Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 6: Filmmaker Chandra Mouli Mallampalli’s short documentary Searching for Choti is set to be screened on June 7 at the EcoReels Film Festival 2025 in New Delhi.

The film follows Subas Behera, a local fisherman turned conservation advocate, and wildlife filmmaker Giridhar Nayak as they search for one of India’s rarest wild cats the Fishing Cat against the stunning backdrop of Chilika Lagoon in Odisha.

Nayak, who plays the lead, also serves as the film’s cinematographer.

Mallampalli said, “This film looks at how wetlands like Chilika support both wildlife and local communities and how that balance is now at risk. With less freshwater and a rise in intensive farming, the landscape is changing.”

He added, “Through this film, I hope to highlight how protecting wetlands and communities goes hand in hand.”

Searching for Choti recently won the 'Best Short Film on Nature and Wildlife' award at the International Motion Picture Awards in Canada.

Mallampalli and Nayak have also collaborated on another documentary, Mandala, directed by Nayak and produced by Mallampalli, which explores human-snake conflict and snakebite deaths along Maharashtra’s Konkan coast.

Starting as a wildlife and environmental storyteller, Mallampalli now focuses on real-world impactful stories through his filmmaking.