Sautuni

Sautuni – An Ambitious Attempt That Missed the Mark

In the late 1970s, three employees of the Bhubaneswar Secretariat – Gunanidh Mohanty, Purnachandra Das, and Ramesh Chandra Mohanty – decided to turn their passion for cinema into reality. Pooling resources, they formed a joint venture named Om Maa Films and secured a bank loan to produce an Odia film. Their dream project? A screen adaptation of the acclaimed play Sautuni by noted dramatist Dr. Basant Mohapatra.

Behind the Scenes

The film was directed by Akshay Mohanty (Kashyap), with Ramesh Mohanty as associate director. Dr. Basant Mohapatra, apart from penning the original play, also wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the film. The cinematography was handled by Rajan Kinnagi, while Basudev Rath composed the music.

The soundtrack featured lyrics by Sibabrat Das, Brundaban Jena, and Surendra Nath Bidyadhar, brought to life by celebrated singers Vani Jayaram, S. Janaki, Tansen Singh, Bhubaneswari Mishra, and Pranab Patnaik. Songs like Kau Dhan Khila Boli Mailu Ete, Gori Dekhili Kali Dekhili, and Emiti Raati E Je Abhula Smriti became popular, establishing Basudev Rath as a hit composer. The music recordings took place at the iconic A.V.M. Studio in Madras. The art direction was managed by Asim Basu, and editing was done by Bishnu Prasad Mohanty.

Songs

• Gori Dekhili Kali Dekhili (Singer: Tansen Singh | Lyrics: Sibabrata Das)
• Na Na Dure Rahana (Singers: S. Janaki | Lyrics: Sibabrata Das)
• Emiti Raati Se Je Abhula Smruti (Male) (Singer: Pranab Patnaik | Lyrics: Brundaban Jena)
• Emiti Raati Se Je Abhula Smruti (Female) (Singer: Bhubaneshwari Mishra | Lyrics: Brundaban Jena)
• Kau Dhana Khaila Boli Maailu Mate (Singers: Tansen Singh, S. Janaki | Lyrics: Brundaban Jena)
• Rupasi Rani Go Mora Nila Jahna Nilimara (Singers: Pranab Patnaik, Bhubaneshwari Mishra | Lyrics: Surendra Bidyadhar)

Shooting Locations

Outdoor shoots were conducted in Balipatna, Jaanla, Bhubaneswar, and Rengali, with significant support from the Rengali Dam Project authorities. The team camped at the project’s Dakbangla for nearly ten days, capturing the scenic dam and nearby villages. Indoor sequences were filmed at Ramon Studio (Madras), while post-production, including editing and processing, was carried out at VDS Lab and Karpagam Studio in Madras.

The Cast

Sautuni boasted a strong ensemble cast led by Bijay Mohanty and Tandra Ray, supported by actors like Dr. Sachi Mishra, Anita Das, Manmath Das, Ramesh Mohanty, Krishna Das, Gaur Kumar, Kashi Rath, Gaji Das, Asim Basu, Shital Prasad, Golak Prasad, Nirmal Patnaik, Durga Mohanty, Bishnu Nanda, Banchanidhi, Gunanidhi, Geeta, Bidulata, Beena, Mani, Basanti, Tapati and Roshni D., Prabharani, and many others. The film also featured a dance performance by Roshni D. and included child artists Bulu and Pintu. The main organizer was Manmath Nath Das, with producers including Bhagirth Das, Mrs. Ahladdini Mohanty, Mrs. Shantilata Jena, and Mrs. Saubhagya Manjari Mohanty.

Release and Reception

After clearing the censor board, Sautuni hit the screens in June 1979 at Hind Talkies, Cuttack. Despite being shot in full color and having melodious music, the film failed commercially. Critics and viewers found the story’s flow disjointed, making it hard to follow. According to film experts, the unstable plot structure contributed to its downfall.

Director Akshay Mohanty (Kashyap) later revealed that he was brought on board after the story, dialogues, and songs were already finalized – leaving him little creative control. Additionally, frequent producer interventions during production added to the challenges. How much truth there is to his claim remains known only to the insiders.

Ultimately, the film’s failure served as a harsh reminder that filmmaking is far from child’s play. The distribution rights were taken by Sitakanta Mishra’s Kalinga Pictures, Cuttack.

Movie Artworks

Reference: Odia Chalachitra Ra Agyat Adhyaya by Bhim Singh, Odiamelody