NIRAD MOHAPATRA
Director’s Profile
Nirad Mohapatra (born 12 November 1947) joined Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII) Direction Course, 1968. He was admired for a keen understanding of the theory of cinema. In 1971, he passed out with a first class diploma in film direction. In 1972 he joined the faculty of Film Direction FTII as a lecturer. Many noted and acclaimed directors of India namely Girish Kasaravalli, Janhu Barua, Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Ketan Mehta, Manmohan Mohapatra, Vidhu Vinod Chopra etc. were students during his time.
In 1984, Nirad made Maya Miriga- his first feature film. The film was made on a shoestring budget. It was also made with an ensemble of primarily amateur actors. The film was shot completely in Puri, a beachside town in Odisha. The film was adjudged as the second best national film in 1984, Indian panorama. It was adjudged the Best Third World Film at International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg (then West Germany). It got the Special jury award at Hawaii International Film Festival , U.S.. It was selected for the 'Critics Week' of Cannes Film Festival (France), BFI London Film Festival, Locarno Film Festival ,Los Angeles Film Festival and other international film festivals.
Currently he spends his time reading and serves as a member of the Governing Bodies of various organizations involved with film and television studies. He is constantly on the lookout for spreading good cinema among the common people and for spreading film education.
CREDITS
- Directed by | Nirad Mohapatra
- Produced by | Lotus Film International
- Written by | Nirad N. Mohapatra
- Starring | Kishori Devi,Sampad Mahapatra, Manaswini Mangaraj
- Music by | Bhaskar Chandavarkar
- Cinematography | Raj Gopal Mishra
- Editing by | Bibekanand Satpathy
- Distributed by | Lotus Film International
- Release date(s) | 1984
- Running time | 120 min.
- Language | Odia
MAYA MIRIGA
Maya Miriga is the story of a family, where three generations live under a decaying roof. The widowed grandmother is the titular head, her son Raj Kishore Babu, father of four sons and a daughter, is the gentle yet disciplined headmaster on the verge of retirement. The father demands of his sons, a diligent pursuit of education as the means of upward mobility. The centre of all their hopes is the brilliant second son studying in Delhi to get into the IAS. When he makes it to the coveted service, the family thinks all their sacrifices have been worth it. The family gets flattering proposals and the IAS probationer marries a city-bred girl above his status. The unvoiced protest comes from the eldest daughter-in-law Prabha, the beast of burden and kitchen slave. Her husband is a college lecturer. Prabha wonders if the IAS officer’s wife will share the chores. She is proved right when the new bahu defies tradition by opting to stay with her parents when the husband is away on training. With inexorable finality, she carts away her dowry of a new fridge and shiny laminated furniture to her independent home, setting off seething resentment in Prabha’s hither to submissive mind. Inevitably, she nudges her husband towards independence, and he opts to be deputed to Cuttack. The bewildered patriarch seeks consolation in stoic acceptance of these changes, ruminating over the younger generation’s break for independence on his walks with a friend who waits for his America-based son. His is not the Shakespearean tragedy of a Lear—he is too dispassionate for that. But in his very real hurt, he has the comfort of memories to fall back upon just as his two older sons have their future to look forward to.
MANMOHAN POHAPATRA
Director`s Profile
Manmohan Mahapatra studied film making at the FTII, Pune. He has single mindedly pursued the project of making good 'humanist cinema`in Odia. His films have won numerous awards both in India as well as other foreign film festivals. He has survived the 'ravages of consumerism' devouring Odia cinema for the last three decades. Odia cinema has suffered due to lack of support from the department of culture of the Odisha Film Development Corp (OFDC). But despite a fund crunch and lack of popular support base among cine viewers, Manmohan Mahapatra continues to make ‘meaningful’ films. His other major films include Seeta Rati, Neeraba Jhad, Majhi Pahacha, Kichi Smruti Kichi Anubhuti, Andha Digant, Muhurta. His new film, in Hindi, Bits 'N' Pieces, is ready for distribution.
