Odisha to have a mini cinema theatre in every block

The Odisha (formerly Orissa) government plans to build 314 mini theatres, covering all blocks in the state. Prafulla Samal, Odisha's minister of information and public relations, announced this while interacting with the press on the sidelines of the ongoing Intenational Film Festival of India at Panaji, Goa on Friday.

He said the number of cinema halls in the state are woefully inadequate to meet the needs of both viewers and exhibitors. "There are only 81 cinema halls in the state and many films do not get an opportunity to exhibit," Samal pointed out.

He appealed to the central government, banks and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to come forward to help cinema industry in the state.

Meanwhile, the Odiya film industry is planning to celebrate its platinum jubilee in the state in a big way in 2011 as part of the platinum jubilee celebrations of creation of state of Odisha.

The minister also invited film makers to come and shoot their films at the beautiful locales of Odisha such as Puri, Konark, Bhubaneswar and Gopalpur. The Odisha government, he said, is expected to announce some incentives for the film industry in the next financial year.

He assured the film industry that the state government would do its best to promote Odiya cinema in the state. He also said the government would take measures for the welfare of film workers and artists.

He also invited suggestions from the media persons and filmmakers that he would take as feedback to the chief minister.

A total of about 600 films have so far been produced in the Odiya language, he added.