Koraput art teacher who loves making short films

Koraput: By profession he is a teacher, but he is known better for his numerous short films, which have fetched him a number of awards. Meet Vishal Patnaik, 27, of Jeypore, a fine arts teacher in the government-run Adarsh Vidyalaya at Boipariguda, who has directed as many as 10 short films.
Patnaik’s films are known for their socially relevant content and use of local artists and locally available technology. His hard work has fetched him a number of state tele awards.
One of his shorts, ‘Chandalo’, won awards for best film and best actor at the 5th state tele awards in 2017. Another, ‘Pension’, depicting the struggle of the parents of a martyr in getting the pension due to them, received awards for best film, best story and best actor at the 7th state tele awards in 2019.
“In 2013, I made a short film titled ‘On a Sunday Evening’ just for fun. It was well received by viewers and it inspired me to make a second film,” said Patnaik.
Completely unaware of the nuances of film making, he surfed the internet to learn more. In a couple of years, Patnaik was successful in establishing himself as a well-known producer and director in the region.
At present, he is working on a short film titled ‘Maha Natak’, which depicts the slow death of theatre in the country. It will be released on World Theatre Day on March 27. “The aim of the film is to show how we are losing our identity under the influence of western culture,” said Patnaik.
Though producing and directing short films is not commercially profitable, the young filmmaker keeps at it simply to make a difference, and create awareness on social issues. “Depending on the needs of the script, I spend between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1.50 lakh on making each film. I have never thought much of the returns,” he Award-added.