|
|
|
| Free E-magazine |
| Subscribe to our Free E-Magazine on Films. |
| Learn More |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Home > Regional Films > Oriya Films > Bijaya Jena
| |
| | Bijaya Jena
| |
| |
Bijaya Jena also popularly known as Dolly Jena, is an Indian actor, director, producer. Born in Cuttack, Orissa, she was the youngest of 3 children, born into a family of academicians and aristocrats. Her mother came from a feudal Zamindar (aristocrats) background and her father, the late B.C.Jena was a spiritually inclined person and a Civil Engineer by profession and after his retirement learned Homeopathy and became a practising Homoeopath. Bijaya, since her earlier days harboured a dream of entering the field of Nuclear Physics. But fate, it seems, had a diametrically opposite plan for her. Her highly orthodox and traditional family was shocked when Bijaya, in her teens, expressed her intention to join a course in Acting. In those days in a place like Orissa, the Film Industry was regarded with disdain and looked down upon. And for a young teenager, especially a girl, from an aristocratic, academically inclined family, to enter this field was unthinkable and scandalous. But inspite of stiff opposition, Bijaya was firm in her decision and she enrolled in the Film Institute of India for a Diploma Course in Film Acting.
 Bijaya became a celebrated actress in the Oriya Film Industry and soon won the State Award for Best Actress for her performance in Jaga Balia.She went on to work in a number of Hindi and Oriya Feature Films, Television Serials and Plays, of which Hakim Babu (Oriya Film) received the National award for the Best Oriya Film. She has also acted in Ismail Merchant`s British Film, The Deceivers, directed by Nicholas Meyer. Bijaya Jena was also on the Governing Council of the Film & TV Institute of India from 1992-95 and on the National Feature Film Awards Jury in 1993.
Bijaya had entered the Indian Film Industry in the eighties when Industry was going through a transition and the New Wave Cinema or Serious Cinema (or Art Cinema) which had flourished through the 50s and 60s (under the protection of Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal) was floundering and dying in the eighties. So she decided to embark upon making her own films. In 1992 Bijaya made her directorial debut with the Oriya feature film Tara.
Bijaya Jena co-scripted, directed and produced Tara. It was based on a short story by Bimal Dutt (also the main script-writer of the film), a highly respected and prolific writer of the country. It was her directorial debut and she played the title role in the film.The film had received the National Award for the Best Oriya Film 1992 , which singled out Bijaya Jena`s name as one of the promising future directors of the country and Bijaya also received critical acclaim for her performance in the title character. The film had competed in the Festival International du Cinema Au Feminin, Marseilles 1992 and participated in the Cairo International Film Festival 1992.
Abhaas was Bijaya`s second feature film (in the Hindi language), which she scripted, directed and produced and played an important role in it. It had the honour of having the Hungarian maestro, Mr. Istvΰn Gaαl as the Script Advisor. The film participated in the Festival International du Film de la Rochelle, France, 1997, Penang Film Festival, Malaysia (Competition Section), 1997. Cairo International Film Festival (Competition Section), 1997. Was also invited to the Montreal World Film Festival in Cinema of the World Category, 1997 and the International Film Festival in Sochi, Russia.
In 1997, Bijaya Jena gave birth to a girl, Lopamudra and took a break from film-making to raise her child. In this period she developed a few scripts. Danapani ( The Survivor) is her first script based on an award winning Oriya novella. It was approved by the National Film Development Corporation but is stuck in the pre-production stage due to lack of funds.
Goan Sonata is another script based on a tale of unrequited love between a British writer and a Goan woman. The project is under pre-production with internationally well known actors and excellent technical crew members from Europe. The language of the film is English.
| |
| |
|
