From Puri to the Nation: How Pushkara carried Odisha’s soul to the National Film Awards in 2025

When Pushkara was named Best Odia Feature Film at the 71st National Film Awards, it marked more than a cinematic victory. It became a moment of collective pride for Odisha, its people, language, and enduring cultural legacy, affirming Odia cinema’s place on the national stage.

For decades, filmmakers from the state have told stories shaped by soil, scripture, sea, and sentiment. With Pushkara, one such narrative crossed regional borders, proving that authenticity, when rendered with artistic integrity, speaks universally.

Also Read: 'Pushkara' and the rise of a new era in Odia cinema

A National Honour, Shared by a State

Regarded as India’s highest recognition for cinematic excellence, the National Film Awards celebrate films of artistic merit and cultural relevance. Pushkara won the Best Odia Feature Film award for 2023, with the winners announced on August 1, 2025, by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in New Delhi.

The ceremony, held on September 23, 2025, at Vigyan Bhavan, saw President Droupadi Murmu confer the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus Award). Director Subhranshu Das and Litisha Mangat Panda, Business Head of OTV Network/Tarang Cine Productions, received the honour on behalf of the film, an acknowledgement that underscored national recognition for Odia cinema.

Produced by Tarang Cine Productions, a unit of OTV Network, Pushkara, through the award, affirmed that its language, traditions, and lived experiences belong on the country’s grandest cultural platform, inspiring confidence among filmmakers and audiences alike.

A Story Rooted in Culture and Emotion

Adapted from Shankar Tripathy’s acclaimed Odia novel Nadabindu, Pushkara unfolds against the spiritually charged landscape of Puri. It traces the life of Neelakantha through childhood, love, loss, and self-realisation.

The film’s strength lies in its organic integration of Odia traditions, Sahi Jata rituals, Kartika Purnima, and Boita Bandana, into the narrative. These are not decorative details but emotional anchors that reflect the cadence of life along Odisha’s coast, blending personal storytelling with cultural memory.

Craft, Performance, and Vision

Directed by Subhransu Das in his feature debut, Pushkara bears the imprint of a seasoned cinematographer. Its visual lyricism, careful framing, and sensitivity to natural landscapes elevate the narrative.

Performances by Sabyasachi Mishra and Supriya Nayak add quiet intensity and authenticity, drawing praise for their understated realism. Produced by Tarang Cine Productions (OTV Network), the film exemplifies the growing maturity of Odia cinema, where literary adaptation, technical finesse, and cultural responsibility converge.

What Pushkara Means for Odisha

The National Award resonates beyond cinema halls, strengthening pride in Odia identity and encouraging young creators to trust their own voices. Cultural leaders and the state government have welcomed the recognition, acknowledging the film’s role in elevating Odisha’s artistic stature nationally.

More importantly, Pushkara urges a new generation of filmmakers to look inward, to literature, folklore, landscapes, and everyday lives, and translate them into compelling cinema.

Also Read: Tarang Cine Productions’ ‘Pushkara’ receives Best Odia Film at 71st National Film Awards 2023

A Promising Horizon

With Pushkara’s national triumph, Odia cinema stands at a hopeful threshold, poised for wider festival exposure, broader distribution, and renewed audience interest in meaningful regional storytelling.

In celebrating Pushkara, the nation has celebrated Odisha itself, its culture, its stories, and its cinematic promise. And as the tides of Puri continue their timeless rhythm, Odia cinema moves forward, confident, visible, and deeply rooted.