High drama at UCCC press meet

Bhubaneswar, July 29: High drama unfolded at the Utkal Cine Chamber of Commerce (UCCC) press meet when two factions of producers of the Odia film industry came face to face here on Friday.

According to sources, producers and members of UCCC had called for a press meeting over several allegations against producer Sanjay Nayak and others.

A section of the producers comprising Rabindra Nath Panda, Gangadhar Reddy, SL Jena, Sanjay Nayak and Jyotiranjan Mohanty had earlier levelled allegations against another faction. A case in this regard was filed in Purighat police station at Cuttack and the matter is also being heard by Orissa High Court.

The second faction of producers comprising Jugal Debata, Ranjit Rout, Sachikanta Jena, Samaresh Routray, Ajay Routray, Sridhar Martha and Pranaya Jethi organised a press conference on the day where they informed media persons about the ‘false allegations’ levelled against them.

As soon the press meeting started, producer Sanjay Nayak along with his supporters opposed it, leading to a chaotic situation. The situation came to such a pass that the police had to intervene. A team from the Saheed Nagar Police Station reached the hotel and managed to control the situation.

“They had organised the press meet under the banner of the Utkal Cine Chamber of Commerce (UCCC). As I am a member of the UCCC, I came and found that the meeting was being organised by the Odisha Producers’ Association which is an illegal body,” said Nayak adding that the allegations levelled against him were false.

“They (Sanjay Nayak) were not invited to the press meet. They came and created a ruckus. They have been served show-cause notices after they levelled several allegations against us. In turn, they have registered a police case. When they have registered a case, they didn’t have to come to the press meet,” observed Sridhara Martha, a producer. Film producer and actress Anu Choudhary said, “What happened during the press meet is not good. They shouldn’t have created such a ruckus. Instead, they should have talked to us.”