Odia films released during festivities like Raja guarantee full houses at theatres for at least three weeks despite the invasion of pirated VCDs and DVDs.
Most of the Odia films are released coinciding with the festive seasons. Usually Raja and Dussehra are the two festivals during which maximum number of films is released in the State. This year three new Odia films such as Agystya, Prema Re Prema Re and love Station are going to be released during the Raja festival. last year also three films hit the theatre during Raja such as Gapa Helebi Sata starring star couple Anubhav and Barsha, Super Michhua starring Babushan and Jhilik and Arindam, Jhlik and Anisha starrer love You Hamesha
All the three lead actors Anubhav, Babushan and Arindam are in the Raja race this year while except Jhilik, Elina and Seetal are in the Raja race as a leading actresses. last year, Jhilik appeared in two films where as Varsha was in one film.
Sarthak Home Productions has come up with its 18th movie to be released this Raja. Prema Re prema Re staring popular star Arindam Roy with Seetal in the lead roles and supported by well known actors Aparajita, Mihir Das and Hari etc. The film is produced by Sitaram Agrawal and directed by Sudhanshu Sahu and the music is composed by Bikash Das. Singers Nivedita and Sourin Bhatt have lent their voices. Tarang Cine Productions Raja release will be loveStation starring Babushan Mohanty and Elina Samantray in the lead. Produced by Jagi Mangat Panda, it is directed by Ashok Pati. Abhijeet Majumdar has composed the music, while Humane Sagar has lent his voice for the title track and this is the fifth movie which has been produced by Tarang Cine Productions till now. The Agastya Produced by well-known NRI businessman Akshay Parija and directed by K Murali Krishna, also is in the list of this year Raja release. Apart from bringing together Ollywood’s two leading actors Anubhav and Akash Das Nayak with actress Jhilik in the lead, the film also boasts of screen stealing presence from veteran actors like Mihir Das, Priyanka Patnaik, Minaketan, Manoj Mishra, Munna Sethi and Salil Mitra. Music of this film is being composed by Premananda. The film has many firsts to its credit. One of the exclusives being Indian Idol Ananya Sritam Nanda lending her voice to three beautiful numbers Dhire Dhire Bhala Paigali (2 versions) and Chota Chota Ei Mana Tale. This is her first debut in the Ollywood industry. Humane, Bishnu,Sricharan, Satayajit, Sangram, Asutosh Mohanty, Tarikh Ajij and Pragnya have lent their voice while Arun Mantry, Subrata Swain and Prem Anand have penned down the songs. last year Ashok Pati’s directed Super Michuua was in the hit list while Murali Krishna’s Gapa Hele Be Sata was second in the hit list. This year both the directors are in the race of repeating their super hero in the lead. While love Station and Prema re prema re revolve on love stories, Agystya is packed with full action.
It is alleged that some of these films are remakes and lift offs of Telugu, Kannda and Hindi commercial movies. But it is the audience that counts rather than critical acclaim. It is a welcome note in this age when dragging audience to a theatre to watch a movie is a hard task. Nevertheless, Odia films are continuing to have houseful shows during Raja festivities this year.