Himansu Sekhar Khatua is a National Award winning Filmmaker, distinguished academician, visionary leader, and an accomplished film director hailing from Odisha, India. With a career spanning over decades, he has made significant contributions to the fields of education, media, and film-making. As a Director and academician, Mr. Khatua is known for his innovative approach to institutional development and his commitment to nurturing young talents.
His leadership roles as regular Director in reputed institutions like Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI) and Director General KIIT University have been marked by a focus on academic excellence, industry-relevant curricula, and fostering creativity among students. Mr. Khatua's expertise extends to the realms of media production and education, where he has combined his passion for storytelling with his academic pursuits.
A recipient of multiple accolades for his work, Mr. Khatua has also been instrumental in promoting Odisha's rich cultural heritage through his artistic and educational endeavours. His multifaceted career stands as an inspiration for those aspiring to excel in academics, leadership, creative arts and film-making.
He was instrumental in establishing three schools in KIIT University. To cherish the vision of Dr Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT and KISS, Mr Himanshu Khatua took the responsibility for establishment of School of Film and Media Sciences, School of Fashion Technology (KSOFT) and School of Mass Communication (SMC). He was holding the position of Director General when he left Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology in order to join as the Director of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute.
At present, Mr. Khatua occupies the positions of Managing Director of Kalinga Media and Entertainment Private Limited (KMEPL) and the CMD of a reputed satellite channel Kalinga TV and a standalone DIgital platform Knews Odisha.
As an eminent Indian film director, he received the National Film Awards for the movies Shunya Swaroop (Contours of the Void) and Kathantara in 1996 and 2005 respectively.[1]. Besides, he has also directed two other popular feature films named Matira Bandhana (The inheritance) and KRANTIDHARA (Coup de grace) and a few popular documentaries such as Akhandalamani, Kahe Ballava, Odisha Re Gandhiji and the recently directed Sea and Seven Villages. Among other works, he directed a couple of Short Fiction Films namely Abhisapta Jarayu (The cursed womb)and KAHANI NUHEIN and few Teleseries such as BHAGNANSHA (The Disintegration) and Prayaschita (The peance), story written by Fakir Mohan Senapati.
Early life and education
Khatua was born in 1965 in Khatuapatna, a remote village in Bhadrak, Odisha. He is the eldest among all siblings of Rabindra Khatua and Smt. Kunjalata Khatua. After his primary education in his native village, he shifted to several places in the state to complete his high school. In fact, his maternal grandfather was his first teacher who taught him languages like Odia, English and Sanskrit during his formative years. It was while pursuing a career in science with Physics major, he qualified to join country's film institute FTII Pune. He has done Diploma in Cinema from Film and Television Institute of India.[2]
Career
Director of SRFTI, Kolkata
Mr. Himansu Sekhar Khatua served as the Director of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, one of India’s premier film and television institutes of the country. His tenure at SRFTI is marked by significant contributions to advancing the institute’s reputation as a global centre for cinematic and television excellence. Drawing from his extensive experience in filmmaking and academia, Mr. Khatua implemented strategic reforms and fostered a culture of creativity, collaboration, and innovation at SRFTI.
During his tenure at SRFTI, for the first time he brought all film institutes across the country under one roof to revise and reshape the uniformity in pedagogy and curriculum of film education in India for Under Graduate Programs and Research. His advice for offering a new position in academics to the professionals, those who are working in the Industries was appreciated by all. These positions offered to the professionals from the various Institutions are professors of practice in film making. He was also the man to introduce the idea of practice based PhD. in film making.
Sr Faculty at BPFTIO
Mr. Himansu Sekhar Khatua began his distinguished career as a faculty member at the Biju Pattanaik Film and Television Institute of Odisha (BPFTIO), a premier government institution dedicated to film and television education in Odisha. His tenure at BPFTIO laid the foundation for his later success as an academician, filmmaker, and institutional leader.
At BPFTIO, Mr. Khatua combined his technical expertise and creative vision to inspire and train a generation of students, made significant changes in academics and played a pivotal role in setting up renovated infrastructure, studios and auditorium. As a popular teacher he produced many students who these days work in various film and Television sectors across the country. He has also inspired and mentored many students in film making and under his guidance GRAMSAT pilot project were introduced in BPFTIO campus.
Chairman and CMD at Kalinga TV
At present, Mr. Himansu Sekhar Khatua serves as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Kalinga TV, a leading regional news channel from Odisha. Mr. Khatua has been instrumental in steering Kalinga TV towards becoming one of the most trusted news sources in Odisha. His strategic vision focuses on credible reporting, ethical journalism, and a balanced approach to news coverage.
Director General at KIIT
Besides, Mr. Himansu Sekhar Khatua also holds the Director General position of three Schools in Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. In this capacity, he has significantly contributed to the academic and creative growth of the institution, leveraging his vast experience in filmmaking, media, and leadership. To cherish the vision of Dr Achyuta Samanta, founder KIIT and KISS, Mr Khatua took the responsibility for establishment of three schools in KIIT i.e. School of Film, School of Fashion and school of Mass Communication.
Filmography
In 1990s, Khatua moved to Mumbai to work as a professional audiographer, but only after a year, he decided to come back to his homeland Odisha and pursue his career here. Independently, he did sound designing for Indradhanura Chhai (Shadows of the rainbow ).
Later, Khatua moved into film direction independently with his debut film Shunya Swaroopa (Contours of the void)[3] which took him to international film festivals including International Film Festival Rotterdam (Netherlands), Kinotavr (Sochi International Film Festival, Russia), Gothenburg Film Festival (Sweden), and Cinema Jove International Film Festival, Valencia (Spain). The Film also got National Award as the Best Regional Film in Oriya, and many state awards.[4]
His second feature film Kathantara(Another Story) based on the aftermath of 1999 Odisha cyclone,[5] a landmark in Odia Cinema, dealt with the lives and predicaments of cyclone survivors mostly the women.
His third film feature MATIRA BANDHAN (The Inheritance)[6] was based on a short story The Trunk of Ganesha by eminent writer Padmashree Jayanta Mahapatra. This couldn't receive certificate from CBFC because of reasons other than artistic credibility. However, the film was screened at the Mumbai Film Festival organized by Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) and Bangaluru International Film Festival.
The fourth feature film Krantidhara (Coup de grace)[7] based on the story Jhada Parara Surjya by Dr Itirani Samanta, got Asian Excellence Awards, South Korea as the best feature film.[8] It also got Best Feature Film Award along with several other state film awards.
As a marked achievement, his recently directed film The Sea and Seven Villages [9] has found a place in the 20 Non-Feature films that have been selected to be screened in the Indian Panorama section at 54th International Film Festival of India IFFI from a broad spectrum of 239 contemporary Indian non-feature films. The documentary produced by Iti Rani Samanta showcases the impact of climate change and its impact on the Satabhaya village cluster.
Now Khatua is working on the Biopic of Dutee Chand the sprinter.[10]
Television
'Prayaschit' (Penance)
'Abhisapta Jarayu' (Cursed Womb by Akhil Mohan Pattnaik)
'Bhagnansha'
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