Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday presented the State Film Awards for 2023 and 2024 to the winners at a special ceremony in Bhubaneswar.
During the event, Majhi distributed a total of 31 awards across various categories for both years, recognising excellence across different aspects of filmmaking and honouring outstanding contributions to Odia cinema.
The Chief Minister presented the prestigious Mohan Sundar Dev Goswami Award for lifetime achievement to Shyamalendu Bhattacharya for 2023, while Namrata Das received the honour for 2024 for their lifetime contribution to cinema.
Best Film for the year 2023 was conferred jointly to National Award-winning movie ‘Pushkara’ along with ‘My Sweet Housewife’, while ‘Ashram’ movie got the Best Film award for 2024 at the 35th and 36th Odisha State Film Awards given by the state government.
The Best Director award for 2023 was jointly shared by Pinaki Singh and Shishir Kumar Sahu, while Ashok Pati received the honour for 2024 for his work on the film Pabar.
Harihar Mahapatra was named Best Actor award for 2023 for his performance in ‘Dho Re Babu Dho’, while Babushaan Mohanty claimed the Best Actor award for 2024 for ‘Pabar’.
For Best Actress, Naina Dash Tiwari (‘My Sweet Housewife’) and Supriya Nayak (‘Pushkara’) shared the 2023 honor, while Debjani Deghuria was named Best Actress for 2024 for her role in ‘Bhagia Bharija’.
Speaking at the event, Majhi emphasised, “Odia cinema reflects our community’s identity. For its all-round development and protection of artists, the state government is going to enact a new Film policy very soon.”
The Chief Minister added that his government is dedicated to offering technical support for creating high-quality movies and good news will be received in this direction very soon.
Highlighting the era of technology and the importance of OTT platforms, he said that the new generation has successfully integrated world-class advancements in cinematography, sound design, and VFX.
He highlighted that Kalinga Studios is being transformed into a major national digital and post-production hub in the country to provide international-standard training.
Furthermore, he invited filmmakers from both Odisha and across the nation to boost cinema tourism by leveraging the state’s abundant natural beauty.
The Chief Minister also called upon sponsors and viewers to back Odia cinema, asserting that if filmmakers blend modern techniques with authentic Odia culture and social themes, audiences will gladly return to theatres.
Encouraging the public to watch Odia films in theatres, he reminded them that the livelihoods of countless backstage technicians, writers, and daily-wage workers depend on the success of these projects.
Among others, Industries Minister Sampada Chandra Swain, Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, MLAs, and senior artists from the state were present.
