Noted Filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra No More

Bhubaneswar: He was a well-known name in the cinema industry not only in Odisha but across the country. We are talking about noted filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra who passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Monday. He was 69.

Mohapatra is perhaps the only filmmaker from Odia film industry to have won National Awards as many as eight times in regional film category. Recently his Odia movie, ‘Bhija Matira Swarga’ had won six awards in different categories in the 30th State Film Awards. Mohapatra also won the best director award for the film.

After completing his course from Pune Film Institute, Mohapatra’s first movie, ‘Seeta Raati’ in 1976 was the first Odia film to be screened at an international film festival in 1982. Some of his critically acclaimed films are 'Nishita Swapna', 'Majhi Pahacha', 'Tired Afternoon', 'Neeraba Jhada', 'Seeta Raati' and 'Bhinna Samaya'. He had also made a film in Hindi named 'Bits and Pieces'.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over Mohapatra's demise and said his contribution to Odia film industry is immense.

ଜାତୀୟ ପୁରସ୍କାରପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର ନିର୍ମାତା ତଥା ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ ମନମୋହନ ମହାପାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଅନେକ ଲୋକପ୍ରିୟ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ରରେ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ ଭାବେ ତାଙ୍କ ଅବଦାନ ସର୍ବଦା ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପବିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ମୋର ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି।

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) January 13, 2020

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also condoled the death of Mohapatra and tweeted, "The demise of Mohapatra is a great loss for the cine industry."

BJP National Vice-president Baijayant 'Jay' Panda said, "Manmohan Mohapatra's death is an irreparable loss to the Odia film industry."

ବିଖ୍ୟାତ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର ନିର୍ମାତା ଓ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ ମନମୋହନ ମହାପାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ପରଲୋକରେ @PandaJay ଗଭୀର ଶୋକ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିଛନ୍ତି। ସେ ୮ଥର ଜାତୀୟ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର ପୁରସ୍କାର ପାଇଛନ୍ତି। ତାଙ୍କ ପରଲୋକ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର ଜଗତପାଇଁ ଅପୂରଣୀୟ କ୍ଷତି। ତାଙ୍କ ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା ଓ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରକୁ ସମବେଦନା। ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି?#Odishahttps://t.co/tpSHkDoxMJ

— Baijayant Panda Odia (@Panda_Odia) January 13, 2020

Recalling her association with Mohapatra, veteran actress Maheswata Ray said, “It is shocking news for me. Apart from being a family friend, Mohapatra was humble and down to earth. His style of filmmaking was quite unique.”

Actor Bijay Mohanty said, "He (Mohapatra) had started a new era and put the Odia film industry on the national stage. He treated everybody equally and he made films for the common man.”