Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi attended the 35th and 36th State Film Awards ceremony at Lok Seva Bhavan Convention Centre on Friday, 27 June 2026, honouring outstanding talent across 62 categories of Odia cinema and announcing a landmark film policy alongside a major upgrade of Kalinga Studio.

Context

Speaking at the ceremony, CM Majhi extended congratulations to all awardees, including recipients of the 'Mohan Sundar Dev Goswami Samman' — Odia cinema's highest honour, named after a pioneering director. The award recognises lifetime contribution to the industry and was presented alongside prizes across 62 departments covering artists and technicians alike.

In his address, the Chief Minister declared: 'ଆପଣମାନଙ୍କ କଳା ଓ ସାଧନା ହିଁ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ସଂସ୍କୃତିକୁ ବିଶ୍ୱ ଦରବାରରେ ଗୌରବାନ୍ୱିତ କରିଛି' ('Your art and dedication have brought glory to Odisha's culture on the world stage').

Policy Backdrop

Odisha has held State Film Awards since at least the 1960s, recognising Odia cinema under successive governments. However, the industry has long grappled with talent migration, limited production infrastructure, and competition from larger regional film industries.

CM Majhi announced that his government will soon introduce a landmark 'Chalachitra Niti' (Film Policy), describing it as 'a firm step towards the revival of the Odia film industry.' The policy commitment follows a broader national pattern in which state governments — particularly those in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra — have paired awards infrastructure with dedicated film-sector legislation to retain local talent and boost production volumes.

Stakeholders and Impact

Central to the government's announcement is the repositioning of the state-owned Kalinga Studio as a 'leading digital and post-production hub' in the country. The upgrade is designed to provide young Odia talent with international-standard technical training and employment opportunities within the state itself.

CM Majhi was direct about the goal: 'Our talent will no longer need to go to other states for work; their dreams will be realised on Odisha's own soil.' The pledge directly addresses the well-documented migration of skilled film technicians and artists to Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai for professional opportunities unavailable at home.

Filmmakers, technicians, and young artists across Odisha stand to benefit from both the policy framework and the studio infrastructure investment, should the announcements translate into budgetary allocations and operational timelines.

What's Next

The government has not yet released a draft of the Chalachitra Niti or a specific timeline for the Kalinga Studio upgrade. Industry observers and stakeholders will watch for concrete budget allocations, memoranda of understanding with technical partners, and a public consultation process for the film policy.

CM Majhi closed with a call to collective action — urging all stakeholders to become 'Team Odisha' and champion Odia cinema's 'new sunrise' by promoting authentic local stories and culture. The coming months will determine whether the policy framework matches the ambition of the announcement.