Bhubaneswar: Twenty-seven years after the super cyclone in Odisha caused extensive damage to the Kalinga Studio, the iconic studio is set to come alive once again.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the redeveloped Kalinga Studio here on Monday, saying that his government will develop it into a world-class facility.
“The state government has a plan to develop Kalinga Studio into a world-class facility. The government will take the necessary steps to bring a new policy with regard to the movie sector by 2027. We are also mulling to hold an international film festival in Odisha,” Chief Minister Majhi said.
State Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, Ekamra Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh and actor-turned-legislator Sidhant Mohapatra were among those present on the occasion.
Having been transformed into a modern facility at a cost of Rs 164 crore, the refurbished Kalinga Studio is now equipped with movie sets resembling airport, railway station, palace, village, shopping mall, forest, snow-covered mountains, haunted house, Amazon rainforest and river, among others.
The new studio also has a new shooting floor, sound recording room, dubbing room, audio visual room, sound control room, animation work station, movie editing room, sound proof room and photography zone among other facilities.
“The refurbished Kalinga Studio has several new facilities including a ‘snow world’. The new facilities are expected to attract visitors to the studio. The studio will be a major tourist destination in the capital city. The people can visit the studio by paying the entry fees,” an official said.
After being established in 1980, Kalinga Studio became a major hub for Odia film industry, with several popular movies being shot there in the 1980s and 1990s.
The devastating cyclone of 1999 wreaked havoc and reduced to a dilapidated and largely unused state. state had caused extensive damage to the iconic studio.
CM Majhi, soon after assuming office in June 2024, directed officials to expedite the transformation work at Kalinga Studio.
