The New Kalinga Studio Promises To Revolutionise Odia Entertainment Industry

The New Kalinga Studio Promises To Revolutionise Odia Entertainment Industry

Kalinga Studio is one of the most iconic landmarks of Bhubaneswar. Many of the greatest Odia films have been made here and it has produced the greatest Odia silver screen idols. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation for the redevelopment of the studio on Thursday as part of an initiative to transform it into a state-of-the-art entertainment hub. 

Kalinga Studio was established in 1980 and has been an instrumental force in shaping the face of Odia cinema. Back then, Kalinga Studio was the only film studio with the best equipment in the eastern part of India. All these resources put the creative talent pool of Odisha into a niche of creativity that was breaking barriers in storytelling and the state produced some of the finest movies. 

However, over the next few decades, the industry lost its glory due to not being able to catch up with the latest infrastructure and technology in film making. Recently, the state government has approved Rs 200 Crore for the redevelopment of the Kalinga Studio into a modern and futuristic film studio with state-of-the-art infrastructure.

Naveen unveiled the plaque to mark the foundation stone laying ceremony of the redevelopment of Kalinga Studio in the presence of Kuna Tripathy, Chairman, OFDC. The project work will be executed by IDCO and it is expected that the construction and landscaping of the core support area will be completed by December 2022.

The project concept and master plan is designed by an international consulting firm M/s Grant Thornton Bharat LLP and it will be developed spreading across three different zones comprising of infrastructures such as multi-sized indoor shooting halls with all modern facilities, make believe shooting locales, theme based parks, post-production facilities such as dubbing and mixing studios, animation workstations, editing suites, DI (Digital Intermediate) studios, preview theatres, directors’ room, space for brainstorming, script narration, casting etc, recording labs, radio and media houses etc.

Along with film production, the studio proposes to contain comprehensive fun, entertainment, and a leisure hub. The infrastructure includes live performance stage, adventure parks, kids play area, water games, castle view, snow world, iconic points etc along with boarding and lodging facilities for the film crew, and space for social and cultural gatherings.

The objective of the project is to preserve the heritage property of the State and support in the upliftment of the Odia Film Industry. The infrastructure will create a film industry ecosystem that would help develop not only the Odia Movie Industry but also cater to many downstream affiliates of the sector in the larger entertainment and creative services industry.

The project would also catalyse employment in the film, media, and entertainment industry. It envisages direct employment of around 2,000 in the film, media, and entertainment sector along with indirect and induced employment generation of more than 10,000. Moreover, the creative talent pool of Odisha who migrate to other states for livelihood would get employment in their home state.