The Natural World – BBC 2 – Mountains of the Monsoon
If you missed watching the show yesterday and are living in the UK, you can download and watch the program on BBC’s iplayer for the next couple of weeks - BBC iplayer – Mountains of the Monsoon
To view the trailer: YouTube – Mountains of the Monsoon
Wildlife documentary filmmaker, environmentalist and photographer, Sandesh Kadur, has traded a comfortable career in the family business to explore the natural wonders of the Western Ghat mountains. Just a few hours drive from the commercial bustle of his native Bangalore, Sandesh could be a world away. The monsoon pours six metres of rainfall each year on the remote peaks and isolated valleys of the Ghats. Alongside familiar Indian species like elephants, tigers and peacocks are more mysterious creatures that are found nowhere else: a purple frog with a face like a shrew and a monkey with a lion-like mane and tail.
Most intriguing of all, a chance sighting of a grey big cat, unlike anything scientists have seen before. To find out whether this enigmatic cat-in-the-ghat really is a new species, Sandesh must climb to the summit of these mountains. His journey is a reminder that in fast-track, modern India, this cloud-wrapped wilderness is more precious than ever.
I look forward to your comments and feedback.
Many thanks,
Sandesh
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I was completely bawled over by the documentary: the content, the filming, the photos, everything.
Thank you so much for allowing me to see what must have been a truly amazing journey. It has shown me a part of India I never knew existed.
Hi Sandesh,
I watched the program and it was very well made. It was definitely a proud feeling to watch a Indian made documentary on British channel. I am looking forward for your NGC film, Keep up the good work and Keep them coming!
I switched to the BBC channel because the local tv-magazine gave the program a high rating.
It was like time stopped… The children left their noisy play and we were all “teleported” to India.
Incredibly beautiful pictures, the music created the perfect atmosphere. The warmth of Sandesh’s personality and his devotion to wildlife preservation made this documentary one which I will remember for long.
Hi Sandesh
I have just been watching your documentary, WOW !!! TOP MAN,
This is not from an impressionable teen but a 66 yr old nature photographer, If you can retain my attention like this film did, plus get me to send this note, you are the man, If only 1% of the viewers take on board what they have seen this will go a long way to help your achievement, and the worlds environment.
Glyn Round
UK
Hi Sandesh
As a nature photographer myself I very much enjoyed the film (and the mystery). There aren’t enough documentaries of this type and I hope to see more on the BBC. I also enjoyed viewing your gallery and website – keep snapping!
Damian Waters
Dear Sandesh
I have just watched your film – Mountains of the Monsoon. It was so marvellous and I just wanted to congratulate you on the film and the work that you are doing.
The camera work was superb.
Kind regards
Bob Lamoon
Hi Sandesh
We met briefly at the end of Wildscreen, and of course I knew you from FilmMakers For Conservation!
I wanted to congratulate you on the Natural World we watched last night. It was the freshest wildlife film I have seen in ages. Beautiful stills, (the first time I have seen this technique worked in such a way -and it worked great.) an intriguing mysterious story, and a fantastic introduction to the mountains and their animals you clearly love so much. All beautifully shot.
But as a musician, I was knocked out by Susheela Raman’s and her partner’s music, (and her narration!) This felt totally natural, and completely avoided the cliches that can happen when scoring to picture, The use of it has raised the bar again for wildlife I think.
Did you use some pre existing tracks from an album, as well as specially composed? I would love to see if i can find it.
Anyway I hope we see more of you films soon.
All best Wishes
Al
Al Lethbridge
Composer
http://www.AlLethbridge.com
Sandesh,
Sorry, I haven’t seen the documentary yet; I live in the wilds of the United States, and it takes longer to port British tv to American than it does a Windows app to Macintosh (something about incompatible commercial breaks I believe).
I just thought I’d drop by and thank you for stopping by Tetrapod Zoology. That’s how I found this blog and this thread. I’m hoping your work leads to follow up studies on the poggy and The Ghats as a whole. Pseudo-omniscients to the contrary, we don’t know every square inch of this planet, and what we do know is either out of date or wrong to begin with.
Good luck with your projects.
(Stray observation: There are those who say that Shiva the scholar contradicts Shiva the warrior, when all they do is show that Shiva had many interests.)
