KrystleZiemba7 at 11:04, 24 April 2026

2026-04-24T11:04:09Z

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{{Short description|Indian actress}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bijaya Jena
| image = Indian actress Bijaya Jena.jpg
| caption = Bijaya Jena (Dolly Jena)
| birth_date = 16 August
| birth_place = [[Cuttack]], [[Odisha, India]]
| occupation = [[Film director|Director]], [[Film producer|producer]]
| imagesize = 200px
| spouse =
}}

'''Bijaya Jena''' (born 16 August), also known as '''Dolly Jena''' or '''Bijoya Jena''', is an Indian actor, film director and producer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bijaya Jena: Movies, Photos, Videos, News, Biography & Birthday|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bijaya-Jena|access-date=2021-02-05|website=timesofindia.indiatimes.com}}</ref> She won the Indian National Film Award (Best director) for the Odia language film ''Tara.''

Jena played Laila in ''[[Raziya Sultan (film)|Razia Sultan]]'' and then later proceeded to act in some Odia films. After acting in several films, she went on to direct and write several scripts of her own. She served on the Governing Council of [[Film and Television Institute of India|FTII]] from 1992 to 1995.

==Early life==
Jena was born in [[Cuttack]], [[Odisha]]. She is the youngest of three children. Her father late B. C. Jena was a [[Civil Engineer]]. In her early teens, Jena enrolled in the [[Film and Television Institute of India]] and received her Diploma of Film Acting.

Jena participated in an International Transpersonal Association Conference (a science and religion conference). She later attended a course in [[Erhard Seminars Training]].

==Acting career==
Jena performed in Hindi and Odia films, television serials like Ek Kahani, [[Vikram Aur Betaal|Vikram Betaal]], [[Param Vir Chakra (TV series)|Param Veer Chakra]] and TV plays like Gogol's Inspector General, Mahesh Elkunchwar's Aks Aur Aina. She received the State Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Odia film ''Jaga Balia''. Hindi films include [[Khwaja Ahmad Abbas|K. A. Abbas]]'s ''[[The Naxalites]]'', [[Kamal Amrohi]]'s [[Raziya Sultan (film)|''Razia Sultan'']], [[Ketan Mehta]]'s ''[[Holi (1984 film)|Holi]]''. She appeared in ''[[Hakim Babu]]'' which received a National Award for Best Odia Film. Jena also appeared in [[Ismail Merchant]]'s British film, ''[[The Deceivers (film)|The Deceivers]]'', directed by [[Nicholas Meyer]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merchantivory.com/film/thedeceivers|title=Merchant Ivory Productions|website=www.merchantivory.com|access-date=2016-12-20}}</ref>

==Writing, directing and production career==
In 1992, Jena made her directoral debut with the Odia language film, ''Tara''. She co{{ndash}}wrote the script and produced the film and also played the title role.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/an-actor-and-a-director/article2273164.ece "An Actor and a Director"] ''[[The Hindu]]''</ref> ''Tara'' was based on a short story by [[Bimal Dutt]], who was the main scriptwriter. ''Tara'' was completed with a budget of approximately US$20,000, which Jena borrowed from family members and national and state government agencies. The film received the 1992 National Award for Best Odia Film. The president of the jury, [[Adoor Gopalakrishnan]], described Jena as a promising director. ''Tara'' screened at the 1992 Festival International du Cinema Au Feminin in [[Marseille]], France, and at the 1992 Cairo International Film Festival.

Jena's second film, ''Abhaas'' (1997) is in the [[Hindi]] language. Jena acted, scripted, directed, and produced the film. The film's budget was approximately US$60,000. The film's script advisor was [[István Gaál]]. ''Abhaas'' was screened at the 1997 Festival International du Film de la Rochelle, France; the 1997 Penang Film Festival, Malaysia and the 1997 Cairo International Film Festival. In 2013, ''Abhaas'' was telecast on [[BBC]] Channel 4, BBC as part of the "100 Years of Indian Cinema" celebration. It was also shown by the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation in October 2014.

