Bhubaneswar: Ollywood superstar Anubhav Mohanty is a guilt ridden man. His stardom and political position had failed him.

Abhay is a chapter in the official biography book on the popular Odia film star who is doubling as a politician. Chronicled jointly by Jagruti Sukla and Late Ashtitwa, and translated to Odia by Manas Padhiari, the book -Blockbuster to Ballot Box: Anubhav Mohanty- dwells on the actor’s emotion relationship with his father Abhaya Mohanty in the chapter.

After joining politics, Anubhav become a Rajya Sabha member from BJD party. But hell fell loose on him when got elected to became BJD Lok Sabha MP defeating a powerful politician having a television media house in the family. There were media attacks on his political and filmy career, and his family members.

But what hurt him the most was the attack on his father.

Abhaya Mohanty, now no more, was a college teacher. He was fighting a case challenging the State higher education department order withdrawing his pension benefit as a reader long after his retirement. According to government order, he had got the promotion to the rank of Reader by producing a false Refresher Course certificate.

That was in June 2021. Media flared up the issue for Abhaya was the father of Anubhav Mohanty.

” Abhya who remained unblemished through out his entire career as a teacher suddenly found muck on his image, ” writes the bipgrapher. In no time media trial made his name black listed.

“People started saying Anubhav Mohanty’s father is a black spot in the name of teacher.”

This had hurt the superstar. ” I saw him crying asking himself what was his fault – joining politics and winning elections? I felt that night that Anubhav was praying for his death in folded hands. “

Jagruti writes, ” Anubhav’s sole source of inspiration was his father and opponents were trying to weaken him. ” She further writes, “His father’s health detoriarated and then passed away on February 15, 2024.”

“Even though he lost his most powerful support, he determined not to give in and resolved to fight to restore his father’s lost dignity.”

Anubhav’s father had got an order from the High Court directing the State Higher Education department to reconsider its decision. But the department stood by its decision.

There was a scope for the all powerful Ollywood superstar and the then ruling BJD MP to get a favourable decision from the government. But for reasons best known to him, his stardom and his political position failed to restore his father’s imge.

The higher education department and for that matter the Directorate of Higher Education are not paradise of virtue. But, dedpite the political position and superstar tag, Anubhav failed to pulled the string and charm the mandarins.

Anubhav’s father had challenged the government decision in the Supreme Court. But after his demise the case would be abated.

Anubhav lives with a sense of guilt that he could not do anything for his father.

Perhaps for this reason he left the BJD and joined the BJP just before the 2024 General Elections. Not only that he returned to Ollywood with the super duper hit Karma.

Will Karma restore the lost dignity of his father?

Or, Anubhav have to live guilt afflicted through out his life.