Set in the remote hamlets of Karnataka’s Western Ghats, ‘Huliyappa’ retells the story of the eponymous tiger-deity believed to protect people, cattle and pets from wildlife – particularly tigers, leopards and sloth bears.
Through the journey of Athanu, a child being introduced to Huliyappa on the day of Deepavali, the film examines the role of faith in the moving tolerance towards large Carnivora despite livestock losses and human injuries from them.
But in the face of our continued alienation from our roots, will we conserve such indigenous wisdom to vouchsafe our ability to coexist with Nature?
About the 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.
*Please note: The film is in Kannada and has English subtitles*