CREDITS
- Producer | Dynamic Studio
- Direction and Screenplay | Manmohan Mohapatra
- Story | Nandlal Mohapatra
- Camera | Ranjit Ray
- Editing | Satyendra Mohapatra
- Art | Banchanidhi Pattanaik
- Year of Production | 1985
- Length | 93 minutes
- Cast | Sachi Rath, Lila Durali, Niranjan, Pattanaik, Janaki Mishra, Kanak, Panigrahi, Bina Singh, Barsa, Priyadarshini, Dukhishyam Pattanaik.
KLANTA APAHARANA
An old retired man Adikanda, seeks to get his daughter, Niru, married and settled. Adikanda`s friends decide to help him out in his search for a suitable bride groom, Niru, on the other hand, lives in her own world. She is a teacher at a village school. Her colleague and friend, Sandhya seems to be having an affair with Arun, a young man from their village. A twist of fate causes Sandhya to leave the village, and the very next day Adikanda brings home a marriage proposal for Niru!
A.K BIR
Director’s Profile
Apurba Kishore Bir – popularly known as A.K.Bir – graduated in cinematography from the FTII, Pune, in 1969, and began his career making advertisment, documentary and short films. One of the finest cinematographer-directors the country has produced, Bir has won nine National Awards (three for Best Cinematography and six for Best Direction) and several other national and international awards, including Clio in the USA and the Cannes Festival in France. He was a key member of Richard Attenborough’s expert camera team during the shooting of the Oscar-winning film, Gandhi. He handled the second camera in the first unit. He was on the Berlin International Film Festival Jury in 1996. He has directed five feature films in Odia, and all of them have won national and international recognition. One of them, Lavanya Preeti, won the Best Asian Film award at the Osaka international film festival. His Hindi film Baaja won the National Award for the Best Children’s film in 2003. Hamari Beti, which Bir scripted, directed and photographed, was invited to the World Film Section of the Chicago International Film Festival in 2006.
CREDITS
- Production Company | A.K.Bir Productions
- Script | A.K.Bir
- Photography | A.K.Bir
- Editor | Dilip Panda
- Cast | Lalatendu Rath, Neena Gupta, Mohan Gokhale,
- Bijainee Misra, Gloria Mohanty
ADI MIMANSA
Adi Mimansa is the story of two feuding families located at the edge of a tranquil small town in Odisha. It brings in to focus the struggles, aspirations and the tragedies of two friends, Arakhit Babu and Kshetrapal Babu, placed at the opposite ends of the caste hierarchy. Though Arakhit Babu is a brahmin and Kshetrapal Babu is from a low caste, they share a dilapidated house as tenants. Their friendship transcends the caste, culture and language divide. But the seeds of discord is sown by an old brahmin woman who poisons the mind of Arakhit Babu`s wife against Kshetapal’s wife regarding a clogged waste pipe. The discord between the two families becomes intense so mich so that the families stop talking to each other. Kshetrapal Babu decides to vacate the place. However, the solution to their problems comes from the most unexpected quarters and harmony is finally restored.
SUSANT MISRA
Director’s Profile:
Born on the 23rd of July 1965 at Cuttack, Odisha, Susant did a Post Graduate Diploma in Screenplay Writing and Film Direction from FTII [PUNE] in 1989.His diploma film Nischal Badal [The Static Cloud] was screened at the competitive section of the Oberhausen Film Festival in Germany in 1990. Indradhanura Chhai, his first feature film, won the Grand Prix at the Sochi International Film Festival in Russia in 1995.The citation for the award reads, “...For the poetic consciousness and expressiveness of cinematic language...”. The film has also won many international awards at various festivals. It was also the closing film of Indomania [100 Years of Indian Cinema Celebration] in Paris at the Galerie Nationale Du Jeu De Paume in 1995. The National Jury made a Special Mention “citation-a sensitive exploration of a woman's experience of loneliness in the context of the inexorable passage of time, culminating on a positive note of redemption through symbolic images” in 1994.
Apart from making films, Susant has also made documentaries for international agencies like Oxfam, Action Aid, Ford Foundation…etc. He has been actively involved in film societies, is a guest faculty of cinema at various National Institutes, and is one of the founder members of BRING YOUR OWN FILM FESTIVAL[BYOFF].He has served as the Selection Committee Chairman for the Mumbai International Film Festival[MIFF 2000]and Jury Member for National Awards in 2000.
