Prakruti Mishra discovered her love for the performing arts when she was a child. She won the Odisha State Film Award for Best Child Actor for the film ‘Sasughara Chalijibi’ (2006). In the following years, she honed her craft further, participated in reality shows, acted in TV shows in Hindi and then, carved out an identity for herself as one of the leading actresses in Odia cinema.
‘Bindusagar’, a new Odia film featuring Prakruti in the central role, releases in the theatres today. In the film, Prakruti plays the part of a young woman from an Odia family who grew up in London and wishes to discover her roots.
In this interview, Prakruti talks about ‘Bindusagar’, similarities between the character she plays in the film and herself, collaborating with Platoon One Films, the growth of Odia cinema and more.
Are there any similarities between the Sreeja, the character you play in the film, and you?
There are many similarities! I have tremendous love for my motherland. Sreeja grew up in London but feels deeply connected to India and Odisha. Whenever I am in Mumbai or some other part of the world, I miss Odisha and my home. The kind of emotions she goes through and the feelings I have in my heart about many things are very similar. The only difference is that she is an introvert and I am not (laughs).
Platoon One Films opted for a pre-book release strategy for a film which is quite unusual for an Odia film.
Yes! This was the first time something of this kind was done with an Odia film. We organized some public premiere shows in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and these shows turned out to be housefull. This gave us a lot of confidence and reflected the fact that there is a lot of interest among the audience to watch the film.
In an interview, producer Shiladitya Bora stated that ‘Bindusagar’ marks a ‘moment of rebirth of storytelling’ in Odia cinema. What, do you think, makes this film different from other Odia films released in the recent past?
The biggest strength of Bindusagar is its simplicity. In these times of violence, noise and chaos, people would want to watch a film that brings some joy in their lives. ‘Bindusagar’ is that film. The film offers a sense of nostalgia and a variety of emotions. It is also a technically superior product. All of us worked very hard to make a good film and offer the audience something they have not seen before.
Platoon Odia, a subsidiary of Platoon One Films is a Mumbai based film production and distribution company led by Shiladitya Bora, has produced the film. The company has distributed an Odia film before. This, however, is their first production venture in Odia. How was the experience of working with them?
It was a wonderful experience! They took great care of us during the shoot. One could learn a lot from their professional behaviour and conduct. From ideation to execution, they ensured everything happened smoothly.
‘Bindusagar’ had its world premiere at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa last year. What kind of response did you get there?
We received a standing oviation from the audience at the festival. I feel grateful about the fact that so many people have supported us in this journey. Rana Daggubati shared the trailer of our film on social media. Anubhav Mohanty loved the film and decided to present it. Now, I hope the film gets the support of the audience.
In the last few years, one has seen some Odia films being appreciated at a national level. Are you expecting a similar response for ‘Bindusagar’?
Yes! There are no language based barriers now. In every state, people are watching films made in different languages. Apart from getting a wide release in Odisha, the film is releasing in multiple cities outside the state as well. Our film is also releasing overseas. I am sure it will also resonate with those who are living far away from their motherland and missing it.
What kind of work do you want to this year?
I want to be a part of projects that give me the opportunity to do something I have not done earlier. I would love to do a thriller or a murder mystery.