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The journey of Odia cinema began with ‘Sita Bibaha’, released on April 28, 1936, at Laxmi Talkies in Puri, just 27 days after Odisha became a separate state on linguistic grounds.
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Directed and produced by Mohan Sundar Deb Goswami, a prominent figure in Rasa Leela and founder of the iconic Annapurna Theatre, the film was a cinematic adaptation of a play by Kamapala Mishra, based on the Ramayana, depicting the marriage of Sita and Ram.
The beginning of Odia cinema
Made with a modest budget of Rs 29,781 (approximately Rs 30,000), the two-hour film featured 14 song sequences rooted in traditional Odissi music, with all singers hailing from Odisha (formerly Orissa).
Lyricists Narasingh Nada Sharma and Mohan Sundar had collaborated with composer Ray to create its foundational soundtrack. Over 50 years, this evolved into distinct Odia film music documented in surveys like ‘Odia Cinema Geeta’.
Despite technical and artistic flaws, the ‘Sita Bibaha’ was a commercial success, screened at venues like Cinema Palace in Cuttack and through touring cinemas such as Radhakishan Camellia Touring Cinema. The film marked a significant moment in asserting Odia cultural identity through celluloid.
A star cast of the film included Makhanlal Banerjee as Ram, Aditya Ballabha Mohanty as Lakshman, and Pravabati Devi as Sita.
Notably, the lead actor Makhanlal Banerjee had earned Rs 120, while child artist Pravabati Devi had received Rs 150 – the highest payment at that time. Despite technical limitations, its success sparked Odisha's cinematic journey.
Mohan Sundar had sold his landed property to meet the first film’s production cost.
Following ‘Sita Bibaha’, the production of Odia films was slow, with only two films produced until 1951. Unlike other regional film industries in India that began with silent films before transitioning to talkies, Mohan Sundar entered cinema directly with a talkie.
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At a time (the country’s pre-Independence days), with studio sound dubbing technology still underdeveloped, the film's dialogues, music, and songs were recorded live.