CAST | Robin Das,Vijaini Mishra, Sonia Mahapatra,S urya Mohanty, Deba Dash, Arati Sahoo, Bidyut Lata Devi, Muktabala Routray, Shyama Charan Pathy, Kalinga Kumar Das.
CREDITS
- Art direction | Asim Basu
- Executive producer | Janapriya Debata
- Dialogues | Devdas Chhotray
- Music | Vikas Das
- Editing | Chakradhar Sahoo
- Audiography | Himanshu Sekhar Khatua
- Cinematography | Jugal Debata
- Produced by | Jugal Debata
- Screenplay and direction | Susant Misra
- Language | Odia
- Eastman colour | 16mm blown up to 35mm
- 108 mins | 1226.12metres | 11reels
- Subtitled | English
- Year of censor 1994
INDRADHANURA CHHAI
Urbanisation and the consequent rise of modern consumerism have affected the traditional social and family structures in Bhubaneswar.Against the backdrop of this changing cityscape, the film explores the multidimensional conflicts of its characters, their changing perceptions about human nature and personal relationships.The film explores the lives of three different women living in Bhubaneswar. While Bijaya is trying to come to terms with the tragic death of her spouse just a few days after her wedding, Sonia is torn between modernity and the traditional notions of female virtue. On the other hand Nila Mausi is trying to accept and face the process of growing old in a society where traditional support structures are already crumbling.
Sonia falls in love with Deba but her life is turned upside down when she discovers Deba with another girl, Asha and she withdraws into her inner-world trying to make sense of the turn of events. Bijaya ,a young widow, is in love with a radical school teacher,Pratap and aspires to marry him but she is torn between the demands of tradition and her desire to break free, Bijaya is a tormented soul in search of liberation. Nila Mausi, a widowed old woman, has taken shelter in a nearby monastery. Both Nila Mausi and Bijaya are are bound to each other by their common fate of lonliness. Hopes, longings, lonliness, self-pity unfold in the inexorable flow of time, highlighting the existential dilemmas of both Bijaya and Sonia.
Sonia seeks release from the static confines of her home in the vast open world outside.She meets a wandering salesman steeped in the cult of BHIMA BHOI, a saint-poet of mediaeval times. The poetry which captures the all encompassing nature of 'TIME' and the elemental unity of creation inspires Sonia to discover a new perspective.Bijaya too in the company of Sonia and the wanderer achieves psychic liberation.Wanderer leaves, and rains come.Bijaya joins Pratap while Nila Mausi seeks refuge in her private world. Sonia waits for better days. The flow of time continues.
PRASHANTA NANDA
Director’s profile
Prashanta Nanda born May 2,(1947) is one of the most popular Odia movie stars. He is associated with Odia Film Industry as an actor, director, screenplay writer, and lyricist and even as a playback singer. In 1960, he won the National Film Award as best actor for his debut film Nua Bou and subsequently went on to win the award again in 1966 for Matir Manisha and 1969 for Adina Megha. He has been associated with Odia films since 1960 and he continues to do so even after five decades. Such a versatile genius is quite rare in the history of Indian cinema. His latest film Jianta Bhoota (2009) won National Award for Best Non-Feature
Environment/Conservation/Preservation Film category.
CREDITS
- Producer | Akshaya Kumar Parija
- Direction | Screenplay and Editing | Prashanta Nanda
- Cinematography | A.K.Bir
- Music | Manmath Mishra
- Cast | Manoj Mishra, Rimjhim, Ch. Bikash Das
JIANTA BHOOTA
Singari, a young girl from the Dongaria Kandha tribe of Odisha and Bangru from the same tribe intend to get married by customary elopement. If the boy leaves the girls hand while eloping, he has to pay dowry. When Bangru`s father is killed by a tiger, he leaves Sangari`s hand. Consequently the couple has to work as bonded labour to pay the dowry loan. Further complications arise when the sahukar implicates Bangru in a court case.
CHITTRANJAN TRIPATHY
Director’s profile
Chittaranjan Tripathy did a M.A in Sociology from the University of Hyderabad and followed it up with a three year Diploma in Acting from the National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1996.Subsequently he completed a six months direction course from the Guildford School Of Acting, U.K under a Charles Wallace fellowship.
