National award-winning filmmaker Himanshu Khatua is the new Director of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata, the first Odia and also the first Film and Television Institute of India alumnus to hold the prestigious post full time. He speaks to Diana Sahu about his plans for the institute and also suggests ways to revive the Odia film industry which is fast losing its sheen.
What are your plans for Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute?
After a very long time, a regular director has been appointed to the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI). My immediate priority would be to convert this institution into a centre of excellence and research. There are some problem areas in the institution like faculty crisis and infrastructure. I have started the process for identifying these problems and resolving them in a timely manner.
As a filmmaker, what do you feel about film education in the country?
I strongly believe that anyone who wants to make cinema has to be educated in film-making. This is very important. We already have national-level institutions like Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute which are doing really well. To meet the growing demand of students who aspire to become filmmakers, we at SRFTI have decided to set up one more film and television institute in the North East and this will be the third such institute in India. We will offer under-graduate courses in film-making and other aspects of it in the new institute. This new institute is important because there is a shift in film-making now with the introduction of OTT platforms. With people preferring digital platforms over theatres, we have to shift the entire process of film-making to the digital side.
Coming to the Odia film industry, where do you think it stands today?
The Odia film industry is today focusing on making more films that are commercially viable. But in the process, it has lost focus on quality. It is absolutely okay to make cinema from the business point of view but we should not forget that our cinema should not only look and feel good, it should also be meaningful for the society.
Do you think the Odia film industry can be revived?
Having answered the previous question, I feel nothing is lost for the Odia film industry yet. There is no dearth of talent here, all we need to do is polish our films further. The government and private stakeholders should focus on building the film-making infrastructure in the State. We are a culturally rich State with rich creative resources that can be used for making good cinema not just by filmmakers of Odisha but also outside. This will put the national focus on Odia cinema. The industry also has to work on marketing its films well outside Odisha to bring in a universal appeal.
Are you working on any new films?
I was involved in directing a biopic on sprinter Dutee Chand. Currently, I am involved in it as a creative producer. Despite being in academics, my foremost priority will always be making good cinema.
