Beyond the blue lagoons and white sands, a tale of resilience Premium

Nasser, a resident of Lakshadweep islands, touches upon the crux of one of the most concerning problems of our times – climate change. With islands being among the most vulnerable systems to the adverse impacts of accelerated climate change, it’s people like him, often for no fault of theirs, that find their lives and livelihoods threatened. And yet, more than often, islanders have displayed extreme resilience and continued to practice their sustainable ways more or less.  

In a profound moment in the documentary film Choora, Abdul Nassar, the protagonist, says - ‘The times have changed, the sea has changed, the people have changed, and so have the fish.’ He looks away and before him spreads the sea like a pall of coral and crimson under the setting sun.  

Nasser, a resident of Lakshadweep islands, touches upon the crux of one of the most concerning problems of our times – climate change. With islands being among the most vulnerable systems to the adverse impacts of accelerated climate change, it’s people like him, often for no fault of theirs, that find their lives and livelihoods threatened. And yet, more than often, islanders have displayed extreme resilience and continued to practice their sustainable ways more or less.  

Choora (which translates to Tuna), a collaborative venture between Bengaluru-based filmmaker Anand Ramakrishnan and Mysuru-headquartered Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), is an attempt to celebrate such lives.  

It’s the first part of a series titled ‘Ways of Life’ that aims to highlight the various aspects of island livelihoods. The team is now getting ready for its next which is expected to be shot by the end of the year or early next year. 

It’s pitch dark at 4 a.m. in the morning when the movie starts. But there’s a flurry of activities on the beach; Jerry cans are being filled with fuel, a motor is revving in the background, men are getting on a skiff, baskets are being stacked in it, engines are being checked... For the fisherfolks of Lakshadweep, the day has already begun. In their midst, Anand Ramakrishnan zooms in his camera.  

“NCF has been doing research in Lakshadweep for years now and the movie happened as a result of the many conversations we had,” says Ramakrishnan.  

“The idea was to celebrate local life and to see if it could help promote local traditions and cultures that can secure the livelihoods of the island in a sustainable manner,” he adds.