Living on the wild side
By Sharad K. Soni

IT took Discovery and the National Geographic channels to prove that films on wildlife are not just riveting but can be an entertaining viewing option as well.

However, the pleasure of seeing these slickly made telefilms on animals in their natural habitat can sometimes put in shade the hard work which has gone into the production of these films as also the inherent dangers in such projects.

Though a number of Indian documentary makers may not like to risk life and limb on such projects, there are a few who are not just passionately into these films but have also developed a strong empathy with wildlife.

Take for example the Bedi brothers — Naresh and Rajesh. For them camera power is heady business. The undisputed kings of wildlife photography, they have captured scores of animals in their natural habitats with the elan of accomplished artists.

Or, for that matter, Mike Pandey who too has devoted a lifetime on wildlife-related films which have received both national and international awards. In 1994, his film The Last Migration based on the capture of 18 rogue elephants, was the first Asian film to win the prestigious Green Oscar at the Wildscreen Festival in UK. During the filming the crew went through the wild, rode on elephant back and almost got trampled on one occasion.

The Bedi brothers too have tempted death to capture rare footage of animals. All their films have been shown by major TV networks around the world, including BBC, Discovery Channel, Channel 4, WNET/Thirteen, PBS Channel and Canal Plus.

Saving the Tiger was the first film by the Bedis to document some rarely seen aspects of the big cat’s life. Their Elephant — Lord of the Jungle extensively covered the lifestyles of the pachyderm. Their most stunning work was the one that examined why tigers became man-eaters. The Ganges Ghariyal on fish-eating crocodiles won them several international awards.

Both their films Saving the Tiger and Man-Eating Tiger were nominated for the British Academy Awards in 1987. Their other films Cobra — The Snake God, Ganesh — The Elephant God, Whistling Hunters on wild dogs and Ladakh: The Forbidden Wilderness on the snow leopard too received international acclaim.

Says Rajesh Bedi, "Since our childhood we had a passion for wildlife and assisted by our father we made this into our profession." Rajesh says that they have earned a lot of money from these films but he adds it is money hard earned. "At times we have to wait for four to six months for the right sequence. But we take it as an occupational hazard."

Mike Pandey too knows the hazards of filming wildlife. About The Last Migration he says, "It was a dangerous mission. Thrice I was nearly killed by charging elephants."

Pandey was born in Kenya and spent his early life there before setting off for England where he began studying to be an aeronautical engineer. But he turned to film making and cinematography because, to use his words, he did not want to dirty his nails. And from there began a career in film making.

He worked for the BBC for some time and then decided to come to India. That was over 20 years ago, years during which he gradually came to be fond of the wild, and as he became more intimate with the ways of the wild, his passion also grew. So, each time it called out to him, he rushed into the very thick of the jungle with his cameras.

Pandey is in his element when he talks about what should be done to save wildlife from perishing at the hands of man. He says there should be a ban on deforestation. "We have very limited forest resources and this is essential for the well being of the people," he points out.

He is quite comfortable doing his bit for the environment through film making. One of his acclaimed films is the Natural History of the Cheetah which won the Duke of Edinburgh Award. His Hammerhead — World About Us, about hammerhead sharks off the coast of Mexico which he did for BBC also won him plaudits.

Other documentaries shown on the BBC are Secret Life of a Water Spider and Tigers of Ranthambore. Besides, he has done documentaries on Birds of Bharatpur, Saltwater Crocodiles and Tigers of India — Survivors of the Past.

Pandey’s current projects include a cross section of films like Lions of the Gir Forest, Oceans — The Last Frontier, Hunters of the Blue Mountains and Pachyderms in Peril.

Man, he says, "has interfered with nature’s delicate balance. We have ruptured the system and if it continues, we may pay the price with our own extinction."

Extinction is very much on the mind of the Bedi brothers as well. Says Rajesh," Animals can’t speak, but through the visual medium you can showcase their feelings which seem to say: "Don’t kill us. Preserve us. Don’t plunder our forests, don’t cut our trees..." These are their messages. We have to pay heed or many of the species will simply disappear."

As Shubhadarshini Singh found out while making a documentary on the Indian saltwater crocodile titled Tears for the Crocodiles which was an official entry in the 1995 International Science Video Film Festival held in Thiruvananthapuram.

Says Singh, "In the last 400 years almost 50 species of the crocodiles have vanished. That’s because crocodiles have for centuries been feared, neglected and even hated. Unfortunately they are not tiger or elephants, so their conservation is not a priority." But she adds that the only heartening development is the wetland ecologist who are doing a great amount of work to save the remaining crocodile species.

But surely films and documentaries on wildlife do have an impact on the people? Not really, says Singh and adds Even if I make 10 documentaries on wildlife, the significance is going to be marginal. The only way to make a real impact is to produce gripping films which hold the viewers’ interest. Bland films with a message at the end will never serve the purpose. Wildlife film makers must learn to distinguish between making films for international festivals and for the general viewer."

Something which Valmik Thapar has done. The well known conservationist who in 1998, did a stunning series for BBC titled Land of the Tiger — perhaps the best by any Indian.

"It’s about the richness and natural diversity of the Indian sub-continent. Not just about animals, it’s also about people and about how their lives are linked to nature. Besides the tiger, Land of the Tiger is about other animals like the elephant, the rhino and even the small lizard in a monsoon forest. Through television I want to reach out to a broader section of people."

Mike Pandey agrees. Television, he says, has a great impact on people as it reaches out to millions of homes in India. It has thus become a very important tool. Now the message of saving wildlife is not just confined to the classroom but has entered the bedroom as well."

Jahar Kanungo knows that. Though his 1995 film, Partners in Peril about the see-saw relationship between man and animals in the Sunderbans was shown at the Japan International Film Festival, the bigger satisfaction came when it was shown on Doordarshan.

Says Jahar, "A film on the wildlife of an area cannot possibly exclude the people living there because both men and animals have a strong inter-dependence." His film has been shown on the TV networks of same western countries as well.

Jahar has been doing extensive research and photo documentation on the tiger cult in the southern Bengal region for the last two years. "I have to know the area very well before I venture to make another film."

Says Mike Pandey, "Wildlife film makers are like scientists who have first to document and then film the sequences. The bureaucracy poses hurdles as far as giving quick permissions is concerned. They don’t realise that film is one of the most important media which can turn the tide in favour of animals."

The concerns here are far more compelling and urgent than just an award at an international festival. Having worked so closely with animals they have developed a strong empathy for them. That’s why there’s this urge to drive home a grim message — if you let wildlife perish, then be ready to perish yourself. — Newsmen Features