Aravindan Puraskaram for Nila Pande

Thiruvananthapuram (PTI) Nila Madhab Pande, director of the Hindi film I am Kalam has been chosen for the Aravindan Puraskaram for best debut filmmaker in the year 2010. The award, instituted by the state capital-based Chalachithra Film Society in memory of renowned Malayalam filmmaker G Aravindan, carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, citation and a plaque.

A jury chaired by noted director Shyamaprasad selected Pande for the award, G Rajmohan, president, Chalachitra Film Society, told reporters here today.

Aravindan Puraskaram was instituted in 1991 at the national level for best debut film-makers. Earlier recipients of the honour include A K Bir (Adi Mimamsa-Oriya), Pamela Rooks (Miss Beatty's Children-English), Bikram Singh (Tharpan-Hindi), Kavitha Lankesh (Daveeri-Kannada), Albert (Kanne Madanguka-Malayalam) and Shyamaprasad (Agnisakshi- Malayalam).