Veteran Odia filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra dies at 69

Veteran Odia filmmaker Manmohan Mohapatra died at a hospital here on Monday following prolonged illness.

He was 69.

Winner of several National Awards, Mohapatra was undergoing treatment at a private hospital where he breathed his last in the evening, family sources said.

A host of dignitaries, including Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, have condoled the death.

"I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of eminent filmmaker and director Manmohan Mohapatra. His contributions towards the film industry will always be remembered," Patnaik said in a message.

Born in 1951, Mohapatra studied filmmaking at the FTII in Pune and made his first short film, Anti-Memoirs, in 1975.

His first film Sita Rati as a director in 1976 won him the National Film Award for the Best Feature Film in Odia.

Mohapatra had won eight consecutive National Awards for his films Nisiddha Swapna, Majhi Pahacha, Klanta Aparanha, Niraba Jhada, Sita Rati, Bhinna Samaya. His Niraba Jhada also won a National Award.

Mohapatra has also directed a few Hindi films, including Bits and Pieces starring Nandita Das, Rahul Bose, and Dia Mirza.

He recently received the Best Director Award for Odia film Bhija Matira Swarga.

The veteran filmmaker had also directed documentaries -- Voices of Silence and Konrak: The Sun Temple.

A pall of gloom descended on the Odisha film circle with many actors and directors condoling the demise.