Dhauli Express is his first feature film in Odia which he wrote, produced and directed. It went onto bag Best Film Award from the Government of Odisha in 2007. He wrote, produced and directed another Odia Film Mukhya Mantri in 2009.
Apart from writing, producing and directing feature films, he is active in Television, Radio and Theatre in various capacities. Currently he is directing “Yeh Ishq Hai”, a popular daily soap on Star One.
CREDITS
- Director | Chitta Ranjan Tripathy
- Writer | Chitta Ranjan Tripathy
- Music | Chitta Ranjan Tripathy
- Cinematography | Abhiram Mishra
- Editing: Susant Mani
- Art Direction | Amiya Maharana
- Producer | Chitta Ranjan Tripathy & Srinibas Routray
- Cast | Bikash Das, Mihir Das, Anu Chowdhury, Sidhant Mohapatra, Kajal Misra, Akshaya Bastia, Pradyumna Lenka, Harihara Mohapatra, Mina Ketan, Rabi Misra, Aparajita Mohanty, Surya Mohanty, Jaoram Samal, Samaresh Routray
DHAULI EXPRESS
Dhauli Express revolves around the lives of Dibakar Das, a Postman, and his son Dhauli Das. Since the boy was born on the day when the train Dhauli Express commenced its first journey, connecting Odisha to Kolkata, he is named after the train. This train comes to represents the dreams and aspirations of a large number of people including Dibakar Das who see the train as a symbol of progress and upward mobility.
Dhauli Das, much to the chagrin of his father,grew up with a passion for singing. Unhappy with his carefree lifestyle and unemployment, his father holds Dhauli’s singing to be responsible for the mess and breaks his guitar. Dhauli dreams of becoming a singing star and making a fortune which would assure him a secure future with his childhood love. But the father, unable to fathom the passion of his son, breaks his guitar symbolizing the death of Dauli`s dreams. He gets desperate and in his attempt to earn a fast buck, he, along with his two other village mates, falls into the trap of a small time don Jaga Bhai, a fellow villager settled in Kolkata in the world of crime. He picks the trio to act as his hit men in a contract killing assignment and sells them the Kolkata dream of good life and money.
Ironically, Dhauli and his two friends take the same Dhauli Express to Kolkata for the contract killing assignment, which his father once thought of as a ticket to progress. The world of crime sucks them deeper and deeper into the dark and slimy underworld and soon disenchantment sets in. They long to return home. The world of crime claims its price when two of Dauli`s friends are shot dead by the police in an encounter and Dhauli is caught. After the trial he is sentenced to serve a prison term of ten years. For his father, an upright Odia village postman , this was the ultimate shame and he could not bear the stigma and loses his mind. Subsequently he is spotted in the Dhauli Express , demanding his son back, banging his head on the deaf steel structure of the train.
After several years, Dibakar finds his son Dhauli inside the train when he is on his way to the village ,confused and stoic, after spending years in jail .On his return he finds his childhood sweetheart Tila taking care of his dilapidated house and ailing father. She waited for him despite his brush with the underworld and the subsequent jail term. They make a new beginning.
KAPILAS BUYAN
Director’s Profile
Kapilas Bhuyan was a Member of the Selection Jury of the Indian Panorama, the showcase of Indian Films in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)–2009.He has produced and directed a 50 minute documentary film titled ‘Jatra Jeevan, Jeevan Yatra’ (2006) based on the life & livelihood in Odia Jatra, the Odia commercial folk theater that has taken a multi-million industrial status, though not recognized as one by the Govt. as yet, and the film is made under the aegis of the Center for Civil Society, New Delhi (India).
The film has won the President’s National Film Award (Rajat Kamal) as the Best Non-Fiction Film in Art/Culture category for 2006. Besides, the film has been in the official section of JEEVIKA: The South Asian Livelihood Documentary Film Festival2005, New Delhi, Bring Your Own Film Festival (BYOFF) on the beaches of Puri, 2006 and CINE MELA–2006, a Festival of Independent Films held at the Jawaharlal Neheru University (JNU), New Delhi.
