Professional Documents
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Film Maker Directory Envis
Film Maker Directory Envis
Wildlife Filmmakers
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received from other sources. Neither is any liability for any damage resulting from
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Preface
Over the years, media especially Satellite Television has seen unprecedented growth in
the country. A whiff of fresh choices greeted Indian viewers in the early 90’s, with multi
channel programming becoming a reality. The entry of foreign channels like Discovery,
Nat Geo, and Animal planet have carved a new dedicated audience segment for nature
and wildlife programming in India, which didn’t exist in the yore.
Wildlife and nature programming channels are replete with high budget ‘blue chip’
films running into millions of dollars, mostly showing breathtaking and beautiful visuals
of nature and wildlife. They focus only on the most appealing elements of nature and
cultures to entice the ‘global’ audience. For a common viewer it is all hunky-dory. The
technical razzmatazz and glossy films on nature though look awesome don’t reflect
the ‘real’ problems, nor do they address pressing issues let alone match the Indian
psyche and context.
This is where Indian filmmakers have to make a mark. To raise the levels of awareness,
express and bring out hard-hitting environmental programmes and documentaries that
reflect the ecological destruction and concerns. It is a sad fact that Indian filmmakers
don’t have lavish budgets and time to produce films unlike their western counterparts.
India provides a vast mosaic of environmental issues that are challenging and have
largely remained unexplored. Environment and wildlife filmmakers work under
demanding and at times life threatening situations and terrains, where even basic
medical help could be out of reach for many days together. Not just shoestring but
‘shameful’ budgets further exacerbate their plight and waters down the filmmaker’s
enthusiasm.
Thus the scope for ‘activist films’ needs to be widened further in the country among
the Indian filmmakers, through proper institutional support and adequate funding. This
Directory is one such effort to promote and encourage Indian filmmakers to produce
quality environment, wildlife and conservation film. Indian environment and wildlife
documentary filmmakers have made giant strides and have received international
recognition in the recent years. There is a need to recognize and institutionalize such
documentary films and ventures to promote environmental concern, to sensitize and
address the public and policy makers at large.
Directory of Environment and
Wildlife Filmmakers
2009
First Edition
Published By:
Abhinandan Sekhri
Add: Small Screen, 5/7
Basement, Sarva Priya Vihar
New Delhi-110016
P: 91-11-26565305, 26865588
F: 91-11-26868235
M: 91-9811237306
E: psareen@vsnl.com
W: www.small-screen.com
Gurmeet Sapal, a diploma holder in Radio and T.V. Journalism form Indian
Institute of Mass Communication has worked as a Director, Producer,
Cameraperson & Reporter. He started his career with Zee News as a news
reporter. Later he joined moving pictures and graduated to associate-
producer/TV Editor. He has produced several news capsules and short
films. His most challenging project has been photographing and writing
about the Himalayan wildlife and culture for a travel portal Yatraindia.
com. He worked as a cameraperson with eminent wildlife filmmakers
Rajesh and Naresh Bedi. He had directed the Award Winning film
“Chasing Butterflies” at “Vatavaran 2002” - First National Environment
& Wildlife Film Festival. He has also worked as a Mountain & Wildlife
Photographer – Writer for a Travel Portal called “yatraindia.com” and
worked as a Photographer for “Wahindia Magazine”. He has worked as a
Producer of “Namaste from London” for Newswallahs Ltd., as a Reporter
with Zee India Television for English News, Editor for DD Sports Channel,
& “Sports Classic” & also worked as a Reporter / Assistant Producer in
TV AM for “Subah Savere” of DD 1. He has also been the Winner of the
Zee TV Award in Electronic Journalism His documentary film “The Beauty
of Dragon” was nominated in the category of Wildlife Conservation in
“Vatavaran 2003” Film Festival. n
Under the banner of Beacon Television Mr. Muralidhara has directed and
produced.several programmes for Channels like ZEE TV, DD10, Mumbai
channel, Siti Cable, Doordarshan. Also worked as Freelance TV journalist
for ‘Parakh’. As a journalist reported live in most NDTV and Doordarshan
Election, Analysis from Bombay. n
Mr. Jagdish Kulkarni, is employed with Y.C.M. Open University since last
12 years as a Technical Incharge in its Audio Visual Production Centre.
