BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday declared Odia film DAMaN tax free.“Chief Minister Shri @Naveen_Odisha declared the screening of the film ‘Daman’ based on the malaria prevention program completely tax free. The film is about the new example of humanity a young doctor has set for healthcare in the remote areas of Malkangari,” the chief minister’s office tweeted.
The chief minister said the move will have an impact on strengthening service attitude among healthcare professionals and government employees. In addition, the chief minister called upon all departments of the government to work in harmony for development of a healthy and conscious society. The film, based on the government’s malaria eradication programme, would be totally free of entertainment tax during its screening in cinema theatres in the state.
Directed by Debi Prasad Lenka and Vishal Mourya and produced by Deependra Samal, the film narrates the story of a doctor employed in Malkangiri who goes out of his way to bring healthcare to tribals in interior and inaccessible pockets of the district. It stars actors Babushan and Dipanwit Dashmohapatra.
On November 4, the film was released in 51 theatres in Odisha and 15 across Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pune and Hyderabad. All the shows within the state and outside are running to packed houses.
It currently has a 9.7 IMDB rating, the highest for any Odia film on the platform so far. Considering the success of the film, its makers are now dubbing it in Hindi.‘Sansara’ was the first Odia film to be made tax free by Odisha government. The film was written and directed by late Sarada Prasanna Nayak and released in 1974.