He has also produced, written and directed a 23-minute short docu-fiction film ‘Breathing Without Air’ (2003), that has received the best short film award at the Festival du Cinema de Paris–2004, got Jury’s Special Mention at the New York Short Film Festival (2004), and selected for the Official Section of more than two dozen National and International film festivals, like; the Honolulul International Film Festival (2004), Le Festival du Film de Strasbourg (2004), Commonwealth Film Festival, Manchester (2004), Jeevika–2004: National Livelihood Documentary Film Festival, New Delhi, Marche Internationale Fiction Documentaire (MI.Doc) 2005, Capbreton, France, SAFFA/ICC Global South Asian Short & Doc. Festival–2005, CA,USA, ‘TASVEER’ the 3rd Annual Independent South Asian Film Festival –2006, Seattle, USA. and Inscreen International Film festival – 2006 (IIFF), Bhubaneswar.
Mr.Bhuyan has also made documentaries for the Government of Odisha and international agencies like OXFAM, DANIDA and Amnesty International on issues concerning environment, livelihood, health, sanitation and clean drinking water.
JAATRA JEEVAN JEEVAN YATRA
Life and livelihood in Jatra, the Odiya Commercial Folk Theater
A Documentary Film in DV (2006)
Duration: 50 minute
Director: Kapilas Bhuyan
With Support From: Centre for Civil Society, K-36 Hauz Khas Enclave,
New Delhi – 110 016 (India)
Producer: VIDHI Infotainment, VI-M/491 Sailashree Vihar,
Bhubaneswar – 751021 Odisha (India)
Synopsis
Jatra, an ancient form of folk theater of Orissa dating back to the 2nd century B.C., is peripatetic in nature and performed in open air. Though the medium was revived during last 130 years, Jatra, unlike other languishing folk mediums in the country, sprung back to life in the late eighties, and has become a mega industry with infusion of huge capital, entry of female actors, improvisation of stage, light and sound effect with the aid of technology and incorporation of socially relevant themes tinged with rustic charm. Now, Jatra generates an annual turnover of nearly 1500 million rupees though it is not formally recognized as an industry by the government.
Today, Jatra employs about 20 thousand semi-literate rural youth with a fair sprinkling of women who would otherwise have migrated to cities for earning their livelihood. Jatra also provides indirect and seasonal employment to another ten thousand people as the parties perform through out the state.
Though the nature of work in Jatra is extremely arduous, the workers have retained their zest because of the respectability and social recognition associated with this profession. However, the employer-employee relationship has hitherto been exploitative. While the Jatra party owners have organized themselves to thwart the clamor for better pay package for the workers, the workers have started joining forces to assert themselves. Despite this topsy-turvy relationship Jatra is kicking and doing well and has transformed itself in to a mass entertainment industry.
Jatra Jeevan, Jeevan Yatra documents the development of Jatra right from its evolution and at the same time peeks into the innards of the system and the evolving dynamics.
CREDITS
- Concept & Direction | Kapilas Bhuyan
- Camera | Jagat Basa
- Editor | Ajay Mishra
- Music | Lalu Jena
- Producer | Kailash Ch. Bhuyan
DILIP PATNAIK
Director’s Profile Dilip Patnaik did his M.A in English Literature and then a Diploma in Cinema with specialization in Film Direction from Film &Television Institute of India, Pune in 1985.
He was Chief Asst. Director to Nirad N.Mohapatra for his feature film Maya Miriga which won the national award for the second best feature film in 1984.
scripted and directed a 30-minute fiction film titled Sandhyalok for F.T.I.I which has participated at several film festivals abroad.He also Scripted and directed a 20-minute fiction film for F.T.I.I, which besides participating at several film festivals abroad was also part of Indian Panorama 1987. He was also involved in scripting, directing and producing a number of T.V programmes for S.I.E.T where he worked as a Producer from 1986-1996.He then resigned his job to take up an independent career in film-making.
He has produced a number of documentaries for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as well as U.N.I.C.E.F
He is the Producer-Director of an Odia feature film Chandragrahan jointly financed by NFDC and the Hubert Bals Fund, Rotterdam. He has directed Nilamadhaba(2010), a 52 minutes documentary for Films Division. Presently he is working on his 2nd feature film. He ha also served on the jury of MIFF2004 (Mumbai International Film Festival).
