Bhubaneswar: The Odia cinema has a glorious past. The first Odia film ‘Sita Bibaha’ was released in the year 1936 and was an important part of the struggle for a manifestation of Odia cultural identity in celluloid form and it is a movable history, said noted cine critic and researcher Surya Deo here on Wednesday.
Speaking at a seminar on ‘Contextual Issues Plaguing Odia Cinema’ organised by city-based Institute of Media Studies (IMS) here, Deo said since the first film in Odia language “Sita Bibaha”, the industry has gone stronger by every passing day. But for last two decades or more the standards of Odia Cinema has gone down drastically. There was a time when Odia films were hailed by film lovers across the country and these movies used to get laurels from International film circuits. But in recent years, even Odia people hesitate to watch films made in this regional language, he added.
Odia film actress Anu Chaudhury said the odia cinema industry lacks qualitative media coverage and criticism. Its quality is degrading because of the illiterate filmmakers and technicians who are ruling the industry. The odia film can be as strong as any other language film and it has got immense market in the country and abroad, only if we will be able to create qualitative cinema, she added.
Hello Arsi-fame Odia film producer Ajay Routray stressed on quality content and good intention to make realistic and socialist cinema for the audience.
Among others, Director of the institute Prof Upendra Padhi and course coordinator of MJMC department Manoranjan Panda also spoke.
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