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{{short description|Indian film director and screenwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| caption = Vishal Mourya
| birth_place = '''Vishal Mourya:'''<br />Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India<br />'''Debi Prasad Lenka:'''<br /> Cuttack, Odisha, India
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Film director, producer, screenwriter
| years_active = 2010–present
| notable_works = ''[[Daman (2022 film)|DAMaN]]'' (2022)
}}

'''Vishal Mourya''' and '''Debi Prasad Lenka''' is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter, best known for co-directing the Odia film ''[[DAMaN (2022 film)|DAMaN]]'' (2022), which won the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Odia|Best Odia Film]] at the 70th National Film Awards. He works primarily in Odia cinema.<ref name="TOI-Daman">{{cite web |title=Odia film 'DAMaN' wins Best Odia Film at 70th National Film Awards |website=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/odia-film-daman-wins-best-odia-film-at-70th-national-film-awards/articleshow/114060553.cms |date=9 October 2024 |access-date=2 December 2025}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Vishal Mourya was born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. He graduated with a degree in Information Technology from SATI, Vidisha. After completing his studies, he worked with multinational companies in Pune before transitioning into the entertainment industry. He was associated with television networks including Star Plus, Sony TV, and Zoom TV, and worked in events such as Miss India and Miss Universe. His early professional career involved production and creative roles in television and live events, which later influenced his transition into filmmaking.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vishal Mourya – Director Profile |website=Odisha Talks |url=https://www.odishatalks.com/vishal-mourya |access-date=14 October 2025}}</ref>

Debi Prasad Lenka is from Cuttack, Odisha. He completed a three-year filmmaking course and started his career as an assistant director and film editor, working with media and entertainment companies including UTV, Times of India Group, Zee Entertainment, and BAG Films across Odisha and Mumbai.<ref name="BMS-Lenka">{{cite web |title=Debi Prasad Lenka – Biography, Movies, News & Photos |website=BookMyShow |url=https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/debi-prasad-lenka/2021303 |access-date=2 December 2025}}</ref>

== Career ==
Mourya began his career in television with Mahayatra and [[Dance Premier League]]. Later, he collaborated with Debi Prasad Lenka with whom he later formed a director-duo. They both directed the unreleased Hindi film ''B-for Bundelkhand''.<ref>{{cite web |title=It's not just Kantara: Odia film Daman is making waves nationwide, meet the directors |website=The Federal |url=https://thefederal.com/entertainment/its-not-just-kantara-odia-film-daman-is-making-waves-nationwide-meet-the-directors |date=7 December 2022 |access-date=14 October 2025}}</ref>
Together, they worked on several projects, including the Odia political drama ''[[Biju Babu]]'' (2019).<ref name="Biju Babu movie details">{{cite web |title=Biju Babu movie details |website=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/vishal-mourya |access-date=14 October 2025}}</ref>

In 2022, Mourya and Lenka co-directed and co-wrote ''[[Daman (2022 film)|DAMaN]]'', an Odia-language social drama inspired by true events related to malaria eradication efforts in rural Odisha.<ref name="NIE-Daman">{{cite web |title='Daman' gets National Award as Best Odia Film |website=The New Indian Express |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2024/Aug/17/daman-gets-national-award-as-best-odia-film |date=17 August 2024 |access-date=2 December 2025}}</ref> The film starred [[Babushaan Mohanty]] and [[Dipanwit Dashmohapatra]]. Made on a budget of around ₹94 lakh, it grossed approximately ₹7.5 crore at the box office. The film was subsequently dubbed in Hindi the following year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Odia-Hindi film 'Daman' to release on Feb 3, Ajay Devgn launches trailer |website=Punjab News Express |url=https://www.punjabnewsexpress.com/news/news/odia-hindi-film-daman-to-release-on-feb-3-ajay-devgn-launches-trailer-196238 |date=13 January 2023 |access-date=14 October 2025}}</ref>

The film received widespread critical acclaim and won the Best Odia Film at the 70th [[National Film Awards]], earning the directors the ''Rajat Kamal'' and a cash prize.<ref name="NIE-Daman"/>
In an interview, Mourya expressed his hope that the Hindi version of the film would bring national attention to Odisha's cinema.<ref>{{cite web |title=I am hoping the Hindi version of 'DaMaN' gets a lot of love from the audience – Vishal Mourya |website=Planet Bollywood |url=https://planetbollywood.com/wp/interviews/i-am-hoping-the-hindi-version-of-daman-gets-a-lot-of-love-from-the-audience-vishal-mourya |access-date=14 October 2025}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2"| Year !! rowspan="2"|Title !! colspan="3"|Credited as !! rowspan="2"|Language !! rowspan="2"|Notes
|-
! Director !! Writer !! Editor
|-
| 2019 || ''[[Biju Babu]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || rowspan="2"|Odia || <ref name="Biju Babu movie details"/>
|-
| 2022 || ''[[DAMaN]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{partial|Debi Prasad Lenka}} || <ref name="TOI-Daman"/>
|}

== Awards and honours ==
* Best Odia Film – 70th National Film Awards (for ''DAMaN'').<ref name="TOI-Daman"/>
* Rajat Kamal and cash prize from the [[Directorate of Film Festivals]] for ''DAMaN''.<ref name="NIE-Daman"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|9070213|Vishal Mourya}}
* {{IMDb name|9070209|Debi Prasad Lenka}}

[[Category:Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Odia film directors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:People from Odisha]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Filmmaking duos]]
[[Category:Screenwriting duos]]

Vishal Mourya and Debi Prasad Lenka - Revision history

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