Private Project

For the forest

"Vanjeevi" dwells through two parallel narratives united by a common purpose: protecting the environment. Padma Shri awardee Daripali Ramaiah and his wife exemplify this dedication with persistence, while the lesser-known tribals of the Hasdeo forest showcase it with resolute resistance.

  • Akash Rakesh Shukla
    Director
  • Akshit Vedavyas Salian
    Director
  • Sai Prakash Yadav
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Vanjeevi
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Feature
  • Genres:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 49 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 15, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    English, Hindi, Telugu
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Akash Rakesh Shukla, Akshit Vedavyas Salian

Akash has previously directed 'Ghat Ghat ka Paani' (2017) and 'Pindari' (2020), both under his production house 'Kalikrama Studio'. Akshit works in Advertising as 'Creative Director' and has worked on both the (above) films as a Creative Producer.

Both of them have known each other for over 20 years and run 'Kalikrama Studio' independently out of Mumbai. 'Vanjeevi' is their first directorial debut, together.

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Director Statement

Vanjeevi' is a personal reminder that even in the face of adversity, the human spirit will always persevere and thrive. A 75-year-old man's tireless spirit and the sheer resilience of an entire community - both their individual efforts leave you with a sense of responsibility and an understanding that our choices and actions have a direct impact on the world we share. Given the limited mainstream media coverage in the past decade, our only hope is that the film reaches out to the right people who can support the Hasdeo communities threatened by coal mining.