He has produced over 200 educational programmes for telecasting
through Doordarshan. He was also actively involved in production of
some T.V. Serials. Mr. Jagdish Kulkarni has proven his excellence as an
editor of a documentary that was awarded a Best Production Prize by
U.G.C. His film “Discovery of God” was screened in Vatavaran 2003 Film
Festival. n
Mr. K. Bikram Singh’s interest in serious cinema goes back to the 60’s
when he became a member of ‘Film Forum’ a film society of Mumbai.
He has produced & directed more than 60 documentaries & some have
participated in the International Film Festivals in India & Abroad. He has
been a member, Chairperson of many other film festival’s selection panel
like Short Film Jury for the National Film Awards 1994 & NISCORT film
festival 1999. He also writes a column on life, literature and the arts called
‘Bimb Pratibimb’ in Hindi Daily “Jansatta”. Apart from his film ‘Andhi Gali’
produced in 1994, he directed feature film ‘Tarpan’ (The Absolution)
for the National Film Development Corporation, which won Best Script
Award. “Tarpan” has also participated in the Panorama Section of India’s
International Film Festival in 1995 & has received Aravindan Award for the
Best Debut Film and Naguib Mahfouz Award at Cairo International Film
Festival in 1995. This film also participated in Moscow International Film
Festival, Montreal World Film Festival and Chicago Film Festival in 1995.
A few of his well known documentaries/ television series are ‘Greening
of Ralegan Shindi’ (on the work of environmentalist Anna Sahib Hazare),
l ICI
l Polar Fans
l Department of Woman & Child Welfare (Center)
l National Mineral Water Company, Oman
l Sweets of Oman, Oman
l Peerless Group
l Indian Shaving Products (7 ‘O’ Clock blades).
Naresh and Rajesh Bedi inherited their love for nature from their father
Dr. Ramesh Bedi, a noted scholar of Indian medicinal plants. Th brothers
took naturally to filmmakking and photography so that they could bring
the splendor of India’s wildernesses into people’s homes. Naresh Bedi
studies filmmaking at Asia’s foremost film and television Institute of India
at Pune while Rajesh Bedi excelled as a self-taught photographer. Both
brothers have attained eminence in their chosen field. Their wildlife
photos and footage while spreading a strong conservation message
have also made significant contributions to the subcontinent’s natural
history. The Bedi Brothers have risked their lives several times to achieve
these goals. n
Nikhil Alva, with his brother Niret Alva, in 1992 set up Miditech, a production
house that specializes in environment and travel programming. One of
this earliest successes as a producer was his film Living on the Edge,
India’s first comprehensive environment series that ran continuously for
5 years and also won three awards: The Pinnacle, a national award; as
the Best Information Series which is an international award - the Green
Oscar, the Panda Award atWildscreen, in 1996 and the Silver Tree Award
for Best Environment series in Vatavaran 2002. He directed and scripted
The Lions of Gir which won a Special Jury Award at Vatavaran 2002 film
festival. After winning accolades for travel shows like the Great Escape
telecast on a number of international networks around the globe, and
presenting and directiong some episodes of Off the Beaten Path, that
featured adventure in lesser known regions of India, Nikhil was ready to
plunge into an area he is passionate about - natural history film-making.
He directed and scripted The Lions of Gir a 52-minute film on the last
surviving Asiatic lions in the forests of Gir in western India. Nikhil spent 2
years researching and filmming the project in the forests of Gir. The film
shot on 16 mm, captures the fight for survival that is played out each day
between lions and Maladhari tribe’s people. Distributed worldwide by
Granada International, Lions of Gir has been sold to Singapore, Spain,
P. Balan, during his college days was drawn into environmental issues
as part of a campaign against felling of trees on campus in which he
assumed a leadership role. He also became deeply involved with the
filmsociety movement in the state through which he gained acquaintance
with the film medium. In 1989 he joined All India Radio as a trasmission
executive and has since produced over a hundred programmes on
social and environmental issues, three of which have won national
awards and six merit certificates. Initiated by him, the ANMPU Media
Trust was formed in 1995 at Trissur by a small group of like-minded
individuals with the objective of exploring alternative media practices
including production of documentaries and organizing the screening of
serious films –classics and documentaries & shorts- on human rights/
environmental/other social issues in campuses and even remote villages
to promote awareness. Has won several awards for his film such as
Aanpoovu [male flower] won Honorary Jury Mention at the Oberhausen
International Documentary Film Festival in 1997; Kerala State Television
Award for the Best Documentary 2001. This film was also selected in
7 international film festivals and screened in several major international
universities as port of the Film south Asia Programme. Melavalavu-beta/28
mts/prod. ISS, New Delhi. The 18th elephant was selected & screened
in the International category of the Mumbai International Documentary &
Short Film Festival 2002. n
His work has been felicitated with numerous awards like Robert
Falherty prize at the Pennsylvania Film Festival (2002), Le Prix De la
Presse Politique award for the best documentary film at 16th Fribourg
International Film Festival (Switzerland), John Michaels memorial award
for best documentary in Big Muddy film festival USA amongst others.
