Bhubaneswar: 2025 will be remembered as a historic year for Odia film industry as it got its highest grossing film ever with ‘Bou Buttu Bhuta’.
Films like Pushkara and artists from Odisha were felicitated at the 71st National film awards held in September in the national capital. A few actors of Odia origin also gained attention for their performances in the OTT space.
Here is a look at the memorable movies and performances from Ollywood, which shone this year.
Bou Buttu Bhuta: Directed by Jagdish Mishra ‘Bou Buttu Bhuta’(BBB) starring Babushaan Mohanty, Aparajita Mohanty and Archita in lead roles stormed the box office with a record-shattering Rs 21 crore, which made it the highest grossing Odia film till date. The film was made at an estimated budget of under Rs 5 crore.
The blockbuster produced by Trupti Satpathy under the banner Babushaan Films is the most profitable film (budget to profit ratio) of India in 2025. Not just that, the success of BBB attracted the attention with Dharma Productions (owned by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla) purchasing the Intellectual Property (IP) rights of the film for its remake in Hindi.
The buzz created by this film in the horror genre was unprecedented with a sequel being in the works, according to sources.
BBB is also expected to sweep major awards in various categories at film awards with exceptional performances by Babushaan and Aparajita Mohanty, direction, writing, background score, among others.
Shri Jagannath Nka Nabakalebara: The second most commercially successful film of this year was ‘Shri Jagannath Nka Nabakalebara’, a devotional historical drama with central theme inspired by a historical dark chapter of Srimandir, produced by Dilip Kumar Jena and Soubhagyalaxmi Jena under Sai Sradha Tele Production. Directed by Soubhagyalaxmi Jena, the film reportedly grossed Rs 4 crore. With stellar performances by Sidhant Mohapatra, Sritam Das, Pinky Pradhan, Jyoti Ranjan Nayak, Sivani Sangeeta and Suryamaye Mohapatra, the film emotionally connected with audiences by showcasing the divine origins of the sacred Nabakalebara ritual of Mahaprabhu Jagannath.
Charidham – A Journey Within: Starring Anubhav Mohanty, the film was the third most successful Odia film which reported box office collection of Rs 3.2 crore. Directed by Tapas Sargharia and produced by Himadri Tanaya Das under the banner of Camera Queen Production, the spiritual travel drama that follows the transformative journey of a pilgrim through India’s sacred Char Dham (holy shrines) resonated deeply with movie goers. Its captivating storyline, stunning visuals, and soulful music coupled with Anubhav Mohanty’s powerful performance ensured ‘Charidham’ a place among the hit films of 2025.
Ananta: Helmed by national award-winning filmmaker Sabyasachi Mohapatra and featuring Sabyasachi Mishra, ‘Ananta’ grossed Rs 2 crore during its theatrical run. Based on the eponymous story by legendary author Fakir Mohan Senapati, ‘Ananta’ narrates the tale of a young man’s sacrifice to save his village from a flood and garnered praise for its poignant storytelling and realistic portrayal. The actor, Sabyasachi, earlier shared his physical transformation for the role, gaining around 22 kg weight from 75 kg to 97 kg over six months.
National Film Awards
Pushkara: The directorial debut of ace cinematographer Subhranshu Das ‘Pushkara’ was adjudged the Best Odia Film at the 71st National Film Awards. Based on writer Shankar Tripathy’s Odia novel ‘Nadabindu,’ the film – starring Sabyasachi Mishra and Supriya in lead roles – won unanimous praise from audiences and critics since its release in 2023.
Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film: Subhash Sahoo received a Rajat Kamal and a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh for ‘Mo Bou, Mo Gaan’. The film tells the tale of Seba Bou, an elderly woman who has groomed girls reaching puberty in all those sets of skills that a young woman needs to become a good wife and daughter-in-law.
Special Mention: Award-winning director Himansu Sekhar Khatua received a Special Mention for his ‘The Sea and Seven Villages’ in the non-feature films section. The long documentary showcases the impact of climate change and its impact on Satabhaya village cluster in Odisha’s Kendrapada. It depicts the life and struggle of the residents dealing with impending displacement.
Best Cinematography: Prasantanu Mohapatra, a cinematographer from Odisha, won Rajat Kamal for Best Cinematography in ‘The Kerala Story’, one of the most talked-about and controversial Hindi films of the year 2023.
Filmfare OTT Awards
Best Actor (Critics’ Choice – Female): Actor of Odia origin Preeti Panigrahi won Best Actor (Critics’ Choice – Female) for her performance in the web film ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ at Filmfare OTT Awards 2025 held in Mumbai on December 15. The 22-year-old debutante who is an alumnus of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI) had earlier received the Special Jury Award for Acting at the Sundance Film Festival 2024 for this act.
Breakthrough Performance by a Newcomer (Female): The Filmfare OTT Award for Breakthrough Performance by a Newcomer (Female), Series went to Lisa Mishra for ‘Call Me Bae’ in which she played news producer Harleen. Lisa, who is mostly known for her singing, won this award in her first step as an actor. She spent her childhood in Berhampur before moving to Chicago in the United States of America at the age of six.