NILA MADHABA
The film is a musical tribute to the unique singing style of Dr.Sunanda Patnaik.Interspersed between her live concerts at Varanasi and Kolkata are her music classes,her interviews ,her boat journey on the ganges river and her informal performances at Puri.The film explores her relationship with her disciples and also tries to recreate her past musically through her bandishes.
SAGHIR AHMED
A trained student in direction and a lecturer of media studies, Sagir Ahmed has been a renowned scholar and a brilliant director. He obtained his diploma from the FTII in 1967. Ahmed`s exposition “Sholay, Satyajit Ray and the Warring Clans of Indian Cinema” in 1976 was highly acclaimed and reviewed in leading newspapers of the country.
Born in the Cuttack of 30’s, he was heavily influenced by the Left ideology. This influence which left its indelible imprint in almost all his works, is due partly to Ahmed’s acquaintance with renowned director Ritwik Ghatak. Ghatak’s radical outlook and original thinking left a lasting impression on Ahmed’s outlook.
Film-making came as a skilled attempt, but most of his works could not see the light of the day for unforeseen reasons. “Abhisapta” (Cursed) (1971) and “Kie Toliba Indradhanu” (Who Will Pluck Rainbow) (1979) could not go beyond the primary stage. “Paragapare” (After the Sunrise), directed by Ahmed was a longer attempt, but could not be completed.
So when Dhare Alua, a full length feature film was born of Ahmed’s genius, it succeeded in contributing to the Oriya Parallel Film Movement and remains a classic of Odia cinema. However it’s a pity that a director of Ahmed’s stature and genius preferred to break away from film-making when more was expected of him from a society so incisively observed and so realistically represented by him.
CREDITS
Dhare Alua (1983) (BW, 140 min)
- Banner | Garuda Cinematographics, Cuttack
- Story | Manorama Das
- Screenplay and Direction | Sagir Ahmed
- Music | Harihara Panda
- Lyrics |Suryamani Tripathy, Harihar Panda
- Playback Singer |Indrani Mishra
- Sound | Ram Teke
- Cinematography | Bidhushree Bindhani
- Editing and Assistant Direction | Bidhu Raul
- Cast | Prithviraj Mishra, Sharmistha Matthews, Shibani Mahapatra, Dolagobinda Jena, Soumendra Tripathy, Amrita Ahmed, Sarat Mishra, Jalaluddin, Wazir, Rabi Choudhuri, Pratap Patra
DHARE ALUA
“Dhare Alua” (A Ray of Light), directed by Ahmed under Garuda Cinegraphics was based on a story by Manorama Das. The film depicts the murder of the wife of a radical journalist. Hemant, the scribe, is wrongfully sentenced to jail and he sends his children Bulu and Runu, for their security, to a family acquaintance in another village. Unable to withstand the tortures the children flee this place and take shelter at a stranger doctor’s place. Doctor Rudra is retired and his son Lalit is a rebel with a cause who has taken it upon himself to undo the wrongs caused by unscrupulous people in the society. Lalit’s wife Sumitra stays with her father-in-law to take care of him as well as the children.
When Hemant is released from jail he goes straight to meet his children. He comes across Lalit and recognizes the rebel in him. Both have the same purpose in life. Both want to remove injustice by force. Both are revolutionaries in their own ways. With this new found comrade and new mission in life , Hemant decides to let go of his family attachments and urges Doctor Rudra to give further shelter and care to his children. Though the circumstances turn ripe for revolutionary changes societal apathy and passiveness thwart any such possibilities. And in a twist of the tale entails Lalit is forced to surrender himself before the police. This suggestion comes from no other than Hemant. Such changes in revolutionary outlook are in conformity with new realities. Amidst the lost hopes and subdued convictions, the children provide a ray of hope and light. Not everything is lost. Children are free and see the world in a new light free of the baggage of irrelevant complexities, failed ideologies and blind mindless radicalisms. Time waits for them to shine in all their virgin brilliance. Cameraman Bidhusri Bindhata has excelled in black and white photography. Prithviraj Mishra as Lalit, Sharmistha as Sumitra, Shibani Mohapatra as Hemant and Purna Bindhani as Rudra have given memorable performances . Soumendra Tripathy as Bulu and Amrita Ahmed as Runu also show promise as actors.
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