BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa Government has announced the 21st State Film Awards for 2008 and 2009. While veteran film director Sadhu Meher and well-known actress Mahashweta Roy were selected for the prestigious Jayadev Award for lifetime achievement for the two years respectively, it was the nomination of 'Jianta Bhoota' (for 2008) for Best Film Award which was a real surprise.
'Jianta Bhoota', directed by veteran actordirector Prashanta Nanda, was a film based on Dongria Kondhs of Niyamgiri hills where mining threatened their very existence and considering that the film questioned industrialisation, a pet subject of the State Government, its selection surprised many. The political party NCP, Nanda belongs to, thanked the Government for the selection.
For 2009, Manmath MishraDilip Das duo's 'Saata Sutare Bandha E Jibana' was selected as the Best Film. Culture Minister Prafulla Samal announced the awards. Jianta Bhoota, produced by Akshaya Parija, swept the State awards bagging prizes in seven segments for 2008. Nanda also bagged the Best Director Award for the film while Sanjay Nayak was adjudged Best Director for 'Paagala Karichi Paunji Tora' for 2009.
Akash Das Nayak and Anubhav Mohanty were selected best actors for 2008 and 2009 respectively. Similarly, Ralli Nanda (Kalinga Putra) and Archita Sahoo (Paagala Karichi Paunji Tora) were Best Actresses for the two years respectively. Samal announced that the prize money for Jayadev Award has been enhanced to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 25,000. Similarly, for the Best Film, the prize money has been raised to Rs 50,000 from Rs 15,000.
The Minister announced that henceforth the State awards will be announced at the end of the year beginning 2011. The number of categories has been raised to 27 from 22. Besides, the State Government has decided to make films in tribal dialects for which five categories will be created in the awards.
Samal informed that the 21st State Film Awards would be given away at a glittering function on August 9 at Rabindra Mandap. Governor M C Bhandare will be the chief guest.