On Friday, the first ever Odia documentary, ‘The Mountain Hockey,’ was released on renowned OTT platform Disney + Hotstar, which is an awesome news for hockey fans across Odisha.
The film is focused on the struggle and victory of Rajendra Kujur, a dedicated hockey coach who faces many challenges while teaching the game to underprivileged tribal girls in the distant hamlet of Amalikhaman in Sundargarh district. This community served as the setting for the whole documentary.
This wonderful documentary is produced by Raj Kishore Hota and being presented by Manish Bhusan Mishra & ULB Films. The documentary’s co-directors, Debashis Mohapatra, Abinash Pradhan & Brajraz Behera said the idea for the film came to them during the successful hosting of the Hockey World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar. However, the trio then learned about coach Kujur and his wards’ heart-breaking and inspiring narrative, which they wanted to depict in their documentary.
It is a wonderful moment for all Odias that a documentary in Odia has been released on an international platform for the first time. “I encourage everyone in the state to see the film and support it,” Mohapatra remarked.
Sundargarh is regarded as India’s hockey cradle. ‘The Mountain Hockey’ highlights Kujur’s tenacity and persistence in training tribal girls in a distant community despite all disadvantages, including a shortage of sports equipment and a financial crisis.
“Our athletes are extremely passionate about hockey and are constantly working to improve their skills. They all want to play on large platforms. We are hoping that their aspirations will come true following the documentary’s publication “On the occasion of the documentary’s release, an emotional Kujur said while expressing his feelings.
Written By: Swati Sahoo
