Lake Chilika Lake – Chilika Lake, on Odisha’s eastern coast, hosts over 315 fish varieties and attracts many water and air predators. One of them is the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), noted for its bulbous, rounded head and beluga-like features. Roundglass Sustain’s recent Bengali documentary titled Chilika’s Irrawaddy Dolphins delves into how these creatures and the local fisherfolk collaborate during hunts.

The six-minute film, directed by BIONIT and produced by Samreen Farooqui, captures the unique relationship in detail. “Our focus was on species that are lesser known in the mainstream. We were also looking at Odisha as a habitat, and when we examined the Chilika lagoon, we realised this is a story that needs attention,” Samreen says.

The fisherfolk in Chilika employ a fishing method using stake nets, which are long nets fixed on wooden stakes hoisted on the lagoon bed. The nets intercept fish that are moving with the currents. The Irrawaddy dolphins spray water on their prey when they swim through shallow waters, thus trapping them against the nets.

Another fisherman in the documentary also points out how the dolphins, which initially hunt in deep waters, force the fish out with their presence, making it easy for fisherfolk to catch them. Samreen says, “We were careful while talking about the fishing method because they are not trawlers. These are artisanal fishermen who are trying to make ends meet with their fishing.

” The making of the documentary Dhritiman Mukherjee from BIONT says, “We made several visits over a period of two years. Our objective throughout has been to advocate for a safer, healthier ecosystem where all life forms can coexist peacefully.

So, every filming decision was guided by a nature-first philosophy, with a strict focus on no disturbance to the ecosystem. ” He adds, “We used drones and long lenses to maintain a distance from the dolphins. The boat’s engine was always stopped when dolphins were nearby.

We also worked with the most experienced local boatman from the community, whose knowledge of the ecosystem was valuable for us. ” The makers point out that Chilika is busy with activities such as fishing and tourism. Yet there is no conflict between the locals and the dolphins, contributing to a positive work environment.

“We tried our best to be unobtrusive and maintain a low profile with our low-impact shooting practices,” says Dhritiman. The creators say the biggest challenge while making the documentary was observing the dolphins during their active time.

Dhritiman explains, “They are shy, fast-moving, and highly unpredictable, and there is very limited research or documented information available about them. It allowed us to learn directly from the field and share those insights with the world.

Almost everything we documented about their behaviour felt new and surprising, especially their hunting strategies. ” “Filming conditions were also technically demanding. We worked from unstable, constantly moving boats, which made capturing steady footage extremely difficult.

Operating drones from the boat added to the complexity, and we lost one drone during the process,” adds Dhritiman. The documentary is streaming on Roundglass Sustain YouTube channel.