Synopsis

The people of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh (India) have lived with leopards for a long time, but most have been oblivious to its presence unless directly confronted. The forest officials regularly engage in incredibly unsafe “rescue” efforts against ‘maneating’ leopards .
Ashvani Sharma, a bhajan singer and wildlife enthusiast, narrates the story of harmonious coexistence between locals and the big cat, spreading awareness about the plight of the leopard through filming and studying them over 20 years.
The film introduces the topic of urban wildlife through big city bungalows and thatched shepherd homes, both regularly visited by leopards. Ashvani is the common thread between different people of Shimla, and takes us into the only house inside the Catchment wildlife sanctuary, where a watchman resides. The watchman’s family regularly encounters leopards and through a series of their interactions, we understand how a very urban idea of wildlife conservation clashes with the ground realities of local people living with wildlife.

Director

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  Munmun Dhalaria
  

  I’m a documentary filmmaker interested in the areas of wildlife conservation, gender and livelihoods.
  I independently handle research; shooting, scripting and editing my short films.
  I enjoy the entire process of documentaries, especially shooting in the field for wildlife conservation or livelihood stories. I am very comfortable working in challenging and physically demanding environments, having worked in rural and remote locations.
  I started my career with a keen interest in human-wildlife conflict situations. I am passionate about working in communities that directly deal with such issues, be it conservation of wildlife or natural resources that they depend upon.