CHENNAI: When we think about wildlife in Tamil Nadu, the immediate options that come to mind are Mudumalai, Anamalai, Valparai, and a few others in the Western Ghats. But that’s not all. In reality, many hidden gems are waiting to be uncovered. Highlighting this, Wild Tamil Nadu is a documentary that captures the ecological richness of the state.
Directed by Kalyan Varma, Nature inFocus, and supported by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, the documentary features actor Arvind Swamy as the narrator, with three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej infusing Carnatic traditions with orchestral arrangements to amplify the voices of these landscapes.
Talking about the documentary to DT Next, Kalyan Varma says, “We drew inspiration from Sangam literature based on the classification of land into five different types, including Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal and Paalai. I have been a wildlife filmmaker for the past two decades and have shed light on Indian wildlife for foreign audiences. But I wanted to show our natural wealth to our own people.”
Kalyan previously worked on Wild Karnataka. After watching it, Arathi Krishna, producer of Wild Tamil Nadu, approached the director to create a documentary on Tamil Nadu. “Producing Wild Tamil Nadu has been an incredibly fulfilling and humbling experience. What began as an idea to showcase our state’s natural beauty soon evolved into a four-year journey of discovery — one that deepened my admiration for Tamil Nadu’s ecosystems and my respect for the people dedicated to protecting them. This project reaffirmed my belief that storytelling can be a powerful medium that leaves a lasting impression for conservation and collective awareness, especially around nature,” shares Arathi from Sundram Fasteners Ltd.
Kalyan and his team travelled across the state, speaking to scientists, guides, and fishermen to uncover hidden treasures. “Our focus was on the mid and southern regions of Tamil Nadu. I was quite fascinated by the nesting of Olive Ridley turtles on Marina Beach. The most challenging part was finding and filming the Madras Hichcock, which is endemic only to Tamil Nadu,” adds the wildlife filmmaker.
The filmmaker’s goal is to spread awareness about wildlife conservation, and he considers this documentary a tribute to the people of Tamil Nadu and the Forest Department.
Arathi believes the film is an invitation to reconnect with nature and the roots that bind us to this land. “Wild Tamil Nadu celebrates not only the breathtaking wildlife of our state but also the timeless wisdom of coexistence reflected in our literature and traditions. I hope audiences walk away with a sense of pride and a renewed responsibility to protect these landscapes,” she concludes.