Prasanta Nanda to make film on Niyamgiri

The Pioneer,Nov 29,2007

Filmmaker Prasanta Nanda, is eying Niyamgiri hills for his next venture to catch the attention of the international community, of its rich environmental heritage and culture of the primitive tribal inhabitants. The Niyamgiri forests are now, in the thick of the controversy over the Vedanta group's proposal for bauxite mining in the area.

Nanda, also an Opposition political leader now, will make a documentary on Niyamgiri and one of its most primitive tribes, 'Dongaria Kondh'. The film will deal with the life styles of the Dongaria Kondh, which is a dwindling community of the eastern India. Eminent film personality Girish Karnad will provide script for the film.

"Niyamgiri is worshiped by the tribals as God; so, it will be very difficult on the part of a company to undertake mining in the area," said Nanda, who has done research for more than six years on the Niyamgiri hills and Dongaria Kondhs. This film would be shown at the Berlin International Film Festival, he said.