanda-prusty-enn25122001902 |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=ETV Bharat News |language=en}}</ref> Official trailer and poster of the film was launched at Bharat Pavilion at the [[2024 Cannes Film Festival|77th Cannes Film Festival, 2024]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-05-21 |title=Odia film trailer on Padma Shri teacher to be launched at Cannes |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/odia-film-trailer-on-padma-shri-teacher-to-be-launched-at-cannes/articleshow/110285260.cms |access-date=2024-08-24 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pattanayak |first=Pradeep |title=Trailer of Odia Film "Nanda Master'nka Chatasali" Screened at 77th Cannes Film Festival - Odisha TV |url=https://odishatv.in/news/entertainment/trailer-of-odia-film-nanda-master-nka-chatasali-screened-at-cannes-film-festival-236187 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Trailer of Odia Film "Nanda Master'nka Chatasali" Screened at 77th Cannes Film Festival - Odisha TV |language=en}}</ref>

==Cast==
*[[Nanda Prusty]]
*Khageswar Prusty
*Saisresth Das
*Nityasha Pattnaik
*Shivangi Tripathy
*Rabindra Rout

==Synopsis==
A coming-of-age journey of an inherent [[Minimalism|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.

==Production==
This hybrid documentary follows centenarian [[Nanda Prusty]] who ran a roofless school (called Chatasali) for over 70 years in [[Kantira]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Senapati |first=Ashis |date=2021-11-07 |title=Documentary on Odisha's centenarian Nanda master in the works |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/governance/documentary-on-odisha-s-centenarian-nanda-master-in-the-works-80076 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Down To Earth |language=en}}</ref> village in [[Jajpur district|Jajpur]], [[Odisha]]. [[Pranab Kumar Aich]]<ref>{{Cite journal |date=March 20, 2024 |title=Nanda Master'Nka Chatasali A Feature-Length Documentary From Odisha |url=https://northeastfilmjournal.com/nanda-masternka-chatasali-a-feature-length-documentary-from-odishaa |journal=North East Film Journal}}</ref> when offered the chance to make the biography said, “When Nanda Sir’s story came to me, who was I on the earth to reject it. I instantly agreed to do it.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pattanayak |first=Pradeep |title=Trailer of Odia Film "Nanda Master'nka Chatasali" Screened at 77th Cannes Film Festival |website=Odisha TV |url=https://odishatv.in/news/entertainment/trailer-of-odia-film-nanda-master-nka-chatasali-screened-at-cannes-film-festival-236187 |access-date=2024-08-24 |language=en}}</ref>

==Release==
The film world premiered at the [[29th Kolkata International Film Festival]] on 7 December 2023 and competed in [[Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema|Asian Select (NETPAC Award)]] in the festival. On 11 May 2024, it was screened in 16th Habitat Film Festival, 2024, in [[Delhi]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=HFF {{!}} 2024 |url=https://www.habitatworld.com/hff2024/details.php?editId=27 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=www.habitatworld.com}}</ref>The film was theatrically released on 12th December 2025 in India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nanda Master'nka Chatasali (2025) - Movie {{!}} Reviews, Cast & Release Date in Bhubaneswar |url=https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/bhubaneswar/nanda-masternka-chatasali/ET00473521?utm_source=FBLIKE&fbrefresh=1 |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=BookMyShow |language=en-IN}}</ref>

== Reception ==
Ganesh Aaglave, writing in [[Firstpost]], praised it as an "emotional experience, and inspiration and above all a symbol of truthfulness, which teaches the true essence of life".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-04 |title=Nanda Master'nka Chatasali review: Pranab Aich's hybrid documentary on Indian Centenarian Free Educationist Nanda Prusty is heartfelt & inspiring |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/nanda-masternka-chatasali-review-pranab-aichs-hybrid-documentary-on-indian-centenarian-free-educationist-nanda-prusty-is-heartfelt-inspiring-13841467.html |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=Firstpost |language=en-us}}</ref>

==Awards and recognitions==
''Nanda Master’nka Chatasali'' also known as Nanda School Of Tradition was nominated in the Asian Select (NETPAC Award) category of 29th KIFF 2023.<ref name=":1" />The film was presented in DOK Leipzig Market Exclusives in [[Dok Leipzig|DOK Leipzig 2024]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Nanda School of Tradition · DOK Leipzig |url=https://www.dok-leipzig.de/en/film/nanda-school-tradition |access-date=2025-08-27 |website=www.dok-leipzig.de |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|+Film Festivals
!Festival Name
!Category
!Status
!ref.
|-
|[[Dok Leipzig|67th DOK Leipzig, Germany]]
|Market Exclusives
|
|<ref name=":2" />
|-
|[[St. Louis International Film Festival|34th St. Louis International Film Festival, USA]]
|
|Official selection
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nanda School of Tradition |url=https://festivals.cinemastlouis.org/sliff2025/movies/nanda-school-of-tradition/ |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=SLIFF 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|[[29th Kolkata International Film Festival]], India
|Asian NETPAC AWARD
|Nominated
|<ref name=":1" />
|-
|[https://www.eiganokai.com/index.html 19th Kanazawa Film Festival, Japan]
|Choice of Kanazawa
|Official selection
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-01 |title=カナザワ映画祭２０２５「聖なる映画」｜カナザワ映画祭公式note |url=https://note.com/eiganokai/n/nbecd91cc93af |access-date=2025-08-27 |website=note（ノート） |language=ja-JP}}</ref>
|-
|[https://celebratingindiaff.com/ 1st Celebrating India Film Festival, India]
|Best Documentary Award
|Nominated
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhavishya |date=2025-07-28 |title=NANDA MASTER’NKA CHATASALI - Celebrating India Film Festival |url=https://celebratingindiaff.com/nanda-school-of-tradition/ |access-date=2025-08-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|[https://educationexpo.tv/dada-saheb-phalke-film-festival/index.php 15th Dada Saheb Film Festival, India]
|Best Documentary Award
|Winner
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival |url=https://educationexpo.tv/dada-saheb-phalke-film-festival/winner-detail.php?id=NDk1 |access-date=2025-08-27 |website=educationexpo.tv}}</ref>
|-
|[https://tamilnadufilmfestival.com/ 3rd Tamilnadu Film Festival, India]
|
|Official selection
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Selections 2025 – Tamil Nadu Film Festival |url=https://tamilnadufilmfestival.com/official-selections-2025/ |access-date=2025-08-27 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|-
|16th Habitat Film Festival, India
|
|Official selection
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Account Suspended |url=https://www.habitatworld.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi?editId=27 |access-date=2025-08-27 |website=www.habitatworld.com}}</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official Website|https://www.nandamasternkachatasali.in/}}
* {{imdbtitle|tt32414572}}
* ''[https://letterboxd.com/film/nanda-school-of-tradition/ Nanda Master'nka Chatasali]'' at [[Letterboxd]]
* ''[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nanda_school_of_tradition Nanda Master'nka Chatasali]'' at [[Rotten Tomatoes]]

[[Category:2023 films]]
[[Category:2023 documentary films]]
[[Category:2020s Odia-language films]]
[[Category:Indian docudrama films]]

Nanda Master'nka Chatasali - Revision history

Saurabh: added the bio from scratch