Bhubaneswar: Veteran Ollywood cinematographer Dilip Ray, who played a pivotal role in shaping Odia cinema through his lens, passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Friday night. He was 72.

Ray had been admitted to the hospital a few days ago after suffering a brain stroke. Despite medical efforts, he breathed his last on Friday night. He is survived by his wife and three daughters.

According to reports, his last rites will be performed at Swargadwar in Puri, where family members, friends and members of the Odia film fraternity are expected to pay their final respects.

Ollywood bids farewell to one of its finest cinematographers

Born on July 27, 1954, in Cuttack, Dilip Ray entered the Odia film industry after completing a cinematography course at the Film and Television Institute (FTI), Bengaluru. Over a career spanning several decades, he established himself as one of the most respected cinematographers in Ollywood.

Ray worked on more than 80 Odia feature films, contributing to several critically acclaimed and commercially successful productions. Some of his notable works include 'Trisandhya', 'Baje Bainsi Nache Ghungura', 'Bhagya Hate Dori', 'Suna Sansar', 'Jibanasathi', 'Bidhira Bidhan', 'Eita Dunia', 'Bastraharan', 'Chaka Bhaunri', 'Lakshman Rekha' and 'Chini'.

Apart from Odia cinema, he also served as the cinematographer for several Chhattisgarhi and Bengali films, showcasing his versatility across regional film industries.

Before retiring, Ray was associated with Doordarshan, where he contributed to numerous television productions and programmes, further enriching Odisha's visual storytelling landscape.

His demise has cast a pall of gloom over the Odia film industry, with filmmakers, actors, technicians and admirers remembering him as a gifted cinematographer whose work left a lasting impact on regional cinema. Tributes have begun pouring in from across the film fraternity, acknowledging his immense contribution to Odia cinema and television.