Odia filmmaker Nirad Mohapatra dies at 67

Bhubaneswar: Veteran Odia filmmaker, director and producer Nirad Narayan Mohapatra Thursday died at a private hospital in Mumbai, a family member said. He was 67.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. He will be cremated in Mumbai later in the day after his daughter arrives from Hyderabad, younger brother Sampad Mohapatra said.

Mohapatra was undergoing treatment at Fortis Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai for the last one month. He was operated twice within a month for suspected cancer although biopsy did not confirm malignancy, he said.

The first operation led to complication for which he had to undergo another surgery. His condition deteriorated further and he took his last breath at 6 am, he said.

Nirad was a multi-faced talent who joined Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII) to pursue a direction course in 1968 after discontinuing his post graduate studies in political science. He joined FTII, the same institute as a lecturer five years later.

He had shot into international fame with his first Odia feature film ‘Maya Miriga’ in 1984 . It was adjudged second best national film in 1984 , Indian panorama. It was also adjudged the best third world film at Mannheim-Hiedelberg International Film Festival then West Germany.

The film was also the winner of the special jury award at Hawaii Film Festival, U.S and 'Critics Week' of Cannes in France.

Though he never made another feature film, he primarily concentrated on documentaries which won him many awards.

In 1985 he was invited to visit four US universities to lecture on films. He was a member of national film jury and member selection panel for Indian Panorama several times.