Bhubaneswar, Nov 23: Odia Film “Maliput Melodies”,an anthology of stories from Rural Koraput in Odisha, was screen in 56 IFFI on Saturday.

The Odia feature “Maliput Melodies”, directed by Vishal Patnaik and produced by Kaushik Das, was hailed by the critics, for reflecting rural life in Koraput and its social reality.

Speaking at the press conference, Patnaik—who hails from Koraput district—said the film is a tribute to the stories, culture and people of rural Odisha.

“We wanted to tell our stories,” he said, recounting how the idea evolved into an anthology based on narratives from Koraput.

Except for Patnaik himself and music director Tosh Nanda, most crew members are newcomers to the industry. The film’s production spanned over two and a half years, during which untrained local actors were coached for their roles.

Producer Kaushik Das stated that the film, which was shot in remote villages with limited modern amenities, highlights local culture, food, landscapes and colloquial language, presenting rural life with warmth and humour. About 20% of the cast comes from theatre backgrounds, while all other actors are local villagers, he informed.