Kadar is a 6 minute short film that captures the lives of the Kadar tribesmen. The film came out on digital platform, YouTube and Instagram.
Shanmuganandham said, "Four years ago, I was looking for a trail in the rain forests and found a 175-acre coffee estate which the owners had procured and given over to research and conservation . They wanted the native biodiversity to grow back. The owners were okay with having trails curated on their land but were specific that there was capacity control. They also wanted a financial model to be set in place for the two Kadar families who were taking care of the estate. This is when I met Loganathan." Loganathan went to help the crew navigate the jungle and showed them the real lives of the tribesman.
Talking about how they followed the suit of the native, Pravin re-accounts his experience. “We wanted the natives to lead the trek, giving not just nature enthusiasts but anyone who was interested a peeks into their life. Soon, we were curating around one trek per month — we had to park the vehicle at a particular point and walk from there. Everything from sugar, oil to salt had to be carried. At nights, we used to sit around a campfire, sip on black tea and listen to Loganathan narrate jungle lores,” shares Pravin.
The filmmaker said that he came up with the idea when he came across Bengaluru based production company Faraway Originals. Faraway Originals focuses on telling unheard stories of unheard people. At this juncture, the filmmaker knew that Loganathan's story had to be shared.
Talking about the intent behind such a project, the filmmaker says, “We hope the film will not only resonate with nature enthusiasts." But it also aims to drop a simple message in the hearts of any viewer too. "A plain yet significant message from the elders of the jungle in the remote areas of Anamalai Hills about how their traditional wisdom can help address the world’s wounds,” he shares.
