Aishwarya Sridhar, a self-proclaimed “simple girl from India” on a mission to protect our planet, is an international award-winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker. As the founder of Bambee Studios, she’s dedicated to using storytelling for positive change. From capturing the elusive lion-tailed macaque in the Western Ghats to advocating for wetland protection through her debut film Panje – The Last Wetland, Sridhar’s work has made a significant impact. (She’s also followed India’s popular wild tigress, Maya, resulting in the film Tiger Queen of Taru, which premiered during 2021 Big Cat Week and now broadcasts globally.) With clients like Discovery, BBC Earth, and Google, and accolades including the Princess Diana Award and Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Sridhar is aiming to make a real difference in the world of wildlife conservation and storytelling.
WMJ: Can you share what initially inspired you to pursue wildlife photography and filmmaking? What were some significant challenges you faced in the early stages of your career?
My childhood played a big role in shaping who I am today. I hail from a land that is extremely biodiverse, home to over 7-8% of the world’s recorded species. My childhood was spent in the foothills of Matheran in India, playing in the verdant green forest. I remember my grandmother telling me stories while I watched the fireflies dancing on my balcony with fascination. But as I grew up, I witnessed the landscape around me transform. Forests were replaced by national highways and mangroves were cleared for polluting industries – and fireflies became a rarity.
As a 13 year old, I wanted to do something about it, and that’s when I came across wildlife documentaries for the first time. I watched the TV series Life, where Sir David Attenborough talks about incredible wild species and plant life. It dawned on me – if I could fall in love with Komodo dragons by just watching them on television sitting in a living room in India, maybe I could capture the wildlife around me on camera and show it to other people and make them fall in love with and protect it too. This thought motivated me to pick up the camera to tell stories of the wild, stories of the human impact on our environment, and of the local communities working silently to protect wildlife.
But turning my passion into a profession hasn’t been easy. The biggest challenge I faced early on was that people didn’t take me seriously – and it used to get quite frustrating. Their condescending attitude, dismissing me as ‘just a kid’ who lacked professional expertise pushed me to work really hard to prove myself. And being a girl only increased the challenges. I found that when I tried to hire a camera operator for a project, he had a problem taking orders and creative input from a girl. It resulted in an ego-clash. In India, women are not associated with outdoor jobs and though times are changing, it is still difficult for men to accept women in a position of power.
WMJ: How has your approach to storytelling evolved over the years? What key lessons have you learned that have shaped your perspective?
Earlier I used to be very focused on the technical aspects and used to worry a lot about the gear being used. But now I have come to understand that the story is KING! If you have a powerful story, even if it’s shot on a mobile phone, it will still be widely appreciated and recognized. I approach all my projects with the same enthusiasm and passion I had when I first decided to become a filmmaker. But now, a lot of research and pre-production work happens before we roll. I spend hours understanding my subject before I head out into the field. This helps me capture animal behavior in a more nuanced and personal way than before.
Over the years, working closely with big cats has taught me a lot of patience and perseverance. I now understand that if I spend enough time with animals, I will be able to capture intimate moments and never-before-seen aspects of their lives on camera. I spent 6 years following a tigress named Maya from the forests of Tadoba for my documentary, Tiger Queen of Taru. During that time, I understood that tigers can think, feel, and act just like humans! This changed my perspective towards natural history storytelling. I now view my subjects as individuals having their own personalities and try to tell their stories as authentically as possible as if they were human protagonists.
WMJ: Tell us more about your current project on the Indian star tortoise. What drew you to this species? How are you approaching this documentary differently from your previous works?
My project focuses on the illegal trafficking of the Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) and is funded by the National Geographic Society. The exotic pet trade is growing at an alarming rate. The star-shaped markings on its shell has led to an increased demand for them as pets. Their prices range from $200-5,000 US dollars, depending on the size and markings on the carapace. They are poached from the forests of India and smuggled to Southeast Asia.
In the documentary, I have followed the trade pipeline from my home country to these black markets in Bangkok. (I learned about the trade through a YouTube video which popped up during the lockdown.) Seeing a wild tortoise in a person’s home made me suspicious and I began to dig deeper. I was shocked to find the animal listed for sale on a lot of websites and this prompted me to tell this story. Driven by popular myths and superstitions, every year millions of animals are sourced from the wild and sold in international markets, ending up in people’s basements or gardens. The documentary highlights the scale of the trade, the role of superstition in fueling it, and the use of science and technology in combating the trade and reviving the species.
