Anupam Patnaik’s film ‘Pratikshya’ has secured the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Odia at the 69th National Film Awards. The movie delves into the complexities of a father-son relationship and draws inspiration from a story by acclaimed author Gaurahari Das, along with real-life incidents. Anupam Patnaik, the director and son of renowned Odia filmmaker Amiya Patnaik, captured the narrative at genuine Bhubaneswar locations under the Amiya Patnaik Productions banner. The cast includes Dipanwit Dashmohapatra, Choudhury Jayprakash Das, Barsha Patnaik, Sreela Tripathy, Roopambika Nayak, Susil Mishra, Abakash Mishra, and Sidhant Mohapatra in a special appearance.

Released on December 2, the film garnered significant attention with robust advance ticket bookings and packed screenings on its opening day. Additionally, ‘Pratikshya’ was recognized with the Best Story Award at the 11th Annual DC South Asian Film Festival in Washington DC in November 2022. Anupam Kher also unveiled plans for a Hindi remake during the 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)-2022 in Goa.

Recently, the film was screened for around 75 Odias and a group of Irish guests with English subtitles at the Scientology Community Centre in Dublin. The storyline revolves around Sanjay, a youth from a middle-class family, as he seeks a government job to address family debts and his father Bipin’s deteriorating health. The narrative explores the government’s compassionate appointment scheme, wherein a family member can inherit a deceased government employee’s position, leading Sanjay to wait for his father’s passing.