Odisha CM forms panel to boost Odia film industry

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Jul 23, 2018 at 7:40 PM Updated On : Jul 23, 2018 at 9:25 PM

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today formed a ministerial committee headed by Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera to find out ways for the development of Odia film industry, known as Ollywood.

A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister held at the State Secretariat this evening.

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The committee will comprise Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Prafulla Samal and Industries Minister Ananta Das as members. Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Sanjeev Chopra will be Convenor of the committe.

Sources said the committee has been asked to submit the report to the government within one month suggesting the steps to be taken to revive the film industry, which is not in good shape for the last few years.

On the basis of the report, the government will frame a policy in order order give a boost to the bleeding regional cinema industry.

This apart, various issues plaguing the Odia cinema such as renovation of the iconic Kalinga Studio, located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, among others were discussed in the meeting.

MSME Minister Prafulla Samal, Industries Minister Ananta Das, Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan, Odisha Film Development Corporation (OFDC) Chairman and actor Kuna Tripathy and other officials were present in the meeting.

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The Odia film industry is passing through one of its worst phases as several things are not looking good fo industry. From lack of funds to scarcity of cinemas and no good stories, the Odia film industry has been failing to woo back its audience and make money over the past few year.

According to the Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) estimates, only seven were hits from 37-odd films released in 2013. The industry had incurred total loss to be around Rs 10 crore.

From 38 films in 2013, the number of movies released in the State dipped to 25 in 2014. Around 34 Odia films were released in 2017. Barring few, most of the big-budget films bombed at the box office over the last few years leaving many seasoned producers heartbroken.