EntertainmentPosted at: May 14 2026 3:04AM


Odia story shines globally as ‘Shunya’ wins UK film festival award

Bhubaneswar, May 13 (UNI) ‘Shunya: Being Prafulla Mohanti’, a documentary on noted Odia artist and writer Prafulla Mohanti, has won the Tongues on Fire Flame Award for Best LGBTQIA Film at the UK Asian Film Festival.
Directed by India-born filmmaker Soumya Jyoti Pratihari, the documentary recently had its world premiere at Riverside Studios in London on May 6.
The film traces the life and journey of the 91-year-old artist, architect and cultural thinker, whose work has explored themes of identity, migration, spirituality and human connection over several decades.
Pratihari, an alumnus of Goldsmiths, University of London, said he spent nearly five years working closely with Mohanti, lending the documentary an intimate and personal narrative.
“I have been visiting the UK Asian Film Festival for the last few years as an audience member. The film is hand-stitched over seven years and it feels privileged and honoured to have bagged the award,” the director said.
Producer Prodeepta Das said the recognition marked the culmination of a long journey for the team.
The documentary explores Mohanti’s journey from a village in Odisha to Mumbai’s JJ School of Art and later to England, where he worked as an architect and town planner before dedicating himself fully to painting and literature.
The film also highlights the racism and isolation Mohanti faced after moving to Britain, including a violent racist attack in London that became a turning point in his life and artistic career.
Using archival footage, interviews and personal reflections, the documentary presents a portrait of an artist who continued creating despite ageing, illness and personal loss.
The award at the UK Asian Film Festival is being seen as a significant recognition for regional Indian storytelling on the global stage. UNI
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