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{{Short description|Indian filmmaker and photographer}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pranab Kumar Aich
| image =
| caption = Aich at Busan
| native_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1986|04|15}}
| birth_place = [[Jajpur]], [[Odisha]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| alma_mater = [[A.J.K. Mass Communication Research Centre]]
| occupation = Filmmaker, Photographer
| years_active = 2008-Present
| known_for =
| notable_works = [[Nanda Master'nka Chatasali]]
| spouse =
| parents =
| relatives =
| website = www.pranabkaich.com
}}
'''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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Presse |first=Die |date=2009-04-17 |title=Sony Photography Awards: Die Gewinner stehen fest |url=https://www.diepresse.com/471012/sony-photography-awards-die-gewinner-stehen-fest |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Die Presse |language=de}}</ref><ref name="Top honours for Jamia shutterbugs">{{Cite news |date=2009-08-19 |title=Top honours for Jamia shutterbugs |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/top-honours-for-jamia-shutterbugs/articleshow/4912362.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst |access-date=2024-09-02 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Indian students win global photo awards |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-students-win-global-photo-awards-392211 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> He is known for his multiple award-winning short documentary City's Step Child,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=微纪录沙龙举办展映 "全球创新者"记录现实_ 艺术中国 |url=http://art.china.cn/huihua/2016-04/25/content_8728911.htm |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=art.china.cn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Natalie |date=2016-06-27 |title=REGIONAL NEWS: Winners announced for Bradford Small World Film Festival 2016 - Asian Sunday & Style |url=https://www.asiansunday.co.uk/regional-news-winners-announced-for-bradford-small-world-film-festival-2016/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Manayun My Wonderland,<ref name=":1" /> and Torch.<ref name=":1" /> His debut Odia feature film [[Nanda Master'nka Chatasali|Nanda Master’nka Chatasali]] was nominated in [[NETPAC Award|Asian Select (NETPAC Award)]] in [[29th Kolkata International Film Festival]], 2023 and also presented in DOK Market Exclusives of [[Dok Leipzig|67th DOK Leipzig]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Movie Details of 30th Kolkata International Film Festival |url=https://kiff.in/archive/2023/official-selection/asian-select-netpac-award/1650 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=kiff.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=HFF {{!}} 2024 |url=https://www.habitatworld.com/hff2024/details.php?editId=27 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.habitatworld.com}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Ashwani |date=2024-10-06 |title=An Interview with Pranab Kumar Aich, Director of Nanda Master'nka Chatasali |url=https://www.highonfilms.com/an-interview-with-pranab-kumar-aich-director-of-nanda-masternka-chatasali/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=High On Films |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Education==
Pranab studied Post Graduate Diploma in Photography and Visual Communication from [[A.J.K. Mass Communication Research Centre]], [[Jamia Millia Islamia]], New Delhi.<ref name="Top honours for Jamia shutterbugs"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Network |first=Post News |date=2022-03-11 |title='I seek to unravel the multi-layered reality' - OrissaPOST |url=https://www.orissapost.com/i-seek-to-unravel-the-multi-layered-reality/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Career==
He started his career in New Delhi working as a volunteer for NGOs like [[Goonj (NGO)|Goonj]], [[American India Foundation]] and Manzil to gain an in-depth understanding of humanitarian issues. Later, he produced [[Audiovisual|audio visual]] content on international developmental issues for NGOs.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-07-28 |title=Pranab Aich's films Torch and Manayun – My Wonderland nominated for Durban International Film Festival Audience Award |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/pranab-aichs-films-torch-and-manayun-my-wonderland-nominated-for-durban-international-film-festival-audience-award-10973511.html |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Firstpost |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Teraz.sk |date=2016-05-20 |title=Víťazné filmy Ekotopfilm – Envirofilm 2016 |url=https://www.teraz.sk/kultura/vitazne-filmy-ekotopfilm-envirofi/197746-clanok.html |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=TERAZ.sk |language=sk}}</ref> He enrolled for Post Graduate Diploma in Photography and Visual Communication from A.J.K. Mass Communication Research Centre, [[Jamia Millia Islamia University|Jamia Millia Islamia]]. In 2009, while studying in AJKMCRC, he became the first Indian Student to win [[Sony World Photography Award]] held in [[Cannes Film Festival|Cannes]] where he was trained by legends in documentary photography like [[Mary Ellen Mark|Mary Allen Mark]], Susan Welchman, Adrian Evens.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pranab Kumar, India |url=https://www.worldphoto.org/team-profile/pranab-kumar-india |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=World Photography Organisation |language=en}}</ref> He was recently invited to [[Busan International Film Festival|Busan International Film Festival, 2024]] to participate in Platform Busan, a sidebar of the festival, which hosts emerging talented filmmakers from around the world.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-08 |title=EXCLUSIVE! Pranab Aich on Nanda Master'nka Chatasali: 'It's a truly, honestly Indian film without any propaganda' |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/exclusive-pranab-aich-on-nanda-masternka-chatasali-its-truly-honestly-indian-film-without-any-propaganda-13822419.html |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Firstpost |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ianslive |url=https://ianslive.in/an-opportunity-to-spread-the-cause-filmmaker-pranab-aich-on-attending-platform-busan-ians-interview--20240929200605 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=ianslive.in |language=en}}</ref>

