India has selected its official entry for the upcoming edition of the Academy Awards and it is neither RRR nor The Kashmir Files but the Gujarati film Chhello Show (The Last Film Show). The Film Federation of India (FFI) made the announcement about the selection on Tuesday. Sources stated that the film which has been directed by Pan Nalin is an auto-biographical drama that is set in the western region of Gujarat.
Reacting on the selection, Pan tweeted, “OMG! What a night this going to be! Gratitude to Film Federation of India and thank you FFI jury members. Thank you for believing in Chhello Show. Now I can breathe again and believe in cinema that entertains, inspires and enlightens! (sic)”
Chello Show tells the story of a nine-year-old boy who is mesmerised by a beautiful light and shadow show that is projected behind celluloid film, putting the declining single-screen cinema and 35mm celluloid film culture in India in the spotlight. The movie stars Bhavin Rabari in the lead role as Samay along with Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, and Rahul Koli.
Pan Nalin was born in the Adtala village in Lathi Taluka of Amreli district, Gujarat, and was originally named Nalin Kumar Pandya. He is the son of a tea vendor who owns a stall in Khijadiya railway station near Amreli. He did his bachelor's in Fine Arts from the M.S. University of Baroda, after which he went to learn design at the NID (National Institute of Design). While studying at NID, Nalin started making movie clips with 16mm and 8mm cameras. He worked as a videographer in Indian weddings to finance his passion for films. He then made his way to Mumbai where he initially worked as a production runner and later directed several advertisement films.
The director made his feature directorial debut with Samsara in 2001. The film instantly put him in the limelight as it was well-received worldwide. Nalin is also a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, in its prestigious Director's Branch of Class of 2022. He is also a member of the French Academy of Arts and Techniques of Cinema (Cesars) in its coveted Directors wing. In addition, he has directed other films such as Valley of Flowers, Angry Indian Goddesses and Ayurveda: Art of Being.
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