Talking Heads with Mike Pandey

Sheetal Patel - Televisionpoint.com | Mumbai
Three-time Green Oscar winner Mike Pandey was conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Award for Conservation recently. Pandey, CEO, Riverbank Studios makes feature films using children, wildlife and big stars. He speaks on environment and wildlife management and documentary filmmaking.

From studying to become an aeronautical engineer to a brief stint in Bollywood to wildlife filmmaking, it has been a long journey for you. What made you opt for wildlife filmmaking?
My parents, the values they inculcated in me and Kenya (my birthplace) laid the foundation and triggered my love for nature and wild animals. Home is where the heart is and there is a comfort level when I am in the wild, under open skies.

The government is going ahead with the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers Act. Wouldn't it prove to be a death knell for animals and forests?
The Act has to be looked at closely What decisions we take now will have a bearing on our future. We can so easily tip the balance and wipe out crucial flagship species. Our actions and decisions should be guided by a long-term vision, not short-term palliatives or political gains.

While the whale shark was protected after your documentary, your film on horseshoe crabs failed to elicit a similar ban. What was the Ministry of Environment and Forests' (MoEF) response to the film?
I spoke to MoEF officials after the awards ceremony and I am encouraged by the response I got this time. We will be screening the film on horseshoe crabs to apprise them about the situation. We are looking for protection for the crab (which is being smuggled out), at least under the precautionary principle. These crabs are the oldest living creatures on the planet and critically endangered. They can rewrite the pages of modern medical history We have patents pending, but there is no protection for the crab.

What kind of problems do you face as a documentary filmmaker? Is documentary filmmaking a viable career choice?
Documentary filmmakers in India have a tough time because there is no regular platform for this important genre. The TRP hungry channels are veering away from serious issue-based programming. Wildlife documentary making as a career is a tough call. There is no viable market and support from corporate's or other institutions. In India, wildlife filmmakers rarely get a budget to do justice to the subject they may choose.

Your programme 'Earth Matters' is still running on DD national. What has been the response so far?
The response to 'Earth Matters', especially from rural areas, has been overwhelming. Judging by the response and the voluntary creation of over 120 Earth Matters Nature Clubs, I feel there is a growing concern for environmental issues.