Orissa Cinema

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

Chaka Chaka Bhaunri exclusive film shots for Orissacinema readers!
Please click here to view the complete gallery.

by Ashok Palit

After Sabyasachi Mohapatra’s Jai Jagannath was released on 13th July (check the blog for detailed story) with 3000 print in 15 languages, Ollywood surely awaited some more news and updates. Orissacinema presents to you a few more:

1. Dubbing work of Suvendu Swain’s “Chaka Chaka Bhaunhari” has been completed. This film is scheduled to be released during Ganesh Puja.

2. Sangram Biswal’s “Lal Tuktuk Sadhab Bahu” is at its editing phase. This film is scheduled to be released during Dashahara.

3. Chakradhar Sahoo’s directed “Tumaku Paruni Ta Bhuli” is also awaiting release.

4. New film “Kalingaputra” promises to fight against corruption. This film is being directed by Barada Prasanna Tripathy and produced by Debananda Panda. Music is being composed by Swarup Nayak.

Though Bijay Kandoi’s forthcoming film was initially titled “Police Officer”, its director Himanshu Parija has refused to entertain such a name!
Will it run into controversies? Time to wait and watch.
At least one thing is certain: yesteryears singer Deepak Kumar will be scoring the music for this film.

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.

Oriya comedy serial “Time Pass” is being produced by ETV.

Chief Producer-Sanjay Pathak
Producer-Satya Ratha
Director-Gouri Sankar Das
Writer -Nirmal Nayak
Co-ordinater-Deba Brata Mishra
Production- Jitu, Bijay, Deba Mohanty
Make Up-Addi
Asst. Director- Saroj, Babaji

Artists- Hadu, Choudhary Jai Prakash Dash, Dinabandhu Pandia, Ananta Mishra, Bijay Patnaiak, Panu, Mamuni Mishra, Deji, Rajeswari , Addi

[Click on the images above to see the complete gallery]

From Afar

A weekly column by
Sahasranshu Mahapatra, New Delhi

In a world of filmmaking the allegations of copy right violation and stealing of ideas or concepts are not new. World’s largest film producing industry Bollywood is also not free from this. The latest in the row is the Ram Gopal Verma’s remake of GP Sippy’s superhit ‘Sholay’. Though this kind of allegations are not prominent in Oriya film industry but the recent release ‘Ea Mana Manena’ has drawn attention of many outside theatres for its alleged ‘stolen’ storyline. The producer of this film, Bhubaneswar based Maa Bhavani Productions, has been facing a legal battle against Hyderabad based Prasad Productions Pvt Ltd.

The south Indian production house has accused the Oriya producer of stealing the story idea from its Telugu blockbuster ‘Arya’. At first instance it may seem to be a simple matter of copyright violation against an Oriya producer. But in a broader scenario the issue is much more serious. Perhaps it is the failure of an industry (Ollywood) to create an identity and to build a reputation. This reflects that Oriya film industry still struggles to garner respect and support outside Orissa.

Even having talents, technical efficiency and a conducive market atmosphere, why Oriya film industry is still reeling under serious accusations of loosing creativity and innovation in content? Perhaps the time has reached for us to seriously contemplate on this question. In my view the real culprit is the ‘lack of ideas’. We are lacking in new concepts or innovation and thus allowing others to point fingers at us. Some of the filmmakers just want to be a part of the flow and others who have the potential to emerge with innovation lack the trust of producers.

Perhaps the time has reached to think out of box and establish an empire of own creativity in the highly creative world of celluloid business.

It was spirituality which ruled the screen in the early days of filmmaking in Orissa. Then came the stories which talked of feudalism in society, serious consequences of caste system and other social evils. For decades the family feuds, the protagonist against the evil and romance in the backyard kept Oriya audience indulged in pure entertainment. The Saas-Bahu sagas also dragged the audience to the theatre for sometime. Now the time has reached to look beyond making of this protagonist or ‘they lived happily ever after’ cinemas.

The love triangles and running around the tree will no more be interesting for the metro bound ambitious young generation of Orissa. The highly aspiring young generation with a never say a die spirit will hardly show any interest in the current Ollywood products. With Bollywood films making way to our drawing rooms every day, the filmmakers should understand the pressure.

The changing socio-economic scenario, emergence of nuclear families and the difficulty of the present generation to hold to their roots are some of the subjects which need much attention from the directors to begin a new phase of filmmaking. In the changing scenario the stories like that of ‘Hakim Babu’ may not be appropriate one but the constant pressure on the tribals to hold to their roots due to the rising urbanization would provide enough substance for a good cinema these days. The highly ambitious young generation and the woes of city bound village lads need to be deliberated upon than the stereotype college love stories. Dowry deaths, child abuse, growing criminalisation in the urban set up are some of the new are some of the areas which should be looked into besides the Saas-Bahu stories or ‘Sahar Jaluchhi’ type gangster themes. The Oriya literary heritage can also open up its treasure box for new age auteur.

It is true that keeping the Oriya audience in mind the stories of Ollywood films can’t go Bollywood way. The constraint of financial support also restricts the industry to go on a widespread experimentation on subjects. At the same time the Oriya filmmakers should not forget that the populist approach or on screen expose alone will not work to attract the new generation cine goers.

The present generation of producers and directors need to think beyond the ‘formula’ and emerge with innovative ideas, which can be projected as our own and help to build the reputation for the industry as well.

Mr Amiya Pattnaik has clapped the mahurat shot of SAMAYA HATARE DORI at Hanuman Temple near CRP Square at Bhubaneswar.

The film credits are as follows:

Banner- Dreamland Cine Crafts
Presented by – Choudhary Ashok Das
Proudced by - Smt. Tilotoma Das, Choudhary Pinky Das
Script & Direction – Amulya Das
Music – Rati-Alok
Lyrics-Nizam, Arun Mantri, Purendu Dasmohapatra, Ratikant Barik, Purna Mohapatra
Vocals: Namita Agrawall, Md. Aziz, Manas Pritam, Kumar Bapi, sailabhama, Tapu Mishra, Pami
Camera: Ganeswara Mohapatra
Art - Partha Mohanty
Dance - Murali Babu
Fight - kundatara Babu
Costume – Babuni
Make up – Promod
Graphics - sasikant Rout
Still Photo - Tukuna (Payal Studio)
Star Cast - Sidhant, Anu Choudhrary,Mihir Das, Meghna Mishra, Debajani, Debu Bose, Braja singh, Suman, Neelam, Nayanatara, Raja Mohanty, Ashok Bal, Krushna, Chanda, Tota, Pagul, Bijoy Mohanty (Rourkela), Hena, Julie, Satyanaran Bhatter, Sapan Gupta, Arun, Master swaraj, Baby Nikitaa and Aparajita