While performing in a drama at Kala Vikash Kendra of Cuttack, Kaviraj Krushna Chandra Tripathy and Dhira Biswal choose him for the Odia movie Dasyu Ratnakar.

Movies like, Shesha Shrabana, Hisab Nikas, Balidan, Swapna Sagara, Maa O Mamata, Dora are some of his milestone classics for Odia film industry.

While screening of his film Shesha Shrabana at IFFI, New Delhi, Tarachand Barjatya of Rajshri Productions, approached him to make the movie in Hindi.

Subsequently, Nanda directed and acted as male lead in Naiyya released in the year 1979 alongside Zarina Wahab and the veteran actor Amrish Puri.

He has also given his direction in 1984 Hindi movie, Grahasthi starring Yogeeta Bali, Suresh Oberoi and Ashok Kumar.

His father never saw his films, but by hearing a lot of appreciation from everyone's mouth, he asked him about the movie and showed interest to watch it.

Later, the song lyrics and theme of the movie Maa O Mamata reflects in his 1985 film Ram Teri Ganga Maili.

Actor-director duo Sidhant Mohapatra and Prashanta Nanda have given 8 all time blockbuster Movies to Ollywood.

In 2013, it was announced that he had joined other Bollywood and international celebrities in the TeachAids initiative, a state-of-the-art approach to worldwide HIV prevention, developed at Stanford University.