Hey Sandesh,
Congratulations with your wonderful acievement…I have been watching the documentary and I really enjoyed it! Great how you mixed the many different stories (the ‘I’ve-got-to-find-the-new-feline’ story, the conservational story, the ‘exploration-of-almost-unknown-wilderness’ story, the portrait of the mountains and your personal who-is-Sandesh-Kadur?-story) into one strong film! It must have been a jigsaw puzzle to put these stories together (with endless possibilities) and also the variation of images to tell your story: I loved the speeding up of some images (it really worked), your beautiful photographs, the thermal images, the great wide shots over the mountains…waw… you really made it work! And what a great personal expedition as well. As a mountain-freak, zoologist and cinematographer I was quite jealous of your expedition…what a great environment!
I think I must visit India one day…definitely!
How are you doing by the way? Already preparing some other great Sandesh-filmmoments??
I hope you are doing well and I’m looking forward to hear from you!
Pim
Dear All,
Many thanks for your kind comments and feedback. Like any documentary you see on television it’s all about teamwork, and I’m glad to have had a wonderful team of people to work with in order to make this happen!
Best regards,
Sandesh
Hi Sandesh (and team)
Just watched this documentary and it’s excellent.
I wish you luck finding the Pogeyan, please keep us up dated on your efforts.
I am living in Tamil Nadu,but recently visited England where i was lucky enough to see your documentary.For me your photos encapture everything that is magical about India.I could feel the passion that you have for your subjects.
You have a rare magic,you dont just take the photos,you capture the very spirit of the animal.
When we have people like you on this earth,there is some hope that we can preserve it for future generations,and hopefully not just on film.
With great admiration Elaine
I watched your “The Mountains of the Monsoon” programme recently and really loved it. It was so refreshing to see a programme about India and its wildlife that did not focus just on tigers!
Congratulations on a fantastic film.
Dear Shri Sandesh,
I saw yr film on TV in ” Mountains of the Monsoon ” where you said you had seen this animal of the cat family, which you saw in daylight but could not see again.You later surmised that it might be a genetic mutation of a member of the cat family etc. I would like to tell you that I saw the animal at around 12 midnight in December 1987 when I was working as a mining engineer in the Kudremukh Iron ore company Ltd. We were returning from Mangalore and this animal was on the road confronted by bright headlights of the vehicle just after a turning. It was in a narrow cutting in the hill through which the road had been cut and the surprised animal had only one way to escape.It jumped about 22-25 feet up onto a ledge cut on the hill side. I at the time thought it was a panther and thought nothing odd in its presence there. The location is on the strech of road somewhat after the forest gate on the Karkala Kudremukh road just before Gangamula. It was deep brown in colour about 2.5feet in height and about the size of a leopard but looking like a mountain cat, with sharp pointed ears.Very athletic. The animal exists whether recorded or not. Also thank you for showing me the western ghats again after so many years, it feels like home and very good memories.Souma ranajit roy
Your blog is very interresting for me, i will come back here..
Hi Sandesh,
Im Jagdish from bangalore
Saw your documentory which was absolutely mind blowing i never moved a muscle till the end ,saddly the pogeyan was not filmed, hope u will find that & prove all your critcs wrong ,& re-write the natural history of Indian wild life. Kindly write a mail to My ID about Pogeyan
All the best
Awaiting for your reply
Jagdish
I watched your documentry on “Colours of India” on Discovery channel.
the overall composition and the form of the film was awesomely framed…the music part was apropriate and mysterious in its own form.
the strory-line and the flow of incidences which are fimed were nicely correlated.
I myself is a writer and like your documentry story very well.
Best wishes for your upcoming creative work.
hi sandesh.
i saw your film on ngc. congrats on your wonderful achievement. hope this will guide our present generation to preserve the glorious western ghats.
Hi Sandesh,
Its been quite sometime I was thinking of doing something really worthy in terms of conservation. I am really moved by the depth and spectrum of your coverage in the movie. I definitely believe Indian subcontinent is in tremendous need for strict conservation policies and implementations. Your movie depicts the urgency and I hope, our young India will join hands in saving those fortunate ones from the hands of extinction.
Wish to interact with you sometime.
All the best!!!
Kaustav.
I was taken away by UR documentary.
The way u showed India was breathtaking!!!!!!!
It was good to see GREEN INDIA!!!!!!
Hope U find the pogeyan soon.
ALL THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!