In 2016, Jena plans to make a film ''Danapani'' ("The Survivor"). Jena wrote the script adapted from the Odia novel by late Gopinath Mohanty. The script was approved by the India National Film Development Corporation.<ref>[http://www.bollywoodtrade.com/trade-news/national-award-winner-bijaya-jena-launches-her-indo-french-co-production-dana-pani-the-survivor-at-cannes-2016/index.htm Indo French co production] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729215231/http://www.bollywoodtrade.com/trade-news/national-award-winner-bijaya-jena-launches-her-indo-french-co-production-dana-pani-the-survivor-at-cannes-2016/index.htm |date=29 July 2017 }} Bollywood Trade website 2016.</ref>

In 2022, following her stint as part of the international jury panel at [[Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival]], Jena began working on her first English language short film, Winter Interlude with an international crew including the likes of Estonian actor, [[Ott Aardam]] and composer [[Gene Pritsker]].

==Acting credits==
[[File:Bijaya Jena001.jpg|thumb|180px|Bijaya Jena in 2005]]
* ''Abhaas'' (Prologue) (1997) (Hindi film)
* ''Tara'' (1992) (Odia film)
* ''[[Gunehgar Kaun]]'' (1991) (Hindi film)
* ''[[The Deceivers (film)|The Deceivers]]'' (1988) (English film)
* ''Jantar Mantar'' (1988) (TV Episodes)
* ''[[Param Vir Chakra (TV series)|Param Veer Chakra]]'' (1988) (TV Episode: Albert Eka)
* ''[[Vikram Aur Betaal]]'' (1987) (TV Episode no. 10)
* Ek Kahani (1987) (TV episode: Odia story)
* ''Uparaant'' (1987) (Hindi film)
* ''Amma'' (1986) (Hindi film)
* ''[[Hakim Babu]]'' (1985) (Odia film)
* ''[[Holi (1984 film)]]'' (Hindi film)
* ''Heera Neela'' (1984) (Odia film)
* ''Jaga Balia'' (1984) (Odia film)
* ''Ashara Akash'' (1983) (Odia film)
* ''[[Raziya Sultan (film)|Razia Sultan]]'' (1983) (Hindi film)
* ''[[The Naxalites]]'' (1981) (Hindi film)

==Awards==
*[[Odisha State Film Awards]] (Best Actress) for ''Jaga Balia,'' 1984<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-11-29|title=This Odisha-born actress creates social media buzz with her pics! {{!}} Sambad English|url=https://sambadenglish.com/this-odisha-born-actress-creates-a-buzz-on-social-media-heres-why/|access-date=2021-02-05}}</ref>
* Nominated for Best Actress for "Tara" in Women's Film Festival (Marseille, France, 1992)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bijaya Jena Awards: List of awards and nominations received by Bijaya Jena {{!}} Times of India Entertainment|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bijaya-Jena/awards|access-date=2021-02-05|website=timesofindia.indiatimes.com}}</ref>
* [[39th National Film Awards]] 1992 (Best Regional Film in Odia) for ''Tara''
* Nominated for Golden Pyramid for Hindi film "Abhaas" in [[Cairo International Film Festival]], 1997 (Egypt)
* Lifetime Dedication Award by the 3rd Real Vision Odisha Film Fair Awards (2012)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2012/Nov/30/recognition-much-deserved-429572.html|title=Recognition, much deserved|first=Diana|last=Sahu|date=5 November 2012|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