The way I approached this project was very different from my other big cat projects. One of my main goals was to ensure that a fair story be told and all perspectives be included, including that of tribal poachers who form the base of the smuggling racket. My team and I have filmed undercover in some of the most notorious pet markets in the world and we had to be extremely careful while shooting. We spent a lot of time gaining access into this murky underworld and working our way through several challenges to tell an authentic story that showcases the plight of this tortoise.
WMJ: What impact do you hope to achieve with your documentary? How do you plan to engage and educate your audience about wildlife trafficking and conservation?
Through the universal language of still and motion pictures, I aspire to reach millions of people in India and across the globe, as a means of galvanizing trans-border, multi-sector support to protect the Indian star tortoise. As a part of the impact and outreach campaign, I’ll be hosting a screening for the officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. The film will also be screened at several schools and colleges in urban areas to educate the youth, thereby lowering the demand for the animal as a pet.
It’s important to make people understand the consequences of bringing a wild animal home, not just for the animal but also for themselves. Salmonella is a dangerous illness pet owners can contract from tortoises. So through the film, I want to educate people and show them that if you love an animal, then allow it to thrive in the wild. That’s the place where they actually belong. The film will also be showcased to the villagers who engage in poaching the star tortoise. I plan to work with the government to ensure that necessary policies are implemented which will provide them alternate sources of livelihood. Cutting the demand and supply is very important to counter wildlife trafficking.
WMJ: Congrats on your new venture, Bambee Studios? How do you envision it influencing the realm of wildlife and environmental storytelling? What creative direction or philosophies will guide the studio’s productions?
Bambee Studios marks a significant journey for me, aiming to be a frontrunner in global wildlife and environmental filmmaking. Through captivating imagery, I want to ignite a love for wildlife, fostering a deep desire for its protection. Simultaneously, the studio will employ impactful visuals to provoke action, contributing to the preservation of our planet. Bambee Studios, led by a dedicated team of BIPOC storytellers, embraces diversity and innovation, utilizing state-of-the-art technology alongside top-tier cinematography. The vision is for Bambee to stand out as a production company narrating local stories on a global stage, making conservation mainstream. When it comes to project selection, our core focus is on stories that evoke emotions and drive meaningful action. The philosophy guiding our productions is to not just celebrate the natural world but also highlight the impactful individuals shaping the future of conservation. It’s about changing the narrative and ensuring our stories make a lasting difference.
WMJ: Looking ahead, what subjects or environmental issues are you planning to explore in your upcoming projects? What inspires your selection of these themes?
Our planet is facing an environmental crisis and people are being impacted disproportionately. There are so many stories we are exploring right now for our upcoming projects. Doom and gloom is being overdone. If people are bombarded with too much negativity, they might do nothing about it. It’s important to make people understand that all is not lost and we still have time to make things right. We still have biodiversity worth protecting. And at the end of the day, a person switches on TV to watch something entertaining. And with decreasing attention spans, it is vital to keep your audience hooked onto your documentary till the end to deliver the message. So, at the core, the stories should be relevant, have shock value, while at the same time be entertaining and inspire hope and action.
“Doom and gloom is being overdone. If people are bombarded with too much negativity, they might do nothing about it. It’s important to make people understand that all is not lost and we still have time to make things right.”
Aishwarya Sridhar
Wildlife Photographer & Filmmaker
WMJ: In your opinion, what are the emerging trends and technological innovations that will shape the future of wildlife and environmental storytelling?
Cameras were once the size of a room and fairly immobile. Today, you can shoot an entire feature film on an iPhone, not to forget that cameras can be placed on drones too! That’s how much progress we have achieved. It’s important to keep yourself up-to-date with the latest technological trends and implement them in your project if it’s feasible. Drone, camera trapping & immersive storytelling techniques are gaining momentum.
But in the future, I feel AI could really change the way stories are created. Cameras like the upcoming DJI Ronin 4D are combining features and capabilities in ways that many would have once thought impossible, placing the power of a steadicam in the palm of anyone’s hand and enlisting AI to intricately pull focus. I am really curious to see how AI will change the course of post-production too. Adobe has already integrated AI-powered techniques to automate time-consuming manual tasks such as motion tracking. With so many advancements in technology, it’s an exciting time to work in filmmaking.
WMJ: What advice would you give to the next generation of visual storytellers who aspire to make a difference through their work?
Focus on the story as it is king! Keep it real, authentic, and relatable. That’ll ensure people connect with your film – and ultimately each and every wildlife filmmaker is trying to inspire conservation through their work. Keep your eyes on your goal and be patient, perseverant, and passionate!
🐾 Follow Aiswarya’s work at aishwaryasridhar.com and Instagram @chikoo_wild. For updates on the launch of Bambee Studios sign up >
