Subrat Swain speaks to Gadadhar Puty for The Sunday Indian
How you got interested in good cinema?
GP: Cinema fascinated and took most of my attention from my childhood. I was a student of Class VI then in a remote village staying in a boarding school. I had ample and undisturbed time at my disposal. Whenever I was listening to movie stories from my friends, I was really wondering how such and such scenes are presented on the screen. I also took interest in framing such stories. That was the beginning of slowly getting into involved in films….but actually remaining far away from real film making.
How you entered into Oriya Cinema?
GP: From film magazines, I knew about the existence of an organisation called Film & Television Institute of India at Pune where education and training is imparted on making of films…..Later I knew that the number of seats are very few. I got into FTII, Pune in 1978 and the things followed.
During FTII days, my class mate, Jugal Debata proposed to come to Orissa and make Oriya films. I directed ASHARA AKASH, produced by Debata in 1982.
That is how I entered into Oriya Cinema and Oriya cinema entered into me.
How was the scenario of Oriya Cinema when you made your first movie and how it is changing over the years?
GP: The directors were creative and were deeply involved in extracting fresh and new things from the artists and crew members. The things were more disciplined. The cost of production was less and sincerity was more. Now the things are almost reverse. Lot of inflow of money from non-film sectors, borrowed ideas and borrowed technicians from South with no link with or knowledge of our life and spirit.
What is your view on present day cinema?
GP: We need a Director /Producer who can lead such a unit to make something new, something creative and the product also to clicks in the market. That is the challenge and commitment of today’s Oriya cinema. A lot of fresh bloods are entering in but without any uncompromising drive. They are falling prey to the dictates of money in the wrong hand.
What is the shortfall in our cinema industry?
GP: The vulgarity in Oriya cinema has preached its peak. Our shortfall is something which can eradicate this vulgarity. Now a change is inevitable. Surely you will find our cinema by our people before it is too late. Soon it will be in the hands of able people.
How you foresee Oriya cinema in days to come?
GP: I can foresee good movies on screen and quite profusely. Now our costly actors have started to lean towards cinema made by creative directors, who know their craft well. Finances also have started flowing into such movies. Soon we will be able to breathe fresh air in our suffocating film industry.