==Jury member==
*Member of the jury at the [[40th National Film Awards]] (feature film category), India, 1993
*Member of the jury at [[Fajr International Film Festival]], Iran, 2007<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oneindia.com/2007/01/29/indian-films-line-up-for-fajr-film-festival-1170068919.html|title=Indian films line-up for Fajr Film Festival - Oneindia News}}</ref>
*Member of the jury at the 1st Kish International Film Festival, Iran, 2011<ref>{{Cite web | title=“My passion is to orient people to artistic cinema. I get to do this by being on the jury and evaluating films.” - One India One People Foundation | url=https://oneindiaonepeople.com/face-to-face-with-bijaya-jena/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212115607/http://oneindiaonepeople.com/face-to-face-with-bijaya-jena/ | access-date=2025-12-29 | archive-date=12 February 2020 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/640959/strongest-bond-religion-or-language|title=Strongest bond: religion or language?|first=Asif|last=Noorani|date=2 July 2011|website=DAWN.COM}}</ref>
*Member of the jury at [[Roshd International Film Festival]], Iran, 2012<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/film-festival-iran_b_2091213|title=International Roshd Film Festival|date=13 November 2012}}</ref>
*Member of the jury at [[Golden Apricot International Film Festival]], Armenia, 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://armenpress.am/eng/news/812647/the-members-of-jury-of-12th-golden-apricot-yerevan-international-film-festival-are-fascinated-by-armenian.html |title=The members of Jury of 12th Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival are fascinated by Armenian hospitality | ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency |website=Armenpress.am |date= 19 July 2015|accessdate=2016-07-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.theclassifiedsplus.com/video/video/kTN3Adeku88/bijaya-jena-master-class-at-tumo.html |title=Bijaya Jena master-class at Tumo - CP - Fun & Music Videos |website=Theclassifiedsplus.com |date= |accessdate=2016-07-18 |archive-date=16 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816125320/http://www.theclassifiedsplus.com/video/video/kTN3Adeku88/bijaya-jena-master-class-at-tumo.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*Member of the jury at [[All Lights India International Film Festival]], Kerala, India, 2015<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aliiff.com/aliiff-jury-panel.php|title=Film Festival India | Film Competitions India | Short Film Festivals | ALIIFF|website=aliiff.com}}</ref>
*Member of the jury in the Indian Panorama's feature film section, [[International Film Festival of India]], India, 2015<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.dff.nic.in/writereaddata/IP_2015_PressRelease_Selections.pdf | title=Indian Panorama selection of Feature & Non-Feature Films for 46th International Film Festival of India, 2015 | access-date=2 November 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928082823/http://dff.nic.in/writereaddata/IP_2015_PressRelease_Selections.pdf | archive-date=28 September 2016 | url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Chairperson of the jury at Goa State Film Festival Awards, Goa, India, 2016<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Nachom-ia-Kumpasar-sweeps-state-film-awards/articleshow/53589156.cms|title = 'Nachom-ia Kumpasar' sweeps state film awards | Goa News - Times of India| website=[[The Times of India]] | date=8 August 2016 }}</ref>
*Member of the jury in the Indian competition section, [[Bengaluru International Film Festival]], Karnataka, India, 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://filmfestivals34.rssing.com/chan-16494025/all_p35.html|title=Filmfestivals.com - FESTIVALS, Fest. circuit, Red carpet, Ambiance, Travel & acc., Call for entry|website=filmfestivals34.rssing.com}}</ref>
*Jury Chairperson of the Heritage Short Films section, [[Guwahati International Film Festival]], Assam, 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/film-director-urges-centre-to-encourage-short-filmmakers-884992-2017-03-03|title=Film director urges centre to encourage short filmmakers|date=3 March 2017|website=India Today}}</ref>
*Member of the selection committee for the Indian [[Academy Awards|Oscar entry]], India, 2017<ref>{{cite web |first=Sanjaya |last=Baru |date=28 September 2017 |url=https://www.mydigitalfc.com/amp/fc-supplements/elan/who-decides-india%E2%80%99s-offical-oscar-entry |title=Who decides India's official Oscar entry |work=[[Financial Chronicle]]}}</ref>
*Member of the jury at [[Dhaka International Film Festival]], Bangladesh, 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.sydneysbuzz.com/womens-jury-awards-dhaka-film-festival-891600df3851|title=Women's Jury Awards: Dhaka Film Festival|first=Sydney|last=Levine|date=5 February 2018|website=Medium}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://x.com/harshvshringla/status/952373262482210816|title=x.com}}</ref>
