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Pan Nalin Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More

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Age: 57 Years
Profession: Filmmaker
Hometown: Amreli, Gujarat

Pan Nalin

Bio/Wiki
Full nameNalinkumar Ramniklal Pandya [1]Filmfare.com
Profession(s)Director, Producer, and Scriptwriter
Famous forBeing the co-producer of the Gujarati film Chello Show that was nominated for the 2023 Oscars
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)in centimeters- 162 cm
in meters- 1.62 m
in feet & inches- 5’ 4”
Eye ColourDark Brown
Hair ColourSalt and Pepper
Career
DebutShort Film (director): The Khajuraho (1991)
Feature Film (director): Samsara (2001)
A poster of Pan Nalin's film Samsara
Award17 October 2023: National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati for the film ‘Chhello Show,' presented by Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, in New Delhi
Pan Nalin with the National Film Award (2023)
Personal Life
Date of Birth19 April 1965 (Monday)
Age (as of 2022)57 Years
BirthplaceAdtala village, Amreli district, Gujarat, India
Zodiac signAries
NationalityFrench
HometownAdtala village, Amreli district, Gujarat, India
College/University• The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
• National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad
Educational Qualification(s)• Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Bachelor of Design [2]The Times of India
Controversies• The Angry Indian Goddesses controversy: In 2015, Pan Nalin co-produced a Bollywood film Angry Indian Goddesses, which attracted several controversies related to the alleged portrayal of the Hindu goddesses disrespectfully in the film. Reportedly, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) not only asked the filmmakers to delete 16 objectionable scenes from it but also gave the film an Adult rating. [3]Hindustan Times Pahlaj Nilani, who back then was the chairman of the CBFC, talked about it and said,
"Until you watch the movie, you will not know why some of the words have been asked to be omitted. When the committee is watching the film, they know what context these words are used in. The producer has accepted the cuts, because he first applied to the revising committee, and then he withdrew the application at the very last minute, even after he was given a date and time [for a hearing]. The committee’s job is to watch the movie; the panel members have given this decision. I had told the producer of the film that if he is not comfortable with it [the decision], he could follow the protocol, and take it forward, but he chose not to, which means he agrees with the decision.”
After the decision of the CBFC, Pan Nalin, during an interview, said that the recommendations made by the CBFC were unjustified, and there was no necessity to ask for the removal of the 16 scenes from the film. Talking about it, he said,
"I am super sad and hurt because we have used completely respectful images of Maa Kali in the film, but we had to blur them out. I have grown up watching gods and goddesses all of my life in films… We cut people’s head in the films, and suddenly we have to remove images of the goddesses.”

• Objections over the Chello show's nomination for the Oscars: After the Film Federation of India (FFI) nominated Pan Nalin's co-produced Gujarati film, Chello Show, in September 2022, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) levied a series of allegations against the producers of the film. According to FWICE, not only is the film of French origin as it was produced by a Paris-based film studio named Orange Studio, but it is also a copy of the Oscar-winning Italian movie titled Cinema Paradiso, which was released in 1988. FWICE also said that Siddharth Roy Kapur, who is the co-producer of the film, bought the film from Orange Studios in 2021. [4]OpIndia [5]India Today Talking about it, the President of the FWICE said,
"This year’s nomination of the film ‘Chhello Show’ as India’s Official Entry to the 95th Oscar Award is not as per the usual norms and has therefore created a lot of doubts and issues we thought of raising. We strongly feel that the selection process was not thoroughly followed. We have nothing personal against the producers and makers of the film which has been nominated to the Oscars, but at the same time, the real successors of this award cannot be left in a dilemma as it is very wrong and completely unjustified for us.”
Relationships & More
Marital StatusNot known
Family
Wife/SpouseNot Known
ChildrenHe has a son [6]Pal Nalin’s Facebook post
ParentsFather- Ramniklal Pandya (tea vendor)
Mother- Not known (homemaker)
SiblingsSister: Bharti Ramniklal Pandya (director of Monsoon Films)
Bharti Pandya, sister of Pan Nalin
Brother: 1 (name not known)

