Amitabh Bachchan urges the Odisha government to adopt a film preservation policy to restore and protect classic Odia cinema for future generations
OdishaPlus Bureau
On Wednesday, Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan urged the Odisha government to implement a thorough film preservation policy aimed at protecting old Odia films for the benefit of future generations.
Bachchan participated in the opening ceremony of the 10th Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India (FPRWI 2025), which was organized virtually by the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) in collaboration with the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF).
The workshop was inaugurated by Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who announced that the state government would soon formalize an agreement with the FHF to restore classic Odia films.
Bachchan remarked, “Without a preservation policy, numerous significant works by distinguished filmmakers such as Nirad Mohapatra, Manmohan Mahapatra, Prafulla Sengupta, Nitai Palit, Parvati Ghosh, and Prashanta Nanda are in jeopardy of being lost.”
He further stated, “If you have a passion for films and are concerned about the future of our cinematic legacy, we invite you to join us in our endeavor to preserve our films for the generations to come.”
The event, held at Kala Bhoomi in Bhubaneswar, also saw the attendance of veteran actress Waheeda Rehman, who emphasized the significance of safeguarding Odisha’s rich film heritage.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of FHF, mentioned that faculty members from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the British Film Institute are leading sessions at the workshop, which is dedicated to training in all facets of film preservation and restoration.
The workshop, which will run until November 19, features participation from esteemed filmmakers, researchers, and curators from across India.
