About
Nandita Das is a filmmaker, actor, and social advocate. She has acted in more than 40 feature films in 10 different languages. Her directorial debut feature film, Firaaq, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2008 and has travelled to over 50 festivals and won more than 20 awards. Nandita was a member of the main jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 and 2013 and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2007 amongst others. Nandita's second directorial venture, Manto, based on the life and works of the short story writer, Saadat Hasan Manto, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018, the only Indian film to be in the main two sections. After traveling to various festivals around the world, it began streaming on Netflix. She chronicled her 6-year long journey of making the film in her first book, Manto and I. Nandita has a Master's degree in social work and worked with various NGOs before films gave her an opportunity to expand her role as a social advocate. Nandita continues to campaign on social issues concerning women, children, and marginalized communities. In 2010 Nandita was nominated as a Youth Global Leader to be part of a dynamic global community, initiated by the World Economic Forum. In 2011, she received the Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres award from the French government. She was the first Indian to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the International Women's Forum.