‘Hello Arsi’ Ushers New Hopes For Odia Film Industry

‘Hello Arsi’ Ushers New Hopes For Odia Film Industry

Not every day the venerated Shekhar Kapur heaps praise on an Odia film but “Hello Arsi” which grabbed three awards at the 65th National Film Awards has managed that feat. The words of Kapur, chairman of the jury of the national film awards, vouch for the fact that not everything is lost for the Odia film industry. There is tremendous hope if film-makers and actors put their everything to tell a great story.

“One of the best performances from a girl I have seen for a long time, it’s the most difficult film to do. If I try to make that film, I’ll fail. I have never seen a film like that, whether in Cannes, whether in Berlin, whether in India. I have never seen such style of storytelling in anywhere in the world,” said Kapur who made box office blockbusters like Mr India and internationally acclaimed “Bandit Queen” and “Shakespeare in Love.”

The jury chairman’s appreciation did not end there as he said there were a lot of good films so the jury argued a lot and finally decided to give “Hello Aarsi” a Special Mention, ” especially, for the performance of the girl.” The girl he mentioned was the young and energetic Prakruti Mishra playing the lead in the film. Prakruti can now take a bow.

“Hello Aarsi” won three awards such as Best Odia Film, Best Dialogue and also a Special Mention.

The story is set during the onset of industrialisation in Rourkela which saw displacement of locals for measly compensation to give way to industries. A girl from one such family, played by Prakruti, takes up odd jobs for survival because the displacement robbed her family of economic means. The film is based on her life and struggles. ‘Hello Aarsi’ uses mirror (Aarsi in Odia) as a metaphor which never lies and shows one, one’s real self. The Good and Evil, two metaphysical characters meet during a journey on road. Like a game of chess, they try to read one another’s mind and from doubt and insecurity, their relationship progresses to become a platonic one.

An overwhelmed Prakruti told MCL, “I still can’t believe that my work has been appreciated so much by such a veteran personality from the world of cinema. I feel blessed to have been a part of this film. In fact, for this film, director Sambit Mohanty had also organised some special workshops. He had worked very hard for this film. Unfortunately, he is not there with us today and we are really missing him, now since the film has bagged three National Awards.’’

She went on to say, “I want to thank the whole team of the film and all my Odia viewers. It is because of all of them that I am what I am today.”

Talking more about the film, male lead Partha Sarathi Ray, yet another fine actor from Ollywood said, “I am playing the role of a guy, who is like a mysterious character in the film. Neither his background nor his name is revealed throughout the film. Towards the end, the audience can figure out that it’s like a loop and every incident is a repetition. There’s a word ‘Hiraeth’ which summarises the entire film – the homesickness for a home to which one can’t return, a home which may have never existed; the nostalgia, the yearning for all the lost places of the past.”

Popular actor Priyamvadha Ray has also acted in the film, which has been produced by Ajay Routray.  Prashantanu Mohanty is the DOP and the film has been edited by Shibaprasad Mohanty.

Picture Courtesy: Partha Sarathi Ray