The classic Odia black-and-white film Nua Bou was screened at the Jayadev Bhawan auditorium here on Friday.
In the inaugural session, the artists of the 1962 cinema who are still alive were honoured by the artists of the present generation. They are none other than veteran Prashant Nanda, Ram Chandra Pratihari, Radharani Sarkar, Shyamamani Devi and Srinibas Paikray.
Thereafter, the screening started. The story of the cinema revolves around the affection between a child Raju and his sister-in-law Parvati. Dhira Biswal, Sarat Pujari, Prashant Nanda, Ramchandra Pratihari, Balaram Mishra, leela Dulalee, Radharani Sarkar, Kalpana, Padma, Saraswati and Geeta were in the cast.
The cinema was made under the banner of Panchasakha Pictures. The producers were Ramkrushna Tripathy, Dhira Biswal, Kailash Chandra Karan, Srinibas Paikray and Suryamani Khuntia. Pravat Mukherjee was the director. The evergreen music of this cinema was composed by Balakrushna Das.
This cinema was released on March 9, 1962 simultaneously at Srikrushna Talkies, Puri and Utkal Cinema, Brahmapur. Most importantly, the cinema bagged the covetous Rashtrapati Samman in the same year.
“Making me revisit my childhood days is mind blowing. I can’t believe seeing myself in such a playful child character,” said Prasanta Nanda.
Anu Chaudhury, noted actress of present generation, was amazed to see the film where only importance was given to storytelling. The cinema was made at a time when the availability of technology was next to nothing. Yet, Nua Bou is one of my favourite movies, she averred.
This cinema was screened under the series of Smrutichhaya. Film Journalists’ Forum in association with the State Culture Department is organising such a unique arrangement of screening of the old movies.
