Bhubaneswar, Feb. 28 -- Odia film superstar Uttam Mohanty, who passed away late last night while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Gurgaon, had an interesting journey to his first break in the Odia film industry, popularly known as Ollywood. His debut film, Abhimaan, directed by Sadhu Meher, marked the beginning of his illustrious career in cinema.

Born in Baripada, Uttam Mohanty was pursuing Chartered Accountancy in Ludhiana in 1976 when director Sadhu Meher was preparing for Abhimaan. Many people from Baripada were associated with the film, as the town was emerging as a key centre for Odia cinema. The story of Abhimaan was written by Anand Shankar Das, who hailed from Baripada and was already familiar with Uttam Mohanty. Da...