Exploring Timeless Odia Cinema: Eight Classic Films Adapted from Novels

Be it Hollywood, Bollywood, or Ollywood, the ever-evolving cinema industry has produced many gems that are inspired by the literary world.  In Odia, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Kalindi Charan Panigrahi, Bibhuti Pattanaik, and Upendra Kishore Das, etc, have enriched the shrine of the old Odia industry.

Let’s reminisce about such timeless Odia movies that were adapted from novels.

Abhinetri (1965): After Amada Bata’s huge success, producer Babulal Doshi stumbled upon Kanhu Charan’s novel ‘Abhinetri’. Introducing the concept of double roles in the film industry, the movie starred veteran Jharana Das, Bimal Gosh, and Umakanta Mishra, among others.

Matira Manisha (1967): A classic movie telling the story of a rural farmer and his sons and their dispute over ancestral property, is based on Kalindi Charan Panigrahi’s novel with the same title. Released in 1967 the movie featured eminent actors like Ramchandra Mania, Sarat Pujari, and Prasant Nanda, among others.

Mala Janha (1965): Based on Upendra Kishore Das’s novel of the same name, the movie was released in 1965 featuring the love story between a married woman and a young boy. Starring Jharana Das and Akshaya Mohanty in the lead, the movie won a national film award.

Kaa (1966): Based on the novel of the same name written by Kanhu Charan, the movie sheds light on female infertility and maternal death. Released in 1966, the movie won a national award for the best Odia movie.

Maya Miriga (1984): Taking Bibhuti Patnaik’s novel of the same name, the movie Maya Miriga features the story of a family when their son marries a city-bred woman, resulting in family disputes. The movie was released in 1984.

Kaberi (1983): Gayatri Basu Malik’s novel Kaberi gets film adaptation in the year 1983, starring Mahashweta Roy, Narendra Behera, Shyamalendu Bhattacharjee, and Debu Bose, among others, The movie was directed by Rabi Kinagi and Govind Tej.

Chha Mana Atha Guntha (1986): Based on the classic novel of the same name by Fakir Mohan Senapati, the movie tells the story of a married couple who lost their 6 acres and 3rd land and cows to the village’s landlord while destroying their lives. The movie was released in 1986, starring Parbati Ghosh, Bijay Mohanty, and Sarat Pujari in the main lead.

Hakim Babu (1985): Following Bibhuti Pattanaik’s novel with the same title, the movie features the story of a man rising from the lower part of society to getting an administrative job and thereafter distancing himself from his family and friends. Released in 1985, the movie got a national award as the best film.