BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced that a dedicated film policy will soon be chalked out and funding support will not be a hurdle to build a strong ecosystem for Odia cinema and restore its cultural identity.
Addressing leading actors, filmmakers and technicians during an interaction at Sanskruti Bhavan, the chief minister said the time has come for extraordinary efforts to reposition Odia cinema with original storytelling rooted in Odisha’s culture and people.
Describing cinema as a reflection of the state’s identity, culture and collective consciousness, Majhi said Odia films should stop imitating other industries and instead focus on authentic themes connected to Odisha’s identity. Subjects such as Jagannath culture, Kalinga’s maritime history, tribal life, rural Odisha, river-based civilisation and people’s struggles during natural disasters are powerful narratives capable of attracting audiences, he said.
“If filmmakers create content deeply connected with Odia life and emotions, audiences will naturally relate to it,” the chief minister said. “This is not the time for ordinary efforts. This is the time for extraordinary initiatives to rebuild and reposition Odia cinema,” he added.
Majhi asserted that cinema is not merely a medium of entertainment but the memory, culture, emotions and soul of a society. “A society that creates great cinema establishes its identity strongly before the world,” he said.
The chief minister also announced plans to establish a film training institute in Odisha to develop skilled professionals in filmmaking and related sectors.
Taking a swipe at the previous governments for neglecting the industry, Majhi asserted that his government was committed to the revival of Odia cinema and assured that lack of funds would not become a hurdle in developing film infrastructure in the state.
Minister for Odia Language, Literature and Culture Suryabanshi Suraj said the Odia film industry will play a key role in the state’s centenary celebrations in 2036 and expressed confidence that the discussions will help shape the future roadmap for the industry.
Actor-turned-politicians Akash Das Nayak and Sidhant Mohapatra along with popular Ollywood personalities including Anubhav Mohanty, Anu Choudhury, Pushpa Panda and several producers and technicians were part of the interaction.