Vijay Bedi

Vijay Bedi is the third generation of wildlife film maker and photographer in a family that has a long history of expertise in this highly specialized field.^[1]

He has worked with various national and international channels like CNN International, Aljazeera English, Canadian Television, BBC, Channel 4 Television, Doordarshan, PBS Now, TF1 French Channel, ZDF Channel, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and Discovery Science Channel.^[1]

Vijay Bedi & his twin brother Ajay Bedi are the youngest Asians to have won the Green Oscar for their films – The Policing Langur.^[2][3][4]

Ajay Bedi & Vijay Bedi are also the only Indians to have won a nomination at the television highest awards at Emmy® Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.^[5]

Vijay along with his twin brother Ajay Bedi admits that their father, the first Indian film maker to win the Green Oscars award (1984), Naresh Bedi was the man behind their talent and success. Wildlife photography and film making appears to be an inborn quality with the twin brothers. Bedi's has won three Green Oscars.

In 2005, the film Policing Langur by Vijay Bedi and Ajay Bedi was also selected for the second edition of the Wildlife Film Festival hosted in Nandan (Kolkata). Sourced from National Geographic Society, Discovery Channel, Bedi Films, and Romulus Whitaker, over 40 films participated in the festival.^[6]

Their documentary, The Policing of the Langur, made in 2009 was nominated as the best film in the Newcomers Category at Wild Screen Film Festival. Trained in movie making at the Aurobindo Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, the duo won the Green Oscars for their documentary film on the life of two endangered Himalayas's Red pandas called the Cherub of the Mist. "Our documentary captures the colourful vista of man-monkey relationship in India, dating back to mythological times. It is a captivating tale of veneration, tolerance and co-existence," said Vijay and Ajay. When asked about wildlife photography, the twin brothers said, "It can expose environmental problems and encourage people to care.^[7]

Vijay Bedi, also worked as one of the nominating jury members for the First Frame 2013 – Fifth International Students’ Film Festival on March 19 and 20, 2013. "The talent was enormous. This film festival is a very good opportunity for youngsters as it provides a great launch pad for them,” said Vijay to The Hindu'.^[8][9]

Documentary film

NATURE & WILDLIFE FILMS

NZZ FORMAT: WENN BILDER TIERE RETTEN- DIE GESCHICHTE DER BEDI- BRUDER

Der extrem seltene rote Panda lebt in einem kleinen Gebiet im indischen Himalaya. Monatelang haben die Zwillingsbrüder Ajay und Vijay Bedi im Schnee ausgeharrt, um ihn zu filmen. Dank ihren Anstrengungen hat die indische Regierung das Siedlungsgebiet des roten Pandas unter Schutz gestellt. Bereits der Grossvater, der Vater und der Onkel der Bedi-Brüder haben sich um Indiens reiche Tierwelt verdient gemacht. Ihr Werk dokumentiert Indiens Fauna über mehr als sechzig Jahre.^[10]

CLEAN & GREEN ENERGY

In the eyes of the world, India’s rapidly growing economy will be responsible for increased greenhouse gas emissions in the future. While India may not necessarily have created the problem, it aims to be part of the solution. Around the country through government and civil society initiatives a number of efforts are being made to switch to clean, green renewable sources of energy.

The film travels from the villages of Rajasthan to Bihar, to the millennium city of Gurgaon, it shows how the sun, the wind and all natural elements can be harnessed for generating energy. The film takes a critical look at why green energy solutions have not occupied mainstream policy and how to popularize these methods for economies of scale.^[10]

MELTING PARADISE

This film for the first time takes you beyond the battle zone and explores Jammu & Kashmir’s rich water sources now battling a new threat, namely - Climate change.^[11]

Rising temperatures, even if slight, will have catastrophic effects. One of the first predicted impacts of climate change is the melting of the Himalayan glaciers also known as “Water Towers of Asia”. A shrinking glacier will have serious effects on the livelihood of tens of thousands of people downstream that depend on its life-giving waters. Wetlands act as sponges or carbon sinks that remove carbon from the atmosphere. Film conclude as conservation of water resources such as wetlands is an important mitigation strategy against climate change and all nations across the globe will have to if they hope to meet the almost reduce their carbon emissions unthinkable challenges of a world short of water.^[10]

GHARIAL CRISIS

A disease struck the core habitat of the Chambal Sanctuary in India, wiping out hundreds of Gharials which is more than fifty per cent of the adult and semi adult population in the entire area. This catastrophic epidemic could further lead to a danger that might crash the population of this critically endangered species to a level that it may never fully recover.

