Odisha’s film industry has a glorious past and a promising future: Minister Sampad Swain

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s film industry has a glorious past and a promising future, said Minister of Industries, Skill Development & Technical Education, Sampad Chandra Swain.

Speaking at the Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave held at Janata Maidan, Bhubaneswar, the minister highlighted the significant progress of Odia cinema since the release of the first Odia film, Sita Bibaha, in 1936.

He also noted that the Odia film gained official industry recognition in Odisha in 1974 and has since earned national acclaim.

Odia cinema is a true reflection of our society and culture. We are committed to its growth and development. I am confident that in the coming years, Odia films will gain more recognition at both national and international levels, said Shri Swain.

A special session was organized at the conclave to discuss investment opportunities in the Odia film industry. The session was attended by Jajpur Korei MLA Akash Das Nayak, Principal Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Sanjeev Mishra, Director Bijay Ketan Upadhyay and Managing Director of Odisha Film Development Corporation Samarth Verma.

During the session, a panel discussion was also held on strengthening and enriching the Odia film industry. Eminent personalities from the film sector, including Amitabh Guha Thakurta, Pramod Arora, Shivashish Sarkar and Rajesh Sharma, participated in the discussion.