This weekend, a film very close to my heart is making its way into the world. Huliyappa, a short documentary directed by my dear friend Sourabha Rao, is premiering on June 7th at the Bangalore International Centre.
It’s a film about reverence. About listening. About coexistence.
And it’s also about our land, our forest, and our people.
A Familiar Forest, a Sacred Story
When Sourabha first shared her vision of Huliyappa, I knew this was more than just a film project. It was a quiet tribute to the way our community lives with the wild — not against it. Here, in the heart of the Western Ghats, people don’t just tolerate animals like tigers, leopards, or bears — they coexist with them, held together by centuries-old rituals and beliefs.
The film is named after Huliyappa, the tiger-deity worshipped in our region. In our local tradition, Huliyappa is not feared — he is invoked, honored, and trusted to protect people, crops, and animals alike. This practice isn’t folklore for us. It’s lived reality.
Athanu and the Future Generations
What makes this film even more special is that it features my son, Athanu, as the central child through whose eyes this story is told. He was two and a half years old when the film was shot. Watching him interact with the camera, forest and the people — with a mix of wonder, innocence, and instinct — was deeply moving.
Sourabha( the director) and Rakesh (Cinematographer) are friends turned family. So it was easy enough for him and he was very comfortable in front of the camera. He simply responded to the world around him as he always does: with curiosity and quiet awe. And in many ways, he reminded us — and perhaps the audience — of how deeply children absorb the spirit of a place when left free to explore.
Filmed on Our Farm
This film was shot on our forest farm, with the support of our community — people who live and breathe this life daily. Their stories, their rituals, their presence — none of it was manufactured. Nothing was embellished.
What you’ll see in Huliyappa is not a performance, but a revealing.
A glimpse into the silent agreements between human and wild, between tradition and adaptation.
A Premiere
If you’re in Bangalore on June 7, I hope you’ll attend the premiere. It’s more than just a film screening — it’s an invitation to listen to the forest, to hear from those who rarely get to tell their stories, and to honor ways of life that often go unseen.
Event: Huliyappa – A Retelling
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Bangalore International Centre (BIC)
Register/Details →https://bangaloreinternationalcentre.org/event/huliyappa-a-retelling/
Gratitude
To Sourabha — thank you for listening so deeply. For holding this story with such care. And for choosing our land, our son, our people.
To everyone who watches this film — may it shift something in you.
From the forest, with love and belief,
Vanasuma Studio