Mumbai: Renowned wildlife filmmaker Subbiah Nallamuthu captivated audiences at the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) today as he shared his insights into the art of storytelling in wildlife filmmaking and announced his latest ambitious project. “It’s easy to get footage, but difficult to spot a captivating and fascinating story as all footage doesn’t tell a story,” Nallamuthu remarked during the press conference.
Addressing the media, Nallamuthu emphasized the critical role of compelling narratives in wildlife filmmaking, stating, “Content is the real hero for me, rather than any physical protagonist.”
Internationally acclaimed for his work, Nallamuthu revealed his first ambitious feature film, an eco-thriller centered on the awe-inspiring journey of tigers. This innovative film will uniquely integrate real footage of tigers captured over a decade in the wild into its narrative, marking a pioneering moment in Hindi cinema. The film aims to captivate both grassroots and global audiences with its unique approach to wildlife content, blending motivational songs and action-packed sequences. “We are putting real footage into an entertaining storytelling format. I am happy that industry big shots like Gulzar Sahab, Shantanu Moitra, and Darshan Kumar have agreed to work on the film,” said an elated Nallamuthu.
The V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award-winning filmmaker at MIFF 2024 shared his thrilling experiences of making films on tigers, expressing a deep emotional connection with his subjects. “I have never treated tigers as animals or mere subjects. I always see tigers as humans. I connect all their emotions and movements with humans,” he stated.
Discussing the evolving trend in documentary filmmaking, Nallamuthu highlighted the uniqueness of non-fiction content and the necessity of presenting it in an engaging and entertaining feature film format to capture the attention of the audience. He also addressed the significant challenges faced by wildlife filmmakers, including funding, distribution platforms, and the logistical difficulties of shooting in the wild. “In wildlife filmmaking, you need to follow a real character across different time and space, which is a major challenge. Apart from that, you need to adhere to government norms and regulations,” he elucidated.