Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday called upon the Odisha government to introduce a comprehensive film preservation policy to safeguard old Odia films for future generations.
Bachchan joined the inaugural ceremony of the 10th Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India (FPRWI 2025), organised by the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) and the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), virtually.
Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the workshop and announced that the state government would soon sign an agreement with the FHF for the restoration of classic Odia films.
“In the absence of a preservation policy, many valuable works of eminent filmmakers like Nirad Mohapatra, Manmohan Mahapatra, Prafulla Sengupta, Nitai Palit, Parvati Ghosh and Prashanta Nanda are at risk of being lost,” Bachchan said.
“If you love films and care about the future of our cinematic heritage, join us in our mission to save our films for future generations,” he added.
Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman also attended the event, held at Kala Bhoomi in Bhubaneswar, and underlined the importance of preserving Odisha’s rich film heritage.
FHF director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said faculty members from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the British Film Institute are conducting sessions at the workshop, which focuses on training in all aspects of film preservation and restoration.
Renowned filmmakers, researchers and curators from across India are participating in the workshop, which will continue till November 19.