The Odia film Bou Buttu Bhuta emerged as a major winner at the inaugural Indian National Cine Academy Awards, sweeping the top honours in the Odia category and marking a proud moment for the regional film industry. The film secured the Best Film award, while its lead star Babushaan Mohanty won Best Actor for his powerful performance, and co-star Archita Sahu was honoured with Best Actress.

Babushaan Mohanty received widespread appreciation for his compelling portrayal of a possessed son in the horror comedy thriller, a role that showcased his versatility and depth as an actor. During his acceptance speech, he expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of Odisha, acknowledging their constant support and encouragement in helping him evolve as an artiste. He also thanked the many individuals who contributed to his journey and growth in the film industry.

Adding an emotional touch to the evening, Trupti Satapathy, wife of Babushaan Mohanty and debutant producer of the film under Babushaan Films, celebrated her first major recognition as the film clinched Best Film. She shared her inspiring journey from being a mathematics teacher to producing one of Ollywood’s biggest commercial successes, making the win even more special.

Archita Sahu, who recently embraced motherhood, expressed pride in representing the Odia film industry on such a prestigious platform. Delivering her speech in both Hindi and Odia, she highlighted the growing recognition of regional cinema at national forums and the importance of such platforms in celebrating diverse storytelling.

Directed by Jagdish Mishra, the film features story and screenplay by Mohammad Imran and dialogues by Pranab Prasanna Rath. Alongside Babushaan and Archita, the film also stars Aparajita Mohanty and other notable actors. Released on June 12, 2025, the film became a blockbuster, grossing over Rs 17 crore and securing a place among the top 10 Indian films of the year. It also set a new milestone by becoming one of the first Odia films to cross the Rs 10 crore mark at the box office.

The film’s success extended beyond regional boundaries when Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions acquired its remake rights for Hindi as well as other Indian and international languages, highlighting its strong pan India appeal and storytelling potential.

In the same category, acclaimed filmmakers Sabyasachi Mohapatra and Kumar C Dev Mohapatra won the Best Director award for their film Ananta, adding further recognition to Odia cinema at the awards.

The star studded INCA Awards ceremony was held on April 15 and 16, 2026, in Mumbai, celebrating excellence across 12 Indian film industries including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Marathi, Punjabi, Assamese, Gujarati, and Odia. Hosted by Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar and Telugu star Rana Daggubati, the event was organised under the aegis of the Producers Guild of India, with Kalyan Jewellers as the sponsor.

The INCA Awards aim to foster unity across India’s diverse film industries and recognise outstanding cinematic achievements through a peer driven and audited voting process. The remarkable success of Bou Buttu Bhuta at the awards not only underscores the growing strength of Odia cinema but also signals its rising influence on the national and global stage.