His short documentary films, Manayun: My Wonderland and Torch won the prestigious [[Odisha State Film Awards|34th Odisha State Film Awards, 2022]] in Best Documentary Film and Special Jury Award respectively.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=2024-11-19 |title=Aich's docus win two prizes at state film awards |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/pranab-kumar-aichs-documentaries-shine-at-odisha-state-film-awards/articleshow/115457310.cms |access-date=2024-11-20 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> His first Odia feature film [[Nanda Master'nka Chatasali|Nanda Master’nka Chatasali]] was selected in DOK Market Exclusives of [[Dok Leipzig|67th DOK Leipzig]], 2024 which made it the one and only [[Odia language|Odia]] language film to feature in the prestigious film festival.<ref name=":7" />

In 2025, his [[Documentary film|documentary]] project "DEVI" (Goddess) was one of the five documentary films selected in Waves Film Bazaar (Market section of [[56th International Film Festival of India|IFFI, Goa]]) in Co-production Market in documentary category.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2025-11-06 |title=Kiran Rao, Vikramaditya Motwane and BAFTA Winner Ben Crichton Lead WAVES Film Bazaar 2025 Lineup in Goa |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/markets-festivals/kiran-rao-vikramaditya-motwane-waves-film-bazaar-2025-lineup-1236571216/ |access-date=2025-12-23 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Filmography and Awards ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Film
! Year
!Type!! Worked as
!Awards and Nominations
!Ref
|-
| ''City’s Step Child''
| 2014
|''Short''|| ''Writer/ Director/ Editor''
|Selected in the best 30 micro-documentaries of "Innovators around the World" Micro-Documentary Salon in the [[Beijing International Film Festival|6th Beijing International Film Festival]], [[China]] and Won Main Prize in Category G - Short films at [https://www.ekotopfilm.sk/ International Festival of Sustainable Development Films], [[Bratislava]], [[Slovakia]]
|<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
|-
| ''I have a Colored Dream''
| 2015
|''Short''|| ''Writer/ Director/ Editor''
|
|<ref>{{Citation |last=Aich |first=Pranab K. |title=I have a colored Dream |type=Documentary, Short |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28888795/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |publisher=Studiowaala Films, Vision Productio}}</ref>
|-
| ''Manayun My Wonderland''
| 2022
|''Short''|| ''Writer/ Director/ Editor''
|Nominated for [[Durban International Film Festival]] Audience Award, Best Documentary Award - [[Odisha State Film Awards|34th Odisha State Film Awards, 2022]]
|<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Pradhan |first=Surya Narayan |date=2024-11-14 |title=Odisha State Film Awards: 'Daman' adjudged Best Film; Babusan Best Actor |url=https://sambadenglish.com/latest-news/odisha-state-film-awards-daman-adjudged-best-film-babusan-best-actor-7580874 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Sambad English |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| ''Torch''
| 2022
|''Short''|| ''Writer/ Director/ Editor''
|Nominated for [[Durban International Film Festival]] Audience Award, Special Jury Award - [[Odisha State Film Awards|34th Odisha State Film Awards, 2022]]
|<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Nayak |first=Subadh |date=2024-11-14 |title=Odisha State Film Awards declared for three years; DAMaN and Pratikshya get best film awards, Babushaan best actor, check full list here |url=https://kalingatv.com/odisha/odisha-state-film-awards-declared-for-three-years-daman-and-pratikshya-get-best-film-wards-babushaan-best-actor-check-full-list-here/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=KalingaTV |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6" />
|-
| ''[[Nanda Master'nka Chatasali|Nanda Master’nka Chatasali]]''
| 2023
|''Feature''|| ''Writer/ Director/ Editor''
|Nominated in [[Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema|Asian Select (NETPAC Award)]] in [[29th Kolkata International Film Festival|29th Kolkata International Film Festival, 2023]] and presented in DOK Market Exclusives of [[Dok Leipzig|67th DOK Leipzig]].
|<ref name=":2" /><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=2024-09-05 |website=Down To Earth |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" />
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://m.imdb.com/name/nm13958666/ Pranab Kumar Aich] at [[IMDb|IMDB]]
* [https://letterboxd.com/director/pranab-k-aich/ Pranab Kumar Aich] at [[Letterboxd]]
* {{Official website|http://www.pranabkaich.com}}
* [https://www.studiowaala.in Official Production House Website]

[[Category:People from Odisha]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Jamia Millia Islamia alumni]]
[[Category:Indian documentary film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Odisha]]
[[Category:Odia film directors]]
[[Category:Documentary photographers]]

Pranab Kumar Aich - Revision history

imported>CareyTorgerson: New Bio!