Bhubaneswar, April 8: The former socialite author, who used to be a fixture in Delhi's party circuits till about two decades ago, was "eager" to see a documentary on Nabakalebar today as he had not seen a movie in "decades".

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter to express his almost childlike enthusiasm about watching the documentary that marks the reincarnation of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in their 12th century temple in Puri, the latest having taken place last year.

"Immensely enjoyed the documentary," he tweeted again after watching the documentary directed by film-maker Nila Madhab Panda.

Naveen, along with his ministers and governor S.C. Jamir, watched the special screening of the 18-min cut version of the film at the city's only multiplex. Naveen's tweets expectedly drew an avalanche of reactions on the Twitter. In another tweet about the documentary he wrote: "Enchanting cinematography with apt narration."

The 78-min documentary titled God's Own People aims to popularise the culture of Lord Jagannath across the world.

"The documentary would show the rituals such as banajaga yatra, selection of daru (neem wood for idols), Bramha parivartan and so on. Every district has a connection with the Lord, and we are showing an all-Odisha view of the culture in the documentary," said the film-maker.

"We want the film to get maximum exposure, especially among the youngsters. It will help the upcoming generations experience the Nabakalebar festival and get a clear understanding of the culture of Lord Jagannath," said Panda.

Naveen has also directed the authorities to ensure that the documentary is available on the Internet for the public.

There are also plans to release the film in theatres across the state.

"At present, we are sending the film to a number of international and national film festivals. We will shortly release it here," said Panda.

The film-maker said a lot of research had gone into making the film. "We are also meeting servitors and other veteran cultural personalities to know more about the culture. We had formed teams that were interacting with national and international experts, who have studied various aspects of the Jagannath culture," said Panda.

He further said the screening of the documents was a way to popularise the documentary culture in the state. "Very few film-makers are into documentary film-making these days. The primary reason behind showcasing it at a theatre is to create awareness among the younger generations that it has got a future and can be explored," said Panda.

The state tourism department collaborated with Panda and started the production of the documentary in June 2014.