BHUBANESWAR: To restore and preserve decades old classic Odia movies, a film archive centre will soon be set up in Odisha.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) and Odisha government in this regard here on Wednesday.
Deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo and Handlooms, Textile & Handicrafts minister Pradeep Bal Samanta were present at the valedictory function of 10th Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop where the MoU was inked.
Founder of FHF, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur told this newspaper that the foundation signed a very significant MoU with Odisha regarding restoration and preservation of Odia films as well as establishment of an archive centre in Bhubaneswar. “It was a very important step towards preserving and restoring Odia films and the cinematic art. As part of the MoU, FHF will set up the film archive centre with the assistance of Odisha government,” said Dungarpur.
He further said FHF will identify the Odia movies which created a benchmark and accordingly those will be restored and preserved.
“We restored Maya Miriga, the film directed by Nirad Mohapatra and released in 1984. The process has already started to identify such highly acclaimed Odia movies,” he added.
He also informed that the foundation will work on the modalities regarding the number of experts to be deputed in the proposed film archive centre.
“Once the centre is set up, three to four experts will be initially deputed and then gradually the manpower will be augmented,” said Dungarpur.
Commissioner-cum-secretary of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar said as part of the MoU between the FHF and the state government, there is plan for a film archive centre and its further modalities will be decided in the days ahead.
FHF will not only restore and preserve Odia movies, but there are plans it would also make new films. “Further details will be finalised after chief secretary holds discussions with Odisha Film Development Corporation Limited,” she said. Eminent actors Anu Choudhury and Akash Dasnayak, also a legislator, were present.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi along with veteran actor Waheeda Rehman had inaugurated the workshop last week in which over 60 delegates from India and other countries like Japan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and United States had participated.