A documentary produced by National Public Service Broadcaster Doordarshan has focused the attention of the World on the changing climate of the Himalayas with particular reference to the Ladakh. “The Whispers of Warming” won the best documentary film award in the Asia-Pacific region and now is being telecast by many public service broadcasters the world over. Rajeshwar Singh ‘Raju’ had a candid talk with Anoop Khajuria, Producer Director of documentary film – a Jammuite, presently posted as Station Director, DDK Mathura (UP) to know more about the film and his journey of film making amidst the ogre of climate change.
Rajeshwar : Anoop, tell us more about Whispers of Warming. How did it happen?
Anoop Khajuria : I have always been fascinated by the Himalayas. For quite some time, I was looking for a subject to do a film on our part of the Himalayas in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The idea shaped up in a workshop held in New Delhi and attended by broadcasters from all Himalayan countries in April 2014 under the aegis of Asian-Pacific Broadcasting Union and UNESCO. The film’s unique treatment focuses on the perceptions of people on the issue of climate change. The way change is happening in high Himalayas- the water source of Indo-Gangetic plain and Indus basin, the change has been perceived by farmers and fruit growers. We tell stories of the people of Drass. Kargil, Zanaskar and Ladakh. It also focuses on disaster risk reduction by telling the story of Phuktal river blockage by land sliding in Zanaskar region.
RS : How does it help the cause of climate change ?
AK : As you know that Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) has already given its 5th assessment report and working group assessing literature on scientific, technological, environmental, economic and social aspects of mitigation of climate change, we need to show how our people are suffering from impacts of climate change. A documentary film on such issues is a wonderful medium to tell our part of story to them. Whispers of Warming after this recognition will be circulated through different networks of the world. It will showcase Himalayas particularly Ladakh division of Western Himalayas. As you know the mitigation is a human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases, an effective film definitely contributes to the cause. It makes a case study for the developed world. It motivates our communities to adaptations and resilience.
RS : Tell us more about the film and competition ?
AK : Well, I did my shoot in two phases. The summer shoot coincided with raging floods in Jammu and Kashmir in the month of September 2014 and subsequently I shot the second phase in winter months of 2015. The documentary format of film making is still alive.
It competed with about forty films from twenty countries ranging from Norway to Pakistan to Maldives. The competition was held in Krabi Thailand on the sidelines of 2nd Media Summit on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction attended by researchers, academia and media experts from all over the world. So , the message goes across the globe. The story of Rongdum Zanaskar where cattle rearing community is facing hardship because of vanishing green fodder or Shilikschey village of Kargil facing curly moth diseases of fruit plants and crop failing due to dry season no longer remain hidden from the world. Even these human characters like Tsering Lamho feeling the heat of warming in Zanaskar gets familiar as far as Norway and Australia.
RS : ….But your film also shows the positive side of climate change where communities are benefitting .
AK : Yes it is. The Aryan villages of Gharkone, Dharchuk Dha and Hun in the Batalik ranges of western Himalayas are considered to be of pure Aryan race people. Their men are much sought after entity by westerners especially Germans. Media always highlighted this superior race for other reasons. But I chose them for my climate story. These green patches atop the rugged hills are harnessing the change to their benefit. They are now producing more crops than ever.
This is like changing the unchanged. The phenomenon of climate change is irreversible. Communities need to adapt themselves to the changed environmental condition. Our protagonist Sonam Wangyal of Gharkone village is a real life character who senses warming and the enhanced production in the fields. Zojilla is not far from Batalik. Mohammed Musa another character – A nomad Gujjar camping at Zojilla is experiencing the curse of climate change resulting in disease and death of his sheep flocks. It is both way. But change is perceptible. It is happening and happening fast.
RS : You have raised the issue of food security in a very subtle manner. The micro-climatic zones prevailing in small areas, the fascinating life style of Drass and Sangrah villages.
AK : We filmed what we saw. Two conditions prevailing in a small area. Abundance of snow fall and no snow fall at all. These are in fact dry conditions with little moisture can actually result in crop failure. But our role as a film maker is limited. It is up to agricultural sciences and researchers to further collect scientific data. Since public distribution system in Drass and Kargil is fairly good and supply of food is perpetual. We do not realize the impact of climate change on farming. But it is there. I think it is high time that state research institutes start paying attention to the issues of climate change and food security.
RS : Let me ask you about other aspects of the film. It exhibits an amazing quality of Cinematography, design and treatment. It is hard to believe that Doordarshan has produced it.
AK : In Doordarshan we are capable of producing films of World standard like National Geography and Discovery, but it is the question of opportunity. I am blessed by God in having an excellent team that we make. Gopal Rao my camera person is a class apart. He is amazing. Gopal has been the motivating support. He is ever ready to take the challenges. We shot in minus 20 degree and burning heat. Gopal has an excellent command on his apertures and compositions. Whispers of Warming – provided us a huge challenge of depicting Himalayas in terms of its hues and colours. The grey and dry Himalayas of Batalik to deep blue pinnacles of Zanaskar.
The mood of Himalayas and its wilderness. Gopal Roa has captured all with a fascination , alluring the viewers to see the mighty with open eyes and not with camera eye. Ashok Raina, the creative editor is a huge asset of talent. Where to cut and when to dissolve to bring out desired connotation to the narrative, Ashok perfects it.
Trained as a film editor, he infuses his skill in his sequences in terms and frames and not in seconds. This imparts a midas touch to the production.
RS : The narrative, the voice and script and the way it flows. It really takes off viewers along the fascinating journey of Himalayas aboard phenomenon of Climate Change.
AK : The rendering of voice by Jitendra Ramprakash is a turning point. In fact we had a task of selling poignant stories in a first person narrative. The challenge of rendering those subtle emotions is difficult. We worked very hard. It took us 6 hours in a sound studio to get perfect tone and style. I should mention also the contribution of sound recordist Nishant. Using technology in an emotive form of art is not easy. He did it with perfection. Writing a script, knitting sequences to represent a narrative like Whispers… Our script writer Vaibhab Varma accomplished a job which was indeed huge and difficult. He is a gifted talent. Vaibhav, the cool, would lead us to the directions of story flow and come out with ideas that make story telling engaging. I also wish to mention my young video editors Shahzad Ali and Rahul Agarwal. Their relentless work help shaped the film.
RS : ….Back to climate change. What solutions do you see to this challenge? How one can further explore on the changes and motivate people to adopt ?
AK : Whispers of Warming have already shown how Sonam Wangyal of Gharkone harnessing the benefit of warming through better irrigation and cultivating variety of plants. Sonam Wangchuk’s ice stupa – an artificial glacier at the cold desert of Ladakh offers huge possibility to change the eco-systems and water scarcity scenario. The point is to make communities realize their potential against this odd.
The films are not only motivating factors but make a good case study of the area. But a film maker has a limited access with the subject. This gap needs to be filled with civil societies and research institutes adopting vulnerable areas. Rongdum village may be one of our subjects.
But several such villages in the whole Himalayan region facing dwindling snow fall and vanishing species look for alternatives. It is indeed a good beginning when our film shows the religion taking lead to understand science and offering solutions.
I think time has come when we need to think the other way. Getting solutions through Government mechanisms may not suffice the vastness of change. Education and awareness is the key factors so that demands come from suffering communities, to alter the change in a way they perceive it.
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