Jamshedpur, Sept. 5: The journey for Dashrath Hansda began almost a decade ago, but today he has reached where he always aspired to be.

For the man, who made the first Santhali music video way back in 1998, is all set to cross international borders. Sita Nala Re Sugun Supari, Hansda’s third feature venture, which was released in 2006, has been selected by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) for release in the overseas market.

A rare honour in the realm of a tribal language, this would be the first Santhali film to cross the borders. “Yes, we have received a letter from NFDC asking us to prepare a fresh print along with English subtitles to make it suitable for international audiences,” Hansda told The Telegraph.

The film is based on an adaptation of a popular love story is set in Sitanala, a small, nondescript village near Ranchi and the cast include artistes from both Jharkhand and Bengal.

To be submitted to NFDC by end of this year, the new print with English subtitles would cost the filmmakers at least Rs 3 lakh. “Finance is one of the major hindrances, but now, several people have shown an interest and we hope that the work would be completed soon,” added Hansda. The work on translation and English subtitles have also started.

This is, however, the second film to be recognised for an honour of repute. Prior to this, Biju Toppo a young film-maker from Ranchi, was accorded the Silver Conch at the 9th Mumbai International Film Festival. The film got the second place in the best national documentary category.

Hansda, in his late thirties, made a name for himself when the state government awarded him with the most promising film-maker prize in 2003.

To his credit, Hansda has not only produced and directed the first Santhali video album, but also made the first 35mm full-length Santhali feature film Sagan Ena Sohay Dulur in 2003. That’s not all, his production house Chunu Films is the oldest Santhali film production company in the region.

“Santhali cinema has come a long way. Today, one can safely say that this is one of the few film industries that are not running on losses. Our films might not be blockbusters, but all films released not only recover their production costs, but are also able to earn a decent profit,” added Hansda.

And having hit the bullseye just with his third film, the talented movie maverick is now set to create another history of sorts.