Director of Odia film Sala Budha (The Stupid Old Man) Sabyasachi Mohapatra has said that instead of looking at elderly people as liability, the younger ones should realise that the older generation is a great resource for leading the society.
He said this at a media interaction during the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Mumbai.
One in every five persons would be over 65 years by 2035. It is not just for the traditional values, but the older generation could also be the lighthouse for the society’s greater prosperity. Sala Budha has a subtle message for the present fast-paced uncaring society, it being a tale of human values and generosity, Mohapatra said.
Made in Sambalpuri dialect, Sala Budha is one of the 26 feature films selected for the Indian Panorama category in this year’s IFFI.
Its theme is based on a 100-year-old story penned by Sabyasachi’s father Kapileswar Prasad Mohapatra. It is a black-and-white film with an 83-year-old protagonist.
Sala Budha was made to commemorate the silver jubilee of Mohapatra’s last film in the Sambalpuri dialect, Bhukha, a film that was screened at the Gijon International Film Festival and the World Rural Film Festival in France.
Set in a rural backdrop, Sala Budha narrates the story of a generous old man. Even during drought, he does not refrain from financially assisting the villagers.
The antagonist tries his best to defame him in front of the king. But the king turns out to be a reasonable man, who realises that the old man is genuinely a Good Samaritan.
Atal Bihari Panda, playing the main protagonist of the movie, said acting in his first-ever film was a challenge for him since he was a dramatist since childhood. Pritviraj Nayak, who has essayed the character of the king, and editor Rajendra K Mahapatra also interacted with the Press.