A photo of Pan Nalin

Some Lesser Known Facts About Pan Nalin

  • Pan Nalin is an Indian-born French filmmaker who has produced several Indian and international documentaries, short films, and feature films. Pan Nalin came to the limelight after his 2021 Gujarati film Chello Show (The Last Film Show) got nominated for the 2023 Oscars in September 2022.
  • Pan Nalin’s filmmaking career began when he shifted to Mumbai from Gujarat after completing his formal education.
  • In 1988, Pan Nalin worked with the famous Indian cartoonist R. K. Laxman in the Doordarshan comedy TV show Wagle Ki Duniya.
  • Pan Nalin made a debut as a director with the 1991 short film The Khajuraho after which he was hired by the Mumbai-based production company Durga Khote Productions, where he made several films which were a commercial success.
  • In 1992, after leaving Durga Khote Productions, Pan Nalin moved abroad and began making documentaries for channels like BBC, Discovery, Canal+, and many more. While working with the French Canal+ TV channel, Pan Nalin made documentaries on Shah Rukh Khan and Sridevi, who are well-known Bollywood actors.
  • In 1992, along with the French producer Yolande Zauberman, Pan Nalin produced a docudrama film titled Born Criminal (Caste Criminelle), which got nominated at the Cannes Film Festival.
  • From 1993 to 1999, Pan Nalin directed and produced many documentaries and films such as The Tulkus, The Nagas, The Doubt, Kaal, The Devadasi, and Amazing World India.
  • In 2000, Pan Nalin returned to India and founded his film production company Monsoon Films. Initially, Nalin had established the company in New Delhi, but he shifted the company to Mumbai later on.
  • In 2001, Pan Nalin directed Samsara, which was not only released in India but also in France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. The film became his first feature film, and it was awarded several awards at events like Durban International Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Melbourne International Film Festival, São Paulo International Film Festival, and many more.
  • Later, in the same year, Pan Nalin directed Ayurveda: Art of Being, a documentary film that won the Audience Award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, held in 2003.
  • In 2004, Pan Nalin directed Speaking Tree as a director, which was a documentary film.
  • Pan Nalin worked with Milind Soman, a Bollywood actor, in the 2006 independent film titled Valley of Flowers. In 2007, at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, the film won the Jury Award.

    Pan Nalin's film Valley of Flowers' poster

    Pan Nalin’s film Valley of Flowers’ poster

  • In 2013, Pan Nalin produced Faith Connections, a documentary, which was awarded the Audience Choice Award in 2014 at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

    A poster of Pan Nalin's documentary film Faith Connections

    A poster of Pan Nalin’s documentary film Faith Connections

  • In 2015, Pan Nalin’s Bollywood film Angry Indian Goddesses won the BNL People’s Choice Award at the Rome Film Fest.

    A poster of Pan Nalin's Bollywood film Angry Indian Goddesses

    A poster of Pan Nalin’s Bollywood film Angry Indian Goddesses

  • The 2016 film 2183 DAYS, which was co-produced by Pan Nalin, was showcased at the Euro Film Festival.
  • Pan Nalin worked as a director in the 2017 film titled Beyond The Known World (The Disappearance of Eva Hansen).
  • Pan Nalin directed and co-produced the 2021 Gujarati film Chhello Show (The Last Film Show) with Bollywood producer Siddharth Roy Kapur. The film won several accolades at Valladolid International Film Festival, Milwaukee Film Festival, and Mill Valley Film Festival. During an interview, Pan Nalin said that the movie is based on his life during childhood and narrates how he fell in love with cinema. Talking about it, he said,

    I wanted to tell a story about the kids who grow up in the countryside and how they start innovating to create their own kind of cinema, and storytelling. Nothing can stop these kids. When you have nothing to lose, nothing should stop you. It is a story of inspiration, hope, valuing family, friends, cinema, storytellers, innocence and innovation. It has reconnected me back with my roots.”

    A poster of Chello Show (The Last Show) that was nominated for the 2023 Oscars

    A poster of the Gujarati film Chello Show (The Last Show) that was nominated for the 2023 Oscars

    A still from the Oscar nominated film Chello Show

    A still from the Oscar nominated film Chello Show

  • In September 2022, the Chello Film became India’s official entry into the 2023 Oscars after getting nominated by the jury of the Film Federation of India (FFI). [7]The Times of India
  • While talking about his college days, Pan Nalin, during an interview, claimed that he had to take a job as a refiller at a petrol station in Gujarat to pay for his college fees.
  • According to an interview given by Pan Nalin, since he was born into a family which was not financially stable, his family could not afford to buy toys for him because of which he used to make shadow play with his friends with the help of a flashlight and the white sari of his mother. While talking about it, Pan Nalin said,

    I came from a poor family, so we did not have any toys. So, we would put up my mother’s white saree and use the torch to create shadow plays. Somewhere unconsciously, the light was a fascinating part of my childhood. The torchlight in the night, and the sunlight in the day time it became an integral part of my storytelling.”

  • On 29 June 2022, Pan Nalin became the first Gujarati to become a member of the Oscars Committee. [8]Indian Express Talking about his selection, he said,

    Today, I feel very honored and empowered. Somehow many years ago I chose a path that was very difficult and unwalkable. Today is a glory day. What I did in my solitude finally echoes in multitudes. Thank you, Academy, for believing in my cinema and encouraging me to go on. I am super excited about this new beginning. A new journey commences for me today.”

  • In September 2022, after Chello Show got nominated to represent India at the 2023 Oscars, Amul, a food processing company, published a cartoon in several national newspapers congratulating him on his achievement.

    A photo of the cartoon published by Amul congratulating Pan Nalin

    A photo of the cartoon published by Amul congratulating Pan Nalin

  • In January 2023, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a list of 301 feature films eligible for Oscars including Pan Nalin’s Chello Show. [9]NDTV

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