A film documents India's first biosphere reserve

Indian Express

5 days ago

High up in the Western Ghats, where the clouds seemingly drift low, covering the hilltops rippling in shades of deep green or burnt gold (as the season changes), lies the Nilgiris – India's first biosphere reserve. Nilgiris: A Shared Wilderness, a 75-minute long documentary by Sandesh Kadur, filmed over a span of three years, not just documents the Nilgiris biosphere but also listens to it closely, patiently.
Kadur, who has previously worked with National Geographic, BBC and Animal Planet on wildlife documentaries, recalls how the idea for Nilgiris first sparked in YEAR. He states, 'It was a walk with (author) Rohini Nilekani in the Nilgiris that sparked the idea of the documentary. We realised that there has been no major documentary about this landscape.'
What followed was two years of fieldwork, research and a year of post-production work to stitch together visuals and create a narrative story that now exists as a cinematic bridge between ecological wonder and cultural urgency.
The documentary is well-shot and the time that is spent on filming it is visible on the screen. The time lapse of clouds covering the mountain tops, the dew drops on the flowers, the sun rays peeping through a canopy – visually the movie leaves one wanting more of Nilgiris. The cinematography by Kadur, Robin Darius Conz, Nakul Raj, Sameer Jain and Nikhil Virdi transports viewers to the mountains.
Rather than following a linear narrative, the film relies on what Kandur describes as 'hero characters', which include endemic species like the Nilgiri Salea (a lizard), the fig wasps and Parantica nilgiriensis, the Nilgiri tiger (butterfly). Their stories connect with each other – frogs lay eggs that attract dragonflies, which in turn feed the hornbills, which nest in the fig tree. A delicate food web unfolds through sharp transitions, thoughtful editing and music. Each animal is treated with the narrative weight of a protagonist, allowing their lives and interactions to build an arc.
One of the film's most striking achievements is its use of music — not just as background but as storytelling. 'We took our music team with us to the Nilgiris,' says the director said, referencing musicians Sam Mills and Susheela Raman. 'We wanted the music to reflect the rhythm of the landscape,' he adds. From tabla beats that match the bounce of the Nilgiri Marten to comical interludes that mirror a hornbill's awkward hunt, the score becomes an extension of the forest's own voice.
Having previously worked on wildlife documentaries, the team was well-aware of the techniques that they needed to work without disturbing the wildlife. 'We used camouflage hides, long lenses to keep our distance,' says Kadur. This respect is visible on screen. Sequences like the wild dog hunt – filmed in the dry lowlands of Masinagudi — are intense but unobtrusive. 'They're more endangered than tigers and capturing their pups emerging felt like documenting the next generation,' he adds.
The film's core question is not about wilderness lost – but wilderness redefined. 'Everything is now human-dominated,' the director reflects. 'So how do we share the land?' He notes that the film isn't about nostalgia, it's about negotiation. It is a reminder to the audience to help conserve the biosphere.