Bhubaneswar: London-based filmmaker Soumya Jyoti Pratihari has brought global attention to a deeply personal story from Odisha with his award-winning documentary ‘Shunya: Being Prafulla Mohanti’.
The film received the prestigious Tongues on Fire Flame Award for Best LGBTQIA+ Film at UK Asian Film Festival 2026. The honour comes just days after its world premiere at Riverside Studios in London on May 6.
The 93-minute documentary, “Shunya: Being Prafulla Mohanti,” offers an intimate portrayal of the life and artistic journey of 91-year-old British-Indian artist and author Prafulla Mohanti. Directed by London-based filmmaker Soumya Jyoti Pratihari and produced by Pradipta Das, the film explores the remarkable story of an artist who bridged two cultures through his work.
The 93-minute documentary offers an intimate portrait of Prafulla Mohanti, the 91-year-old Odia artist, writer, architect, and cultural thinker whose work has long explored themes of identity, migration, spirituality, and human connection. Soumya, a Goldsmiths, University of London alumnus, spent nearly five years working closely with Prafulla Mohanti. This extended collaboration infuses the film with rare authenticity and warmth, allowing audiences to witness not only the artist’s creative process but also the quiet, personal moments of his daily life.
On receiving the award, director Pratihari said: “I have been attending the UKAFF for the last few years as an audience member. This film has been handcrafted over seven years, so it feels incredibly special and humbling to receive this recognition.”
Producer Prodeepta Das added: “It has been a long journey. Seeing the film on the big screen is a relief and a joy, and to have it recognised and awarded by the UK Asian Film Festival is truly gratifying. We are deeply grateful.”
The title Shunya refers to the cosmic circle and the profound philosophical concept of emptiness or infinity — central motifs in Prafulla Mohanti’s paintings and writings. The documentary traces his remarkable journey from the riverside village of Nanpur in Jajpur district to Mumbai’s JJ School of Art, and later to England, where he worked as an architect and town planner before devoting himself fully to painting and literature. The film also sensitively explores the racism and isolation Mohanti faced after moving to Britain. A violent racist attack in London proved a pivotal turning point, steering him away from urban planning and deeper into art and writing. Together with his late partner Derek Moore, he later spent years nurturing creativity among children and women in his native village through art, dance, and storytelling workshops.
Blending archival footage, interviews, and personal reflections, ‘Shunya: Being Prafulla Mohanti’ paints a moving portrait of a migrant artist who continued to create with resilience despite personal loss, ageing, and illness.
