Orissa Cinema

From Afar

A weekly column by
Sahasranshu Mahapatra, New Delhi

“A good story well told cuts across all boundaries”— once said the Oscar nominated director Mira Nair. This also holds good for Sabyasachi Mahapatra’s new film ‘Jai Jagannath’. A seasoned director like Mr Mahapatra has roped in on the legendary story of the great devotee ‘Shriya Chandaluni’ (the divine sweeper) to attract the audience across the country as well as abroad. This version of the story is different in many ways from its initial celluloid version. The ‘Jai Jagannath’ team includes famous names of Oriya film industry Sadhu Meher, Sarat Pujari, Sritam and Jyoti Mishra. This is going to be the first Oriya film to be released in 13 other languages besides Hindi and English. Bollywood bigwig Bharat Shah has pumped money into it and Adlab Films is releasing it all over the country.

Anybody from Orissa is well aware of the story of ‘Shriya Chandaluni’ and Lord Jagannath. But this story is not a mere depiction of an Oriya scripture of ‘Laxmi Puran’ . Beyond the religious belief the story has two distinct features– casteism and glorification of a woman (wife) in a Hindu family. This story also narrates the women empowerment, abolition of caste system—at least in the temple and the importance of a woman in one’s family life. This is enough to attract the non-Oriya audience. Association of Bharat Shah as well as Adlab Films with the project substantiates the fact that a good story, well narrated, has all the potential to spin money in the glamour world.

After ‘Bhuka’ Sabyasachi Mahapatra has again banked on the well known scripture of ‘Laxmi Puran’ to garner a pan-Indian audience support for Oriya cinema. The efforts of Mr. Mahapatra and his team seems to be very promising but the question of the moment is whether this is the beginning of a new era for the Oriya film industry or the quest for resurgence of the original Oriya films will still stretch far? But everything will depend on how far the film stands upto the litmus test of the box office collection.

Industry insiders have no hesitation in accepting that the new age filmmakers are largely dependent on Bangla, Telugu or Bollywood films for new ideas. There is largely a crisis of new and innovative ideas in the film industry in Orissa. Can the industry now rope in on Oriya literary heritage to save its status which has reached at the verge of ‘identity crisis’ in terms of content ?

Unfortunately recent Ollywood has not witnessed many cinematic adaptations of literary works. The money minded producers have never thought of taking a risk. Those who dared to tell heart touching stories on celluloid have often been cornered as the ‘art filmmakers’. Their films have failed the box office test though they have created an identity for the Oriya film industry across the globe. At the same time, stalwarts like Raju Mishra, Amiya Patnaik, Ravi Kinnagi , Sisir Mishra and Hara Patnaik have been trying to explore new avenues in commercial cinema but the crisis of establishing an Oriya identity in celluloid world is still looming large.

One must not forget that Orissa has witnessed many celluloid adaptations of literary works. The list is quite elegant with the master pieces like Kaa, Badhunirupama, Adina Megha, Amada Bata, Matira Manisha, Abhimana, Adimimansha, Maya Miriga, Kaberi, Subarna Sita, Aranyaka, Chha Mana Atha Guntha, Lakshmira Abhisara, Gare Sindura Dhare Luha and many more. People like Manmohan Mahapatra, Nirad Mahapatra, Himanshu Khatua and Sabyasachi Mahapatra have been trying to bridge the gap between commercial cinema and art cinema, while delivering some excellent products of this popular art form. But whenever it comes to the reputation of the industry we are losing to an infamous belief of borrowing ideas from our neighbors.

Perhaps it is the time to introspect and to invest a sustained effort to reinstate that lost glory of Ollywood. We Oriyas have a rich cultural and literary heritage which can be transformed into exemplary celluloid saga. The need of the hour is to have a look within and an honest desire to create own Oriya identity in this world of light and shades.

Veteran Sabyasachi Mahapatra has shown the way and let us hope the new comers will reestablish the lost glory following same path.