Cry to save studio. File picture of Kalinga Studio

Bhubaneswar, April 21: The film fraternity in the state has appealed to the government to save Kalinga Studio. The studio, which has been lying neglected for years, is crying for attention.

Reminiscing the heydays of the studio, eminent film-maker and actor Prashant Nanda said: “When it was launched, all of us from the film fraternity were proud and happy that we had a set-up in Orissa that will help us make films without having to visit other states. The equipment, lights, recording theatre were all available there. But slowly, bad maintenance and even the behaviour of the authorities at Orissa Film Development Corporation (OFDC) became intolerable.”

Nanda said since the studios were not upgraded and the machines were of inferior quality, it gradually died. “Film-makers were forced to make films at the studio if they were to receive a subsidy. But the officials never thought of updating the studio equipment,” said Nanda. “It will only survive if the government takes an interest to restore it,” he added.

Film-maker Nirad Mohapatra echoes the same sentiments. “Right from the beginning, the authorities never sought any advice from film technicians on how to maintain the studio. Whatever facilities were there have now been completely damaged. If the government and the OFDC does not take steps to save the studio now, Orissa will never dream of a proper film-making facility ever again,” he said.

Manmohan Mohapatra, director of many national award winning films, appealed to the government to renovate and restore the Kalinga Studio.

“I have shot five of my films there. I have many memories attached to the village complex and the studios there. Sadly, the cameras worth crores that can be used even now have been simply kept locked and the workers also have been removed. The studios should be immediately digitalised and an inventory should be built and maintained for the equipment,” he said. “Even now, it’s not too late. The authorities at OFDC should look into the matter and save the studio,” he added.

Eminent actor Sarat Pujari, who was one of the board members of the studio when it was established, said that the lack of interest in current generation film-makers and the present day authorities spelt doom for the studio.

Managing director of the studio and OFDC D.P. Mohanty, however, has a bizarre explanation.

“The studio is situated in Chandaka forest and so is owned by the forest department. Thus, we cannot renovate anything there. Also, all the cameras and studios are of no value any more. The demand is for digital equipment and we cannot buy such costly equipment now,” he said.

Members of the film fraternity fail to understand that how the studio was built on forestland in the first place. If construction is not allowed now, it is surprising how new studios by Prasad Labs have been constructed on the compound.

A private television channel enjoys the facilities of indoor shooting studio even though the lease has ended.

Also, the managing director seems to know more about 35mm cameras which he believes are useless while eminent film-makers say they are worth saving and using in film production.