Bhubaneswar: The three-day Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Odisha Film Development Corporation (OFDC) began at Kalinga Studio here on Friday, celebrating the legacy of Odia cinema and seeking to connect the younger generation with its rich cinematic heritage.
The celebrations, scheduled to continue till October 25, opened with a felicitation ceremony honouring veteran personalities for their contributions to the Odia film industry.
Padma Shri awardee and filmmaker Sisir Mishra, director Dr Sabyasachi Mohapatra, lyricist Debdas Chhotray, playback singer Trupti Das, actress Banaja Mohanty and cinematographer Surendra Kumar Sahu were felicitated by Himanshu Shekhar Khatua, chairman of the Biju Pattnaik Film and Television Institute, and Pranab Das, former chairman of the State Film Award Jury Committee.
OFDC Managing Director Surendra Kumar Panda was also present at the inaugural day’s programme.
The festival opened with special screenings of Shunya Swarupa (1997) and Sala Budhar Badla (2022), bringing films from different periods of Odia cinema to the audience.
On October 24, Pratiksha (2022) and Bideha (2025) will be screened, followed by an ‘Odia Retro Music Evening’ scheduled to begin at 6.30 pm. Singers Debasish Mohapatra, Geeta Das, Sohini Mishra, Subhasish Mahakud, Sashank Shekhar and Adyasha Das will perform during the musical programme.
The celebrations will conclude on October 25 with screenings of Lahari (2024) and the popular 1980 film Maa O Mamata. Veteran actress Mahasweta Ray, who has completed 50 years in the Odia film industry, will also be felicitated on the occasion.
Several artistes, producers and directors from the Odia film industry attended the opening day’s programme. Students of the Biju Pattnaik Film and Television Institute also participated in the celebrations.
