Bhubaneswar: National award-winning movie ‘Pushkara’ and ‘My Sweet Housewife’ jointly won the best film prize for 2023 as the Odisha State Film Awards were announced on Thursday.
For 2023, the Best Film award was jointly given to ‘Pushkara’ and ‘My Sweet House Wife’. The awards recognised excellence across multiple categories, with ‘Pushkara’ earning praise for its storytelling and cultural depth, while ‘My Sweet Housewife’ was lauded for its unique narrative and strong performances.
The Best Director awards went to Pinaki Singh and Shishir Kumar Sahu. Harihar Mohapatra was declared Best Actor, while Naina Das Tiwari and Supriya Nayak jointly won Best Actress awards. The lifetime achievement award was bagged by actor Shyamalendu Bhattacharya.
For 2024, movie ‘Ashram’ was chosen for the Best Film award. Actor Babushaan Mohanty was awarded Best Actor, and actress Devjani was named Best Actress. Ashok Pati won Best Director award. The lifetime achievement award for 2024 was given to veteran actress Namrata Das.
Odia Language, Literature & Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj made the official announcement at an event in Bhubaneswar, highlighting the achievements of Odia cinema in the past year.
The Minister said the awards aim to encourage filmmakers to produce quality cinema that resonates with audiences and preserves Odia culture. He emphasised that the recognition of these films demonstrates the growing strength of the regional film industry. The awards will be presented at a special ceremony soon.