Days ago, Ollywood (the Odia film industry) came out of the woods with Bou Buttu Bhuta, starring Babushaan Mohanty, creating a box-office record of becoming the first Odia film to gross over Rs 10 crore. The film is still running successfully in theatres, continuing to create records at the box office. Though the film has put Ollywood on the map, distributor Vyshak says this film and the phenomenon it created cannot be called the "KGF Moment" for the Odia industry.

Substantiating his statement, Vyshak says, "Not to sound negative, but Bou Buttu Bhuta cannot do what KGF and Kantara did in the rest of India. The film's story or characters are not groundbreaking, so to speak. They are good, but not awe-inspiring. It may remind you of several South Indian films or Tamil films made a decade or two ago. Full credit to the film's makers for the good marketing. But I don't want to overstate it as a 'KGF Moment' of the Odia industry. The promotion technique in Odisha is still predominantly print advertisements and posters. The makers utilised platforms such as Instagram and YouTube to the fullest, and that has helped in bringing large crowds to theatres." In an optimistic and sportive manner, Vyshak says that National award-winning filmmaker Anupam Mohanty's Mantra Muugdha has the potential to surpass the collection of Bou Buttu Bhuta.

Proving his pragmatism yet again, Vyshak says that problems faced by the Odia film industry are multi-pronged and there is no silver-bullet solution to it. "What I see as the primary bottleneck in the industry is a lack of originality. Most films made in Odisha are either remakes or rip-offs of popular films from other industries, such as the South. In most cases, they don't reflect the culture of Odisha and cause a disconnect. In others, they are not engaging and entertaining," says Vyshak, adding that the consumption of other language films has increased among Odia audiences, and it has its pros and cons. "The bad thing about this is people are no longer bowled over by Odia films. They prefer watching more quality films made on a high budget from other industries, especially Telugu. As their consumption of Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam films increases, they can easily spot the films that some Odia movies get inspired from. One good thing is that it forces creators in Ollywood to get creative with their content."

The primary grouse with films with most of the popular mainstream industries is the excessive budgets, with most of them covering the salary of the actors, especially the leads. With the production costs getting a hit, it leads to compromises in the making. Vyshak, however, points out that it is the opposite in Odisha, but it doesn't help the industry anyway. "The production cost is higher than the actors' salaries. However, it doesn't help with the quality of the film made. A RED camera can be rented in Bengaluru for Rs 8,000; the rent in Bhubaneswar is double that. Expenses like this eat a major chunk of the production cost, neither helping the artists nor the quality of the film. It is discouraging to be an actor under such a system."

Having worked in various regional industries such as Kannada, Marathi, and Odia, Vyshak believes that upping the marketing game can bridge the attention gap between regional films and Hindi films. "We often talk about KGF and Kantara, especially as we prepare for the second Kantara film. But does this mean we are acknowledging only these films or the Kannada industry as a whole? I admired Sandeep Sunkad's Shakaahaari more, with regard to content. However, was that film lapped up by all of India? No, but it should have been. This illustrates how an effective marketing strategy can significantly impact a film's success."

Vyshak points to the relative lack of conduciveness for constructive criticism as a worrisome commonality in both Odia and Kannada industries. While Kannada is improving its presence in OTT platforms, Odia is far behind. "Another problem with the Odia industry is that people in it are taking umbrage at criticism. Not being open to criticism and stonewalling suggestions has stagnated the industry's progress. The popular streamers will discuss with filmmakers, air their requirements and provide suggestions. This process cannot happen unless the industry is open to constructive criticism.  Also, you can't approach the streamers with one or two films; you need a dashboard. Platforms will also agree to a deal if you approach them with multiple films, say, 10-20 films. The industry is also plagued with a lack of unity, one doesn't want the other to prosper. Many issues are holding the industry back. If we reflect on these problems and work to resolve them, the Odia industry will not only have its 'moment' but will also thrive in the years ahead."

He feels that Mantra Muugdha will be a step in the right direction towards such a healthy development. "The film, unlike several Odia films, does not rely on star power. The film introduces many fresh actors. If a film's star cast has lesser-known actors, it means we rely on a strong story. We are planning the film's release later this year; I hope the National Award-winning filmmaker will pull this off," he signs off.