BHUBANESWAR: Directorial debut of ace cinematographer Subhranshu Das ‘Pushkara’ has been named as the Best Odia Film at the 71st National Film Awards.
The awards were announced by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in presence of chairperson of the feature film jury Ashutosh Gowarikar and chairperson of the non-feature film jury P Sheshadri on Friday.
Starring Sabyasachi Mishra and Supriya, the film is based on writer Shankar Tripathy’s Odia novel ‘Nadabindu’ and was appreciated by both critics and film-lovers since its release in 2023.
“People connected with the movie because of its Odia elements. It is a love story which evolves from a post-death ritual Pushkara. Since the film is entirely based in Puri, we have featured rituals central to the town like Sahi Jata, Kartika Purnima and Boita Bandana which are an intrinsic part of Odisha’s cultural diversity,” Das said. He will receive a ‘Rajat Kamal’ and a cash award of Rs 2 lakh.
This apart, in the non-feature films section, director Subhash Sahoo’s ‘Mo Bou, Mo Gaan’ has won in the ‘Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film’ category. Sahoo will also receive a Rajat Kamal and a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh. The film is the story of ‘Seba Bou’, an elderly woman who has groomed girls reaching puberty in all those set skills that a young woman needs to become a good wife and daughter-in-law.
Likewise, award-winning director Himansu Sekhar Khatua will receive a Special Mention for his ‘The Sea and Seven Villages’ in the non-feature films section.
The long documentary showcases the impact of climate change and its impact on the Satabhaya village cluster in Kendrapara. It depicts the life and struggle of the residents.
Prasantanu Mohapatra, a cinematographer from Odisha, will be awarded a Rajat Kamal for Best Cinematography in ‘The Kerala Story’, one of the most talked-about and controversial Hindi films of the year 2023.
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi congratulated the teams of ‘Pushkara’ and ‘The Sea and Seven Villages’. “Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the producer, director, artists, and everyone associated with it. I wish for the Odia film industry to move forward with many more original and excellent films like this,” he wrote on X.