To give Gharials the rightful priority they deserve, this Film is an endeavour to ascertain the cause of deaths by carrying out field investigations, involving Indian and international experts, for the protection and conservation of Gharials.^[10]

WILD ADVENTURE WITH BEDI BROTHERS- 13 x Half-hour programmes

A 13-part TV environment series called “Wild Adventures - Ballooning with Bedi Brothers”. The series combines the adventures of ballooning with the art of wildlife filmmaking. In the series, they spanned the length and breadth of the sub- continent, covering as they go an entire array of wildlife, nature and the impact of humans on the environment. The series was shot with a large crew with intense support from government of India and forest department.^[10]

CHERUB OF THE MIST

This film has won more than 21 awards.

Due to the forbidding terrain of its mountain habitat, there hardly exists any significant film or photographic record of the natural history of the red panda species in the wild. Made over 2 years, the first Indian film to unravels the secretive life of this mysterious and little known Red Pandas. This is the first ever documentation never-seen footage of the full life cycle of highly endangered species Indian has. The film showcase for first time ever the glory, courting and mating, nest building, rearing of the newly-born.

Most challenging sequence was Courtship behavior, which happens one for single day in a year. Vijay was lucky to capture is on the film.

Their population is low as 1000 only. Less than even great cat like tiger and snow leopards.

Before this film was made, many Indian thought pandas were not found in India but only in China. Our film could convince Indian officials that red panda excites in small pockets of Singalila National park and has been fighting its lonely battle for survival in the eastern Himalayas. These helpless red pandas are killed for there fur. A lank mark move, with full support of Bengal Chief Minister, now species is well protected under the Indian law.^[10]

ECHOES FROM THE JUNGLE- 13 x half hour programmes It is a pioneering serial of thirteen half-hour episodes of action, adventure and discovery about India's Wildlife. The serial traces the filming expeditions of the Bedi brothers with their children Rashmi and Vijay in habitats of thirteen endangered wildlife, each episode featuring an endangered species.

The series incorporating strong conservation messages treads innovative paths different than the conventional presenter led narrative or documentary format. The story lines are disclosed by inter-weaving rare behavioral footage of these species with records of the filming action of the team. The children and Bedi brothers interact with people and scientists on location, who are involved in conservation protection and research of these species.

The team's encounters with wild animals have been principally shot live, making it a series of fun-filled adventure as well as an exciting voyage of discovery. Viewers listen to the sounds of the forest, learn to track animals and interpret the signs of the jungle. There are moments of real danger when the team confront a lone tusker in musth', or tail rhino poachers in Kaziranga or when they plod through the Sunderban swamps where man-eating tigers lurk. The Bedi Brothers' experience and presence of mind, bails them out on each occasion.

Naresh and Rajesh Bedi draw upon their store of information and anecdotes nriched by thirty five years of experience in the field, to entertain and enlighten the viewers about the richness of India's animal life. Visuals and music transpose to make Echoes from the Jungle a memorable and exhilarating excursion through the natural realm of India.^[10]

'THE POLICING LANGUR'

Film captures the colorful vista of man-monkey relationship in India that stretches from mythology to the modern and makes for a captivating tale of veneration, tolerance and co-existence. A fascinating journey through low-budget guerilla style filmmaking.

Winner of Green Oscar, UK, 2004. Making Ajay & Vijay bedi youngest Indian to win Green Oscar. Film got its second award for Best Wildlife Documentary at Vatavarn Film Festival, 2005.^[10]

Feature Film

MONSOON WEDDING

Vijay Bedi assisted his father, an eminent filmmaker, Naresh Bedi, on cinematography for Mira Nair’s much-talked-about film Monsoon Wedding, which won The Best Film Award at the Venice Film Festival.

THE FOREST

Vijay Bedi also worked as a crew member of the wildlife unit for his father and uncle, Rajesh Bedi for a feature film on the man-eating leopards of the Indian jungles called The Forest (2009 film), directed by the Oscar nominee, Ashvin Kumar.^[12]

INSHALLAH,KASHMIR

'There's no better way of understanding Kashmir right now' said Tehelka magazine about Oscar nominated Ashvin Kumar's latest: 'Inshallah, football'- a documentary that does the difference. The film won the National Film Award. Directed by Ashvin Kumar and additional cinematography is done by Vijay Bedi for the film.^[13]

THE MARATHON BOY

In 2011, Vijay Bedi did the cinematography for a Budhia Singh starrer documentary film called the Marathon Boy, a story about a boy from a countryside in Orissa; the film was funded by HBO & BBC. For a particular sequence in the film, he had to run alongside Budhia lugging a 15 kg camera on his shoulder.^[12]

References