Jun 07 2025 to Jun 07 2025 6 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

15 minutes | Kannada with English subtitles | 2025 | India

Huliyappa is a short documentary in Kannada by first-time filmmaker, Sourabha Rao. Shot entirely in the remote hamlets of the Uttara Kannada district, the film is centred around an ancient custom of worshipping the eponymous tiger deity during Deepavali, for the protection of people and their livestock from large Carnivora – tigers, leopards and bears.

The film reveals the losses faced by the residents of this thickly forested Western Ghats landscape to themselves and their prized cattle due to incidents with wildlife, and the surprising tolerance, forgiveness and compassion that prevail in people despite them. It is an exploration of the mythical, emotional and rational origins of the remarkable faith. Through conversations with people from various strata of the local society, including scholars, farmers and cowherds, Rao makes a concise and compelling retelling of a culture that has maintained the unlikeliest harmony between humans and wildlife in the region for centuries, and documents the simple rituals that constitute it.

Rather soberingly, Huliyappa is also a timely reminder of the dire need to impress such indigenous practices upon a generation increasingly disconnected from its roots, if the equilibrium with Nature, so pivotal to the future of humanity, is to be vouchsafed.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with the team that made the film, in conversation with Sonu Venugopal. A Q&A with the audience will follow.

In collaboration with:

This screening is part of BIC’s programmes for Environment Day 2025 titled The Earth Remembers: Stories of Justice and Resilience. This year’s Environment Day gathering centres on the people at the frontlines of ecological change, communities whose lives are entangled with the land, the waters, and the skies, and who carry not only the weight of loss but also the seeds of resilience. Rather than viewing the environment as separate from society, we listen to stories where the two are inseparable.

Speakers

Sourabha Rao
Writer, Poet, Filmmaker
Sourabha Rao is a bilingual writer, poet, filmmaker, translator, former freelance journalist and voiceover artist, with literary proficiency in English and Kannada. She deeply cares about producing stories primarily on nature and wildlife, human-wildlife interactions, social issues, history, heritage and art. She strives to write truthfully and creatively in an earnest attempt to create content that educates and entertains, has impact, and mobilises positive social change. She has written op-eds and photo-stories for leading Kannada and English newspapers, and has collaborated with filmmakers in wildlife conservation and water conservation. A first-time filmmaker, Rao is now exploring stories at the intersection of humans and wildlife in the hinterlands of India.

Santosh Saligram
Editor, Filmmaker, Photographer, Cinematographer, Writer
In the annals of contemporary wildlife photography, Santosh Saligram is a name of repute as someone irretrievably enamoured with tigers and ‘all things feline’. Amongst other things, Santosh describes himself as a ‘pen-wielding raconteur’, for his style involves narrating a story in partnership with striking, evocative images designed to touch a chord with the consumer. His creations reveal an eye for composition, imaginative use of light, and above all, a profound love and respect for his subjects, which, Santosh says, are the raison d’être of his work.A  qualified mechanical engineer, Santosh’s penchant for photography traces its genesis to the excursions on which he would accompany his maternal uncles since he was of a tender age, and his association with the YHAI, an adventure and travel group. Gradually, what began as a casual desire to document his marauding blossomed into a passion and eventually into his profession as his present role as chief editor at a photography company. The role combines his twin loves of writing and photography. Santosh has been richly recognised, most notably as winner of the NDTV Tiger Photo Contest in 2010, finalist in the same year and in 2012 at the world’s most coveted competition – the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year – and recipient of several Special Mentions in the annual Sanctuary Asia Wildlife Photography competitions. His photos have adorned many newspapers, magazines, exhibitions, websites, books, calendars and other merchandise both commercially and in aid of conservation.

Rakesh Kote
Cinematographer
Rakesh Kote’s filmmaking journey kicked off during the pandemic, when he found himself stealthily navigating railway tracks and airports to film a mischievous group of urban langurs. While the excitement was palpable, he wanted to pursue filmmaking and wildlife knowledge more rigorously. Post graduation, Kote delved deeper into the wild, joining a non-profit in Agumbe in pursuit of knowledge and networking opportunities. It wasn’t until a serendipitous encounter with Prakash Matada, a Green Oscar award-winner, that Kote’s passion and commitment to ‘capturing the perfect shot’ were reignited. Collaborating on several conservation films with Matada, Kote now draws from his roots – Dakshina Kannada culture, evolving scientific knowledge and artistic sensibilities to craft his own stories, believing in the transformative power of storytelling to make the world a better place.

Anusha Hegde
Actor, Artist, Farmer, Educator
Anusha Hegde’s work explores the intersection of art, storytelling and nature. Through her creative practice, Vanasuma Studio, she creates art inspired by forest flora and traditional art-forms. She has worked as an educator with children of all ages in the past, including as an experience designer in an alternative school, designing learning journeys rooted in creativity and the natural world. She also collaborates with Vanastree, a women seed collective from Sirsi, Karnataka. Hegde is also involved in farming at her Western Ghats home, Vanasuma Forest Farm, a place that deepens her connection to the land and informs her artistic practice.

Sonu Venugopal
Stand-up Comic, Actor
Sonu Venugopal is a stand-up comic, digital creator, actor, improviser and a radio professional based out of Bengaluru. She is a seasoned radio professional and voice artist with over 8 years of on-air and off-air experience in both Hindi and Kannada radio industry hosting top rated radio shows such as “Bollywood Cafe” and “City Maatu” in Bengaluru. You can now find her doing stand-up and improv comedy, hosting events, screenwriting, acting, cooking, or acting as if cooking! Her best cooked Kannada comedy video series called “Baaju Mani Kaaku” is growing 70+ episode strong and gathered 3M+ views. She has an active social media presence with over 15K+ followers on Facebook and 250K+ followers on Instagram, where she has actively collaborated with different brands. She received the “Best Entertainer” award at the Karnataka Women Achievers’ Awards (KWAA), 2018. Fluent in Kannada, English and Hindi, Sonu has created and performed standup comedy content that has been watched 4M+ times online and sold out live shows across various venues in India and the UK.