About four years ago, the state of Odisha was struck by tragedy as Cyclone ‘FANI’ made landfall on 3rd May 2019. The cyclone wreaked havoc in the lives and minds of the people of Odisha, especially in the coastal belt. In a matter of few hours many were left without means or access. The makers of Whispers of a Storm have tried to capture this human aspect of devastation through a fictional story and how it regulates subsequent actions. The film saw it’s trailer launch as the people in the state still remember the sombre event.
The lead roles have been essayed by Dipanwit Dashmohapatra, Swastik Choudhury, Priyanka Ghosh Roy, and Radha Krushna. The music is scored by Kisaloy Roy and sound design is by Sujoy Das.
Whispers of a Storm will soon have its World Premiere at the 25th UK Asian Film Festival next week in London. The film directed by National Award and State Award winner Amartya Bhattacharyya, has been produced by Swastik Choudhury under the banner of Swastik Arthouse, in association with Dr. U T Rao and Filmstop Entertainment.
Talking about the release of the trailer, director Amartya Bhattacharyya said that – “Through this film, we remember the historic natural calamity, and at the same time, the resilience of the people of Odisha, the government and everyone involved in the fightback. This film is extremely different from any of my other films. We shot the film in all real locations – No design, no alterations, no planted elements – yet it’s a fiction! It’s as close as fiction can get to a documentary. It’s wonderful that the film is having it’s premiere on the 25th year of such a prestigious festival like UKAFF, next week.”
Producer and Actor of the film, Swastik Choudhury added – “The devastating cyclone, Fani, in 2019 left behind mortifying scenes and months of agony. What we saw on the streets and in the interiors of Odisha was painful. Among all the chaos, though, the people of Odisha like in the past always presented a glimmer of hope on their faces. I profusely thank the entire cast and crew who made it possible to shoot this film in one of the most hostile and challenging conditions back in 2019. Also, thank you to Mr. Una Rao and FILM STOP Entertainment for supporting this film.”
Speaking about his experience while shooting for the film, actor Dipanwit Dashmohapatra, who plays one of the lead characters said, “As an actor ‘Whispers of a Storm’ has always been a special film for me. Back in 2019 when I was shooting the film, I felt so complete as an actor. The process behind this Cinema is what makes it special. The real locations, the real people, the devastation, the hope for a new morning, the documentary style, the fiction around it and everything else felt so truthful in this cinema.