Best Documentary (feature length) at Big mini DV Film Festival (USA),
The director Rakesh Sharma has worked extensively in film and television
since 1985. He works as a consultant for broadcasting channels in the
areas of programming, on-air presentation and live television. n
He has worked for newspapers, magazines, television and the new media.
He was an Associate Editor of India Today and Executive Producer with
Business India, Television, TV Today and Sahara TV. He is working on
film that deals with pesticide poisoning in India and writing a novel on the
twists in contemporary India life. n
Romulus Earl Whitaker was born in New York City on 23rd May 1943
and is Naturalised Indian. Schooling from Kodaikanal School, South
India in the year 1960, has studied Wildlife Management from University
of Wyoming in USA in 1962 and further he completed his Bachelors in
Wildlife Management from Pacific Western University in the year 1986.
He also has received many awards for his commitment for saving the
wildlife. Till now he has received Award for conservation Merit from
world Wildlife Fund for Nature (International) in the year 1983. In 1984,
he received Rolex Award for Enterprise in Switzerland and then in 1985
he received the Order of the Golden Ark at the Netherlands. in 1986, he
got Peter Scott Award (IUCN) with Zai Whitaker in U.K.. and in 1991 he
got Ashoka Foundation Fellowship in India/USA. He has directed many
Documentaries on Wildlife and such as Irulas, Hunter-Gatherers in the
Space Age, Periyar, Banking on Crodiles, Snakebite, A Cooperative For
Snake Cathers, Seeds For Hope, The Boy and the Crocodile, Silver Valley,
Rat Wars, Treasured Island, Keralensis, King Cobra, Spunky Monkey,
Croc Man, Croc Crusader, Thunder Dragon, Snake Hunter, Snake
Hunter-Costa Rica and Mugger Crocodiles of Sri Lanka. Romulus Earl
Whitaker was born in New York City on 23rd May 1943 and is Naturalized
Indian. Schooling from Kodaikanal School, South India in the year 1960,
Writer and film-maker, primarily on social issues. Her films include Tatva
(Essence), a fiction film about a woman in search of her self, which won
the national award (Rajat Kamal). Now, I Will Speak, a film on rape,
was given the Award of Excellence for production & direction, by the
International Association of Women in Radio & Television, Manila. Global
Warming, a film on environment, received the United Nation’s World
Food Day award. Her other films include Brides Are Not For Burning
on domestic violence, Asli Azaadi (True Freedom) on the contribution of
India’s women freedom fighters. The film was very well received at the
Golden Gate Festival, San Francisco, and the Norwegian Film festival.
With a post-graduate degree in communications from Washington
State University, she writes for the Times of India. Hindustan Times,
Mainstream and Pioneer on social and developmental issues. Sagari
also writes poetry and has authored The Professional Woman’s Dreams.
A social activist, she is founder member of SOCH - Social Organisation
for Change. n
Saumya was Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather, New Delhi, India’s
second largest advertising agency, and a member of the worldwide
WPP Group. Apart from winning acclaim at numerous Indian Advertising
Award Shows, Saumya has to his credit two Silvers at the Asia Ad Fest,
and finalist status at the One Show Awards in New York. The New York
Festivals and the Clio Awards. His work on the Pulse Polio programme
remains his favourite and most awarded. Saumya has recently set up
an organization called LEAPFROG – a platform for creative artistes
and communication professionals. It also seeks to contribute towards
the communication needs of the development sector in partnership
with NGOs. Its maiden venture is championing the cuase of Rainwater
Harvesting in association with Centre for Science and Environment. Has
produced a 90 second TV Spot on rainwater harvesting which has been
aired on national television and was awarded the ‘Best documentary’ in
the category of ‘Pubic Service Message’ in Vatavaran 2003 Film Festival.
