Real Jalpari in museum

Jalpari: The Desert Mermaid is a 2012 Indian film directed by Nila Madhab Panda.[1][2] Like I Am Kalam it is also a children's film where Lehar Khan, Krishang Trivedi and Harsh Mayar (who won the National Film Awards for the best child artist in 2010) are on lead as child artists and Parvin Dabas, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Rahul Singh, Suhasini Mulay and V.M. Badola are in supporting roles.[2]

The movie centers on the issue of female foeticide and is an adventure film. It was screened at Marche du Cannes film festival.[2]

The movie has been nominated at the prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA). The sixth APSA ceremony was organised at Queensland, Australia on 23 November 2012.[3] The movie has been sent to the Academy of Motion Pictures as a direct entry for the Oscar Awards in the foreign film category.[4] Recently the film received the prestigious Audience Choice Award in Minsk International Film Festival in Belarus & selected as an official entry for International Film Festival in Montreal which will take place in March 2013. The film also won MIP Junior Kids Jury Award at Cannes in October 2012.[5]