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Nature through the lens

In every walk with nature, one receives far more than what one seeks. This too happened when two young brothers,…

Nature through the lens

In every walk with nature, one receives far more than what one seeks. This too happened when two young brothers, Ajay and Vijay Bedi, set on a journey with their camera and various lenses to find and present the images of the creatures, whose voices always echoed and reverberated from the unexplored jungles of India and the world.

Keeping the sole purpose of serving nature through filmmaking in their minds, the Bedi brothers try not to fail the ideals set up by their father, Naresh Bedi, who has worked with director Mira Nair for her acclaimed film Monsoon Wedding.

Following the footsteps of their father, Ajay and Vijay Bedi went on to become the only Indians to have won a nomination at the television industry's highest Emmy awards.

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Celebrating the World Environment Week at a 360 degree workshop organised by Canon India, the Bedi brothers discussed and informed young film makers about the new technologies, which are continuously being developed, that have made wildlife film making easier and more convenient.

On the larger size of the picture, the duo showcased how through their work they have tried to serve nature and to make citizens aware of the problems of climate change.

In the eyes of the world, India's rapidly growing economy will be responsible for increased greenhouse gas emissions in the future. While India may not necessarily have created the problem, it aims to be part of the solution.

Around the country, through government and civil society initiatives, a number of efforts are being made to switch to clean, green renewable sources of energy. In a film that travels from the villages of Rajasthan to Bihar and the millennium city of Gurgaon, the Bedi brothers have shown how the sun, the wind and all natural elements can be harnessed to generate energy.

The film,Clean and green energy takes a critical look at why green energy solutions have not occupied mainstream policy and how to popularise these methods for economies of scale.

One more documentary project carried out by the duo revolves around a disease that struck the core habitat of the Chambal Sanctuary in India, wiping out hundreds of Gharials ~ more than 50 per cent of the adult and semi-adult population ~ in the entire area. Anticipating the catastrophic epidemic, which could have further led to a danger that might crash the population of this critically-endangered species to a level that it may never fully recover, the film Gharial Crisis perfectly tells why it is important to give the reptiles the rightful priority they deserve.

The film is an endeavour to ascertain the cause of deaths by carrying out field investigations, involving Indian and international experts, for the protection and conservation of Gharials.

Lonely battle Speaking about their most important and serious project on the Red Pandas, the Bedi brothers informed that due to the forbidding terrain of its mountain habitat, there hardly exists any significant film or photographic record of the natural history of the Red Panda species in the wild.

Cherub of Mist, made over two years, is the first Indian film that unravelled the secretive life of the mysterious and little known Red Pandas. This movie is the first ever documentation, with never-seen footage, of the full life-cycle of the highly endangered species of India. The film also showcases the courting and mating, nest building and rearing of the newly-born. Ajay Bedi informs, "The most challenging sequence was the courtship behaviour of the Red Panda, which happens on one single day in a year. Vijay was lucky to capture this for our film, although we had to wait years to get the perfect shot.

Their population is low as 1,000 only. Less than even great cats like tiger and snow leopards. Before this film was made, many Indians thought pandas were not found in India but only in China. Our film could convince Indian officials that Red Panda exists in small pockets of Singalila National Park and has been fighting its lonely battle for survival in the eastern Himalayas. These helpless animals are killed for their fur.

A landmark move, with full support of Bengal Chief Minister, the species is now wellprotected under the Indian law." Glacier melt Taking one beyond the battle zone and exploring Jammu and Kashmir's rich water sources, which are now battling a new threat, namely, climate change, the film Melting Paradise throws light on the impact of climatic changes on the Himalayan glaciers, which are also known as the "Water Towers of Asia".

The film informs how a shrinking glacier will have serious effects on the livelihood of tens of thousands of people downstream, who depend on its life-giving waters. Saffron, which is as costly as gold, has suffered the most damage because of the melting of glaciers. One cannot imagine how much loss the cultivators have to endure because of overflooded rivers and canals, they noted.

The young Bedi brothers believe one must not only shoot nature but also respect it.

Though they have received many accolades for their projects based on wildlife conservation but the idea of achieving a stable and safe environment is still not visible at the offing.

As Albert Einstein has perfectly said, "Look deep into nature, and then you'll understand everything better." The problem of climate change deserves a more focused look to understand its drastic impacts better.

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