The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC India) has announced the empanelment of Pinaka Mediaworks, the Chandigarh-based production house led by National Award-winning filmmaker Ojaswwee Sharma. The empanelment, first granted in 2023, has been renewed and extended in October 2026, continuing its association with NFDC.
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A Renewed Milestone
Pinaka Mediaworks first received its empanelment with NFDC in 2023. Following an official notification letter from NFDC and a successful re-filing by the company, the empanelment was renewed in October 2026, extending the empanelment so that the association with NFDC continues, a significant milestone for the production house.
The empanelment allows Pinaka Mediaworks to collaborate directly with NFDC India on government campaigns, documentaries and public service projects that support the nation’s cultural and developmental initiatives. Led by Ojaswwee Sharma, the company says it looks forward to working jointly with NFDC on films that contribute to the nation’s developmental aspects in the coming years.
“We are grateful to NFDC for renewing our empanelment. It reaffirms our belief that films can inform, include and inspire. We look forward to working with NFDC on projects that serve the nation and give voice to stories that matter.” — Ojaswwee Sharma, Managing Partner, Pinaka Mediaworks
Why the Empanelment Matters
The renewal is more than a formality. It reflects continued confidence in a production house whose work and values line up closely with NFDC’s own mandate.
- Credibility: empanelment signals that Pinaka Mediaworks meets the standards NFDC expects of its production partners, and it follows a track record that includes a National Award and recognition from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- Direct access to public projects: it allows the company to collaborate with NFDC on government campaigns, documentaries and public service projects that support the nation’s cultural and developmental goals.
- Continuity: the extension means the partnership first formed in 2023 carries on without a break, allowing longer-term planning of projects.
- A stronger regional voice: it gives North India, across Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, a trusted production partner within a national framework.
- Inclusive storytelling at national scale: Pinaka’s strengths in accessibility and inclusive cinema fit public messaging that has to reach every section of society.
- Shared purpose: both organisations back socially relevant, creative and independent cinema, so the partnership strengthens a common mission rather than a purely commercial one.
Looking Ahead
With its empanelment extended and continuing, Pinaka Mediaworks continues to build on its record of creative, socially relevant storytelling, and looks forward to deepening its collaboration with NFDC on projects that serve the nation.
Learn more: Pinaka Mediaworks · NFDC India
Read the official document: NFDC Empanelment 2026 (PDF)
Watch the showreel: Pinaka Mediaworks showreel on YouTube
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About Pinaka Mediaworks
Pinaka Mediaworks is one of the leading film production companies in North India, headquartered in the Chandigarh Tricity area. It is known for producing award-winning films, documentaries, talk shows and campaigns, and for its commitment to purpose-driven, thought-provoking cinema.
The company’s notable works include:
- “Admitted”: a National Award-winning docudrama.
- “Rabb Di Awaaz”: a feature film described as India’s first fully multi-inclusive feature film.
- Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival (India Chapter): an annual festival hosted by the company.
Operating across India, Pinaka Mediaworks holds a strong presence in Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.
Significant Works and Recognition
Since its founding in 2017, Pinaka Mediaworks has built a body of work that spans feature films, documentaries, campaigns, digital talk shows and online film festivals. By the company’s own count, its first nine years have produced two feature films, around 15 documentaries, 75 campaigns and some 700 videos, along with about 40 awards and recognitions, two of them from the Government of India.
- “Admitted” (2020): a docudrama on the life of Dhananjay Chauhan, the first transgender student of Panjab University, Chandigarh. It won the Special Jury Award (Rajat Kamal) at the 68th National Film Awards and the Silver Conch for Best Documentary (above 60 minutes) at the 17th Mumbai International Film Festival in 2022.
- “Rabb Di Awaaz”: described as India’s first multi-inclusive Hindi feature film, it has won the Media Federation of India award for excellence in 2024, a Best Film Jury Award at the International Film Festival of Srinagar in 2025, a Jury Mention at the We Care Festival 2025 in New Delhi, and has been screened widely, including at Shimla’s Gaiety Theatre. It was also released with accessibility features ahead of official accessibility guidelines.
- “Above the Limits: The Buddy Mobility Care Film”: a Special Jury Award winner in the Best Short Documentary / Campaign category at the 12th Rajasthan International Film Festival in 2026.
- Earlier short films: including “Zubaan” and “The Last Date”, which brought early recognition at regional and national festivals.
- Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival (India Chapter): held in Chandigarh every February, with seven editions from 2020 to 2026.
Beyond production, the company has taken films to more than 100 international festival screenings and has held around 300 complimentary screenings across rural and educational venues.
