Orissa Cinema

Orissacinema.com is deeply aggrieved by the news related to critical health conditions of the ace Ollywood actor and director Hara Patnaik.

Sri Patnaik has been diagnosed having blood cancer and since April 28, he is admitted at the Vellore-based Christian Medical College. At this initial stage, he is being treated with chemotherapy.

Readers should know that the cost of treatments will run into amounts exceeding Rs60 lakhs. It is only desired that those of us who are able and willing should contribute to this cause of medical treatment.

Oriya film fraternity has extended its support towards facilitating donation for Sri Patnaik’s treatment. Orissa Cine Artist Association has informed that several “Ollywood Nite” events are being organized in Orissa to raise funds. Senior artists including Debu Bose, Bijaya Mohanty and Siddhant Mohapatra have addressed the press to make the public appeal and to show solidarity.

Orissacinema.com also requests its readers to contact Mr Bishnu Prasad Patnaik, younger brother of the filmmaker to make any timely contributions as possible, and also to extend moral supports to his family.
You may contact Mr Patnaik at the following numbers: 94370-24966, 99370-24966, 0671-2604966.

Leading Oriya actress Anu Choudhary has filed a mutually-agreed divorce petition along with her businessman-husband Sandeep Mishra.
According to lawyer Prasanta Routray, they had got married on March 3, 2006 and were living separated from each other since last three months.
Anu says, “I can’t disclose anything. It’s a family matter.” Sandeep has so far not offered comments to the press.

Exclusively for our readers, presenting lead actress: Naina Dash
The complete gallery can be accessed here!

Photographs: Ashok Panda

Eminent Oriya cine artist Tandra Ray received best actress award from Tourism Minister Debi Mishra at Jaideb Bhavan recently. Photograph by Ashok Panda

An exclusive gallery on Roma: Television serial artist, music video album actress, and Oriya Cinema Star!
Photographs by Ashok Panda

From Afar

A weekly column by
Sahasranshu Mahapatra, New Delhi

A news report on an alleged crime involving a lead actor of Ollywood, a debate, by many people from all walks of life, on the blogsphere and a relentless, patient effort by the editor to prove his stance– are what all this website witnessed since last one month. The story on Chandan Kar (Babu I Love You fame) has drawn 34 comments so far and perhaps many more are on the way. It might have kept this website abuzz or drawn much clicks on the pages of this site but definitely not in good taste.

It is not new for the friends and relatives to defend an accused. It is also sure for the feminists to raise voice against a dowry torture. But to my knowledge this story drew such attention because of involvement of a budding Ollywood star. Had it been about a common man, would it have raised such fierce exchange of words? Many dowry cases are being reported everyday in Orissa. How many of us are raising our voices either for the accused or for the victim?

In the due process the blog page witnessed many serious questions on media ethics, judicial system of this country, media trial, crime against the weaker sex and so on. But what all forgot is its impact on Ollywood, the industry of which the accused Chandan Kar is an integral part. Did we bother to think what will be the impact of this incident on an industry which seriously needs an image make over. What will be the impact of the newcomers those who are dreaming of a career in this show world. Perhaps these are the questions the editor of this website wanted to address, but in a very subtle manner.

It was a crisis for the Oriya film industry to find new talents. The same heroes or heroines and few actors ruled the silver screen for Oriya audience for decades. Be it Gaur Prasad Ghosh, Babida, Prashant Nanda, Bijaya Mohanty, Uttam Mohanty, Sriram Panda, and Mihir Das as the protagonists or Dukhiram Swain, Hara Patnaik, Rai Mohan, Ashru Mochan as the baddies- the Oriya audience were habituated with these few faces on the silver screens. Some of them are still ruling the space in the world of light and shades. Thanks to the television boom that paved the way for young talents to make it big in the Oriya filmdom. In late 1990s some young talents slowly made their entry into this highly closed world of film making. The result is quite visible with the emergence of Siddhant, Sritam, Pintu Nanda, Abubhav as heroes and Mama, Ushashi, Anu, Jyoti, Barsa as heroines and many other young talents.

Unlike Bollywood or South Indian film industry the crime involving film personalities is hardly heard in Orissa. The lone incidents of such stature must not rattle the future of the budding artists. If such debates goes on then definitely the newcomers would seriously contemplate on their every move before entering to Ollywood. The worst fear is that the largely conservative Oriya society may take a negative note of such incidents which in turn might bring bitter experiences in the social life of the budding artists. The same week there was news on the website of a crime involving Siddhant, the most celebrated hero of the present Ollywood. There was not a single word on Siddhant’s traffic rule violation. But did Chandan’s story have this attention because of it was a case of dowry harassment.

Chandan may be released tomorrow free from all charges. He may settle well with his wife forgetting all past and finally he may become the demigod of silver screen for Oriya audience. Nobody can rule out any possibility.

