In New Delhi, on February 15, filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti stated that they are drawn to stories they would personally enjoy watching and aim to present something new to both global audiences and the Indian public, such as "Angry Young Men," "In Transit," or "Turtle Walker."
Directed by Taira Malaney, "Turtle Walker" focuses on Satish Bhaskar, an Indian biologist who dedicated his life to protecting sea turtles.
"Angry Young Men" documented the achievements of Akhtar's father, Javed Akhtar, and Salim