Prashanta Nanda (born May 2, 1947, in Cuttack, Odisha) is an acclaimed Indian actor, director, and politician. Highly educated with degrees including a B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., LL.B., and D.Litt., Nanda showed an early passion for performing through school dramas and All India Radio broadcasts. He made his lead acting debut in the 1962 Odia film Nua Bou. His early acting career saw remarkable acclaim, as his first three films, Nua Bou, Matira Manisha (1966), and Adina Megha (1970), all earned National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Odia within eight years.