Folks! Before jumping into any conclusion or any such debates we must not forget that it’s the Ollywood image what matters above all.

(by. Ashok Palit)

Prasanat Nanda directed “Kali Shankar” film shooting is going on in full swing at Puri. The film stars in lead roles Anuvab, Sidhant, Arindam, and Anu Choudhury. Bollywood BadMan Ashis Vidyarthi also stars in this eagerly awaited film. Music is composed by Santiraj Khosala.

Co-director Basant Sahoo takes on as the action director whereas Prasanat Nanda is taking care of the drama portion of the film.

Did you know the legendary Bollywood star Mithun Chakraborty is largely responsible for making an Oriya film a runaway hit?

“Ae Jugara Krushna Sudama”, released across Orissa in January, is back at as many as 11 cinema theatres for a second time primarily because of the performance of the Bengali actor, who dazzled Bollywood with his dancing in the 1980s.

Basanta Naik’s Brajaraj Movies has produced A Jugara Krushna Sudama , which features Mithun in a lead role. “People in Orissa have shown extra interest to watch this movie,” a thrilled Naik said.

About eight Oriya films had been released since January, but A Jugara Krushna Sudama was the only one that had been a commercial success, the producer said.

Directed by Hara Patnaik, A Jugara Krushna Sudama is Naik’s 12th Oriya movie. It is the story of two friends, one poor and the other rich. Mithun plays the poor friend while Uttam Mohanty, a top Oriya actor, plays the rich one.

Naik is perhaps the only Oriya film producer who has risked roping in stars from Bollywood and Bengali cinema to add to a movie’s appeal. He had cast Raakhi Gulzar in his film Maa in the 1990s.

“Maa was a super hit at that time. I also introduced Prasenjit, Debashree Roy and Sujit Kumar (from Bengali cinema) before Orissa audiences. However, Mithun’s film has broken all past records,” Naik said.

This is the first time Mithun has played the lead role in an Oriya film. Earlier, he had made a guest appearance in Sahara Jaluchi .

“I saw his guest appearance in Sahara Jaluchi and decided to take him in my movie. He spoke good Oriya,” Naik said.

The experience of working with the star of such Bollywood hits as Disco Dancer was enriching, said the producer.

“We learnt many things from him. Mithun was very punctual and sincere. We had a 28-day schedule of shooting for him but one of the leading stars was ill. Therefore, we had to extend it to 62 days and Mithun cooperated. Looking at the commercial success (of A Jugara Krushna Sudama ), I am planning to dub the film in Bengali and Chattishgari languages,” added Naik.

Close on the heels of Hollywood teen trivia, Orissa cinemas are going to provide quite a few relief as well.

The latest is our superstar Siddhanta Mohapatra has set a standard regarding hogging the headlines.

No wonder, he had to be booked for that. Siddhanta was caught while talking on his mobile phone even as he drove amidst a crowded area in Bhubaneswar. Nothing fancy happened after that, although he was booked for violating traffic rules

Anup Kanungo, the city traffic inspector informed that Siddhanta was returning after the shooting of a film and the police have registered a case against the actor for violating traffic rules. Later on of course, Mohapatra was let go free to the real world subsequent to his written submission that he will not violate traffic rules in future.

Lets only hope, for Siddhanta, promises are meant to be kept outside the film world as well!

After a spate of festive film releases, Ollywood is now going to withstand an assault on its image.

In what appears to be a shameful case of dowry torture and domestic violence, an actor Chandan Kar (”Babu I love You”) has been arrested by Bhubaneswar Police this Sunday.

In a real life enactment of popular social theme on reel, Mr Kar and his family were harassing Sridevi Mishra demanding for a Honda City car and a LCD Television set. Interestingly, more than 3 lakhs rupees worth of goods have also been seized by the police in connection to this. It merely means that apart from already having given dowry (for which Sridevi Mishra’s family must be penalized), there were demands for more from the greedy actor’s family.

In connection with this case, Chandan has been forwarded to Jharapara Jail after his bail petition was rejected by the Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM). A criminal case no-117/2007 has been filed against the accused under sections 498 (A), 323, 506 and 34 IPC read with 4 DP Act.

Chandan, a software engineer for Infosys had been married to Sridevi Mishra, daughter of Umanatha Mishra of Basundhara Colony, Kanana Vihar, Phase-II since only March this year. Inspector in Charge of the Mahila police station Bilasini Nayak said, “The police have seized all the dowry items worth over Rs 3 lakh from Chandan’s house. We are also looking into the angle of the in-laws involvement in this matter as is alleged by the victim. The investigation is still on in this case.”

This is an unfortunate incident and the police are investigating further. However in the process, the image of good old Ollywood has stood to be tarnished in no small measure.

UPDATE: Read the comments, and respond to them.