Filmmaker Subbiah Nallamuthu on tigers, wildlife documentaries, and conservation

Subbiah Nallamuthu reveals the emotional and technical hurdles of capturing the legendary tigress Machli in ‘The World’s Most Famous Tiger’

Few filmmakers might have ever forged a bond with their subject as profoundly as Subbiah Nallamuthu did with Machli, the legendary tigress of Ranthambore. In his award-winning wildlife documentary The World’s Most Famous Tiger (2017), screened on December 12 as a part of IIHS Screens at the Indian Institute of Human Settlements in Sadashivnagar, Bengaluru, he chronicles Machli’s life from her prime to her poignant final days, telling a story that has resonated with audiences worldwide.

Wildlife filmmaking often sparks a debate: Should stories centre on individual animals, or should they emphasise broader ecological narratives? For Subbiah, the answer is clear. “Most channels or platforms want personal storytelling,” he explains, “Honestly speaking, that is what works. Take My Octopus Teacher, for example. It’s about one man’s bond with an octopus, and it won an Oscar. Personal stories resonate.”

While scientists and environmentalists have criticised this approach, Subbiah believes it is a powerful way to connect people with nature. “Scientists prefer numbers over names for tigers, but for filmmakers like us, who rarely get commissioned or funded, storytelling is paramount,” he says. “Audiences connect emotionally when they can follow one character’s journey.”

Following Machli for nearly a decade presented its own set of challenges. “The story hinged on capturing her final moments,” he recalls. “Wild tigers usually vanish into the forest to die, but Machli’s death occurred in an accessible area. That gave me the rare opportunity to document her end.”

Subbiah’s persistence paid off. His film not only showcased Machli’s conflicts with her offspring and her decline in old age but also documented her unique relationships with other tigers. “The male tiger who fathered three generations — his death was a pivotal moment. Such emotional sequences were new to audiences and even some scientists,” he notes.

The filming process was anything but predictable. “You spend years gathering footage, waiting for significant events,” he says. “It’s nerve-wracking. If I hadn’t captured Machli’s death, I would have lost six years of documentation because that’s the most crucial thing in the film. That was the risk.”

In wildlife filmmaking, finding the balance between emotional storytelling and scientific accuracy is crucial. For Subbiah, the former takes precedence. “About 80-90% of my films focus on emotional storytelling—the characters, their bonds, and relationships,” he says. “If I include scientific details, it’s usually through voiceovers, and only when it enhances the narrative.”