Short film on Paika rebellion wins international award

A short film based on the armed Paika rebellion by the Paikas (Odia warrior clan) in 1817, won an international award in Mumbai recently. The short, Paika Bidroha, starring Ollywood actors Manoj Mishra and Samaresh Routray, won the special jury award at the prestigious 9th Mumbai International Short Film Festival 2020.

It has been directed by Nischay Rout and Anuj Tyagi, while Haraprasad Das has written the story, screenplay and dialogues.Manoj has played the role of freedom fighter Jayee Rajguru and Samaresh, legendary Buxi Jagabandhu. The short film has tried to capture the very essence of the first ever armed rebellion against the East India Company, much before the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.
“Portraying a historic character, and that too one of our ancestors who rebelled against the mighty Britishers despite Odisha being one of the last states to come under the East India Company, is itself a matter of pride. It has been a good effort by the team to bring our history to the screen,” said Samaresh.
Paika Bidroha had earlier won four state film awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing as well as the Best Film by Jury.