Argus News - Ekamra Walks Celebrates 51 Years of Odia Film ‘Jajabara’ With Colour Screening

Bhubaneswar, Feb 7: Ekamra Walks is set to host a landmark cultural evening in Bhubaneswar as part of its Odia Film Panorama initiative, presenting a special screening of the classic Odia film Jajabara to mark 51 years since its original release in 1975, officials said on Saturday.

The event carries historic importance as audiences will witness the colourised version of the iconic black-and-white film, to be screened in the open-air theatre at Kalabhoomi. Ekamra Walks serves as the flagship cultural initiative under the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).

Jajabara occupies a distinctive place in Odia cinema and continues to be regarded as more than just a film—it is a cultural touchstone that has influenced generations of viewers. The screening not only celebrates its enduring legacy but also honours the remarkable restoration effort that has brought the film back to life for contemporary audiences.

The colour version is the outcome of an extensive preservation and restoration project led by Shri Bapu Lenka. A team of 21 technocrats worked tirelessly for 736 days, painstakingly reworking and colourising as many as 2,19,000 frames of the original film. This monumental effort has created history in Indian regional cinema, making Jajabara the first black-and-white regional film in the country to be colourised—an achievement reflecting technical excellence and cultural dedication.

The evening will be further enriched by the presence of prominent cast and crew members, including actresses Banaja Mohanty and Tripura Mishra, singers Geeta Pattnaik and Trupti Das, along with Bapu Lenka, producer Bijaya Patnaik, and actor Shyamalendu Bhattacharya, offering audiences a rare opportunity for shared nostalgia and interaction.

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The screening will be held on Sunday, 8th January, at 5:30 PM at Kalabhoomi Open Air Auditorium. Earlier at 2 PM, an Odia Literary Trail featuring Sakhi Kandei dance and a storytelling session on Kulfi will add to the day’s cultural celebrations.