NAGA KRIDA: PLAYFUL MOUNTAINS

NAGAKRIDA: PLAYFUL MOUNTAINS is a transcendent cinematic meditation that invites viewers into the majestic, living essence of the world's most ancient peaks. Through a meticulously crafted non-spoken narrative, the film explores the profound interplay of light, shadow, and elemental forces, revealing mountains not merely as geological formations but as sentient entities engaged in their own timeless dance. Captured in a stunning array of colour, infrared, and stark black & white, and underscored by the evocative compositions of Talvin Singh and Rakesh Chaurasia, this film is a deep sensory immersion that encourages inner reflection and a renewed connection to the silent wisdom of nature.

  • Param Tomanec
    Director
    Rasa Yatra, Gotipua Krida, Reverie Krida
  • Param Tomanec
    Writer
    Rasa Yatra, Gotipua Krida, Reverie Krida
  • Param Tomanec
    Key Cast
    "Yogin"
    Kamala Krida
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Nature, Mountains, water, yoga, meditation
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 14 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 9, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    45,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India, United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Himachal Short Film Festival, India
Distribution Information
  • Param Tomanec
    Distributor
    Rights: All Rights
Director - Param Tomanec
Director Statement

I've always been drawn to the mountains—not just for their beauty or grandeur, but for the quiet presence they hold. Over the years, while working through DarkBluePictures, I’ve tried to create films that don't just show landscapes, but invite the viewer to feel them—to slow down, breathe, and connect.

"NAGAKRIDA: PLAYFUL MOUNTAINS" comes from that place of quiet, deep listening. It’s a film born out of stillness, out of watching how light moves across a ridge, how mist wraps around a peak, how the wind plays with silence. The idea of krida—this sense of spontaneous play—felt like the right lens to look through. What if the mountains aren't just watching us, but playing, dancing in their own slow, cosmic rhythm?

This film doesn’t have narration because words often get in the way. I wanted the images and the music to do the talking. Working with Talvin Singh and Rakesh Chaurasia has been a joy—their soundscapes lift the film into something that’s not just seen, but deeply felt. And to have the support and inspiration of Godfrey Reggio, whose films opened my eyes years ago to what cinema can be, has been deeply humbling.

We used a mix of formats—natural color, infrared, black & white—to explore different emotional textures. Each version of the mountain tells a slightly different story, depending on how you look at it.

"NAGAKRIDA" isn’t meant to explain anything. It’s more like a window—a quiet space where the viewer might start to see the mountains, and maybe even themselves, a little differently. To me, it’s a reminder that nature is not separate from us. It’s alive, playful, and always offering something—if we’re willing to pay attention.