*Member of the jury at [[Aswan International Women's Film Festival]], Egypt, 2018<ref>{{Cite web | title=Activist Djamila Bouhired edition | url=http://www.aiwff.org/home/media/attachments/2018/09/18/full-catalogue-english-2018.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104141353/http://aiwff.org/home/media/attachments/2018/09/18/full-catalogue-english-2018.pdf | archive-date=4 November 2018 | access-date=25 July 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref>
*Member of the jury at the 1st Rain International Nature Film Festival, Kerala, 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://englisharchives.mathrubhumi.com/features/life-leisure/rain-international-nature-film-festival-held-in-munnar-captivates-audience-1.3546831|title=Rain International Nature Film Festival held in Munnar captivates audience|date=6 February 2019|website=English Archives}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=First Rinff - Festival hand book | url=https://rinff.com/images/rinff-handbook.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020183913/http://rinff.com/images/rinff-handbook.pdf | archive-date=20 October 2019 | access-date=25 July 2024 | url-status=live }}</ref>
*Member of the jury in International Competition, [[Kolkata International Film Festival]], West Bengal, 2019<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/bhubaneswar/bijaya-jena-in-kiff-jury/articleshow/72021303.cms|title=Bijaya Jena in KIFF jury|newspaper=The Times of India |date=12 November 2019}}</ref>
*Member of the jury in International Competition, 6th Herat International Women's Film Festival, Afghanistan, 2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/454778/Iranian-director-Narges-Abyar-on-panel-of-Herat-women-s-film|title=Iranian director Narges Abyar on panel of Herat women's film festival|date=17 November 2020|website=Tehran Times}}</ref>
*Member of the jury in the Central Panel, [[67th National Film Awards]], India, 2021
*Member of the jury in International Competition, [[Rome Independent Film Festival]], Italy, 2021<ref>{{cite web | url=https://riff.it/en/the-festival/past-editions/jury-2021/ | title=Jury 2021 }}</ref>
*Member of the jury at the Rain International Nature Film Festival, Kerala, 2022<ref>{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://rinff.com/images/rinff-handbook-2022.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813041237/https://rinff.com/images/rinff-handbook-2022.pdf | archive-date=2022-08-13}}</ref>
*Member of the jury in International Competition, [[Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival]], Estonia, 2022<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://poff.ee/en/news/awards-of-the-26th-tallinn-black-nights-film-festival/|title=Awards of the 26th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival|website=poff.ee}}</ref>
*Member of the jury at the Rain International Nature Film Festival, Kerala 2023<ref>{{Cite web| title=5th Rinff festival | url=https://rinff.com/images/rinff-handbook-2023.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602022110/https://rinff.com/images/rinff-handbook-2023.pdf | archive-date=2023-06-02}}</ref>
*Member of jury in Indian Panorama in [[Bengaluru International Film Festival]], Karnataka, 2024<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biffes.org/jury#englishDiv|title=BIFFES|website=www.biffes.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=15th BIFFes Festival Team | url=https://biffes.org/public/assets/images/pdf/15th-biffes-final-book.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725115115/https://biffes.org/public/assets/images/pdf/15th-biffes-final-book.pdf | archive-date=2024-07-25}}</ref>
*Member of the jury in International Competition at [[Fajr International Film Festival]], Iran, 2025<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fajriff.com/en/meet-the-visionaries-judging-fajr-2025/ | title=FIFF 2025 Jury Brings Global Expertise to Shiraz}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.encorefilms.net/}}
* {{IMDb name|0420671}}
* [https://huffingtonpost.com/author/bijaya-jena "Bijaya Jena"]. Author biography on ''Huffington Post''.

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jena, Bijaya}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Film producers from Odisha]]
[[Category:Indian women film directors]]
[[Category:Indian women film producers]]
[[Category:Odia film directors]]
[[Category:People from Cuttack]]
[[Category:Film directors from Odisha]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Odisha]]
[[Category:Actresses from Odisha]]
[[Category:Indian television actresses]]
[[Category:Indian women screenwriters]]
[[Category:Women writers from Odisha]]
[[Category:Businesswomen from Odisha]]

Bijaya Jena - Revision history

KrystleZiemba7 at 11:04, 24 April 2026