If a film can triggers protests, why not air pollution: Mike Pandey

People come out on the streets in protest when it comes to films, but why are there no protests against lethal air and water pollution, award-winning wildlife filmmaker Mike Pandey said on Saturday.

Pandey also said that wildlife documentaries were dying in India due to lack of funding.

"For change to take place, we must have partnership with common people. Common people must come out too. There's a film that is in a controversy. OK good enough, people have come out on the street.

"But why haven't people come out on the streets against the poisoned air that we are breathing which is killing our young children, killing our senior citizens or lack of clean pure water," he said in a media interaction on the sidelines of the 48th International Film Festival of India.

Pandey, who has won multiple awards for his wildlife documentaries, including the prestigious Green Oscar, also said that there was no future in India for wildlife filmmakers, due to an absolute lack of funding.

"If you are going into wildlife, my advice is don't. Wildlife saving is very crucial, but don't go into it, because it will never get you enough bread on the table, if you are a married man with a family. Because nobody funds wildlife films in India. That is the truth. You want to make a film on Rakhi Sawant, you will get flooded, but not on wildlife," he said.

--IANS

maya/vd