The Nilgiris: India’s Blue Mountains is a feature-length wildlife documentary that explores the powerful intersection where wildlife and humans come face to face. Presented by Felis Films and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, and distributed nationwide by Dheeraj Films, the film is set to release in theatres across India today.
The forces of nature have shaped these mountains for over two and a half billion years. However, over the past few centuries, human intervention has brought about rapid changes to the pristine wilderness. Yet, these ancient islands in the sky still hold many secrets and magical creatures—living life on the edge and this film tells a story of hope, fragility and interconnected futures.
The film has already won multiple international awards and received acclaim for its cinematic excellence and storytelling. Directed by Emmy-nominated and BAFTA-winning filmmaker Sandesh Kadur, the film was shot in 8K resolution using the best of Sony Professional and RED cameras. It is a true cinematic celebration of the region’s wildlife and landscapes. Releasing in theatres across Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mysore, Mangalore, Coimbatore, Ooty, Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Kochi, Trivandrum, Delhi, and other cities across India.
Sandesh Kadur is a BAFTA Award-winning filmmaker, National Geographic Fellow & Explorer and was recently named the second-ever Explorer Trustee of the National Geographic Society Board of Trustees. His groundbreaking documentaries have aired globally on networks like National Geographic, BBC, Netflix, Apple, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet. His notable projects include Our Planet (Netflix), Planet Earth II (BBC), and the National Geographic series Wild Cats of India and India’s Wild Leopards.
He is the co-author of two books: Sahyadris: India’s Western Ghats—A Vanishing Heritage (2005) and Himalaya—Mountains of Life (2013). Sandesh’s first documentary and book raised awareness about the biodiversity of the Western Ghats, contributing to the regions designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. His accolades include a 2017 Emmy nomination and a BAFTA for his work on Planet Earth II. He is the founder and director of Felis Creations and co-founder of Conservania. ‘This is the story of a new wilderness, a mostly human-made landscape, where wildlife continues to adapt and thrive. Where else in the world can you have black leopards, gaur, sloth bear, etc. all living in a tea garden? Although it’s in a constant state of change, it also shows nature’s resilience; adaptability to survive the odds - if only we allow them the space to do so,’ says Filmmaker Sandesh.
‘With this film - Nilgiris— A Shared Wilderness, we hope to awaken people to the incredible beauty and biodiversity of this ancient and unique biosphere - the largest protected forest area in the country, now undergoing rapid change driven by human activity. If we wish to continue to conserve it, samaaj, sarkaar and bazaar will have to work in unison to nurture this ecosystem. The documentary is a call to action for everyone who feels connected to these sacred landscapes,’ says Rohini Nilekani, the executive producer.
Words Platform Desk
17.07.2025