Bhubaneswar: Film on Biju to release ahead of Utkal Divas

BHUBANESWAR: An Odia feature film, ‘Biju Babu’, based on the life of former chief minister and legendary leader Biju Patnaik, will release ahead of Utkal Divas — the statehood day on April 1 — on March 29.
The BJD’s Rajya Sabha member and popular actor, Anubhav Mohanty, is playing the lead character. Though makers of the film claim that it has nothing to do with politics, it is expected to influence people politically.
“It is not a biopic on Biju Patnaik.Making a biopic on him will be a very difficult and challenging task. In this film, we reflect upon the ideology, spirit and charisma of the great leader,” said producer and director Nila Madhab Panda. He said, “Biju Babu is an out and out commercial film and has nothing to do with politics. I don’t think a film would affect the elections.”
The two-hour-and-20-minute film has been shot in Bhubaneswar as well as in Cuttack, Nayagarh, Bargarh and Mayurbhanj districts.
“The story of the film revolves around the subject of how Biju Babu would have dealt with the current situation if he were around. Odia people feel proud of him as an extraordinary leader, an adventurous and brave pilot, a straight-forward and clear-hearted human being, who always stood for the people of Odisha. But our next generation may not know about this charismatic personality. The film targets millennials,” Panda added.
Anubhav said acting in the film was a challenge for him. “I worked in the film as an actor and none of my other identities mattered to me during its making. A film on Biju Babu is different from all other films made on the great leader and will appeal to all categories of audiences,” he said.
The film is a commercial movie with four songs, lots of drama, action, romance and comedy. Supriya Nayak stars opposite Anubhav. After release of the poster, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had sent his best wishes to the film’s crew. The second teaser dropped on Friday and was quite a hit among netizens.