Saumya with Leapfrog, intends to work on diverse social issues through
public service advertising, innovative television programming and small
budged issue-based feature films. He also wishes to contribute towards
developing the nascent arena of Corporate Social Responsibility. His
projects include work related to HIV/AIDS, femal foetecide, education
and children. n
She has also worked as a Journalist for Times of India and News
Correspondent for Doordarshan, Mumbai. n
Shekar Dattatri has had a lifelong fascination with wildlife. At the age of
thirteen he began work as a part-time volunteer at the famous Madras
Snake Park. An abiding interest in wildlife led to photography. After gaining
a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology he began an informal apprenticeship
with a documentary filmmaker. Shekhar Dattatri’s association with film
making dates back to the eighties. His first documentary A Cooperative
for Snake Catchers won him the National Award for Best Scientific
film. His next three documentaries were all National Award winners.
That was the beginning amongst the list of awards he has won as a
filmmaker, which included National Award for the Best Agricultural Film
for Seeds of Hope. After shooting, directing and producing several short
environmental/ wildlife documentaries for Indian Television, he along with
his colleagues made a documentary ‘Silent Valley - An Indian Rainforest’.
This film won several National and International awards such as National
Award for Best Film on Ecology and Environment, National Award for
Best Cinematography, Special Jury award Jackson Hole Festival, Citta
de Sondrio Award, Italy, Best Nature Film, Earthvision Festival Japan. He
also received Special Jury Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival,
Montana, USA, Arlette Vincent Prize, Valvert International Wildlife Film
Festival, and Brussels for the film Nagarhole – Tales from an Indian Jungle.
Mr. Shriprakash’s association with filmmaking has been for over a decade.
During this phase he has worked under the capacity of cameraman, director
as well as scriptwriter. His directed film Buddha Weeps in Jadugoda, on
Environmental and Health hazards of uranium mining in Jadugoda, (East
Singhbhum) has won the Grand Prize in the Earth Vision Film Festival,
Tokyo, 2000, Best Film Award in the Thunder Bird Film Festival, USA, 2001,
Second Best Film Award, in the Earth Vision Film Festival, USA 2001, Third
Prize in Film South Asia, 1999. It has participated in numerous film festivals
such as Mumbai International Film Festival 2000, Hongkong Film Festival
2000, Vermond Film Festival, USA 2001, Thunder Birds Film Festival USA
2001 where it was awarded the Best Film Award, International Film Festival,
Istanbul - 2001, United Nation Association Film Festival, USA 2000. It was also
broadcasted by NHK - Japan; Free Speech TV, USA. His film Buddha Weeps
in Jadugoda and The Fire Within participated in Vatavaran 2003 Film Festival,
New Delhi. His work includes ‘Kis Ka Raksh?’, a film on issues surrounding
the Netarhat Field Firing Range whch was screened at theInternational Video
Film Festival, Thiruvanthapuram, 1997 and Video Film Festival, Buenos Arias,
1995; ‘Another Revolt’, a film exploring the pros and cons of the proposed
Koel Karo Hydel Project where he worked as Cameraman, director and
scriptwriter was also screend at the Mumbai International Film Festival in
1996 and Video Film Festival at Buenos Arias in 1996. n
Dr. Susan Sharma, Ph.D (IITD) is adapting the latest information technology
tools to spread awareness about nature and wildlife. She runs a website
called IndianWildlifeClub.com, which has an expanding user base of nature
lovers as members. Her digital videos are self-financed. Her film Sarang –
The Peacock was screened at the International Film Festival held in Mumbai
in Feb 2000 and was telecasted in Mumbai Doordarshan in October 99.
Her film Corbett with Love was screened at the Delhi International film
festival, was also selected at IDPA awards function. This film makes a subtle
statement through Subedar Ali, the mahout who was attacked by a tiger
and spent a year in hospital recovering from a torn scalp but his love for the
tiger makes him return to his job as a mahout in the same forest. Her film
‘Wilderness Nepal’ looks at he natural history of Himalayan region. It projects
the community forests concept in Nepal which has proved a success in
maintaining the wetland area of twenty thousand lakes. Dr. Sharma is also
the founder of a website called IndianWildlifeClub.com which is an interactive
online club to spread awareness about wildlife conservation. Dr. (Mrs.) Susan
Sharma chose documentary film making as a second career, after seeking
voluntary retirement from State Bank of India. She received her doctorate in
Management Information Systems from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Dr. Sharma has been a nature lover and took up wildlife videography as a
hobby. She learnt music on the violin and music has been the real motivation
to plan a series of documentaries connecting music with Indian wildlife. n