Vision and Values
Pinaka Mediaworks says its vision is to use cinema as a force for progress, change and equality. That vision rests on a few consistent commitments:
- Inclusion and accessibility: films and programmes that champion equal opportunity, gender equity and disability inclusivity, backed by services such as Audio Description and Indian Sign Language.
- Social awareness: real-life, socially relevant stories on community, heritage, environment, interfaith harmony and the pluralism of society.
- Cultural preservation: a long-running partnership with the Sikhlens festival to support arts and cultural collaboration.
- Access to cinema: making films affordable and part of mainstream education and learning, including free screenings in rural and educational spaces.
- Nurturing talent: supporting the independent filmmaking ecosystem and giving opportunities to newcomers from the region.
The company is also registered with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA).
Inclusive and Accessible Cinema
Inclusion is the thread that runs through Pinaka Mediaworks’ work, on screen and behind it. The company treats accessibility not as an add-on but as part of how a film is conceived, made and shown, and it tells stories of marginalised communities with sensitivity and respect.
- Sensitive storytelling: “Admitted” tells the story of the first transgender student of Panjab University, giving dignity and visibility to a community rarely seen on screen, while “Rabb Di Awaaz” centres on a visually challenged protagonist.
- Accessibility built in: “Rabb Di Awaaz” is described as India’s first multi-inclusive feature film and set an accessibility benchmark in Indian cinema before official accessibility guidelines were issued. The company offers Audio Description and Indian Sign Language services so that films reach audiences with visual and hearing impairments.
- Inclusive festivals and screenings: Sikhlens India 2026 was celebrated at Chandigarh Spinal Rehab, taking the festival to people with spinal injuries, and the company has held around 300 free screenings in rural and educational venues.
- Disability and mobility: “Above the Limits: The Buddy Mobility Care Film” highlights mobility and accessibility, and was recognised with a Special Jury Award in 2026.
- Recognised by the United Nations in India: “Rabb Di Awaaz” received a Jury Mention at the We Care Festival 2025 in New Delhi, presented by the United Nations in India, UNESCO and Brotherhood.
Social Justice and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The company’s work lines up closely with several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities: giving voice to persons with disabilities, the transgender community and other groups pushed to the margins.
- SDG 5, Gender Equality: stories and programmes that champion gender equity and the dignity of gender-diverse people.
- SDG 4, Quality Education: bringing cinema into mainstream learning through free screenings in rural and educational spaces.
- SDG 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: films rooted in real events, such as the centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, that keep memory, justice and human rights in public conversation.
- SDG 17, Partnerships for the Goals: collaborating with government bodies such as NFDC, institutions and civil society to carry these stories further.
With its empanelment extended, this commitment to inclusive, accessible and socially just cinema can now reach more people through NFDC’s government and public service projects.
Bridging Cinema and Education
Pinaka Mediaworks sees cinema as one of the most powerful forms of experiential learning, and it works to bring films into classrooms, campuses and communities where they can teach as well as entertain. The company’s stated aim is to make cinema a part of mainstream education and learning, in a form that is accessible and affordable.
- Screenings where learning happens: around 300 complimentary screenings across rural and educational venues, taking films to audiences who rarely have access to a cinema hall.
- Education and e-learning production: the company produces e-learning and educational content alongside its films, documentaries and campaigns.
- Stories that teach: films on real people and real events, from the life of a transgender student to the history of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, double as material for classroom discussion on inclusion, rights and history.
- Learning on the job: apprenticeships and internships, including remote options, give students and young filmmakers hands-on experience across the production process.
- Festivals as platforms: Sikhlens: Sikh Arts & Film Festival in Chandigarh brings filmmakers, artists and audiences together each February, encouraging dialogue on art, culture and heritage.
Through its renewed empanelment with NFDC, the company can take this education-led and entertainment-driven approach into more public and government projects.
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About NFDC
The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, working to promote and support the growth of the Indian film industry. NFDC plays a significant role in funding and producing independent and art-house films, documentaries and other cinema projects, with a focus on creativity and talent, especially in areas that may not receive mainstream commercial attention. It has been instrumental in supporting and showcasing a wide range of Indian films of cultural, artistic and social significance.
NFDC’s Legacy and Values
NFDC is the central agency set up to encourage the good cinema movement in India. Its primary goal is to plan, promote and organise the integrated and efficient development of the Indian film industry and to foster excellence in cinema. Together with its predecessor, the Film Finance Corporation, it has funded or produced over 300 films in many Indian languages, many of which have won national and international awards.
Three values run through NFDC’s work:
- Excellence: backing quality cinema over purely commercial success.
- Diversity: supporting films across languages, regions and voices.
- Support for new talent: providing funding, platforms and services that help independent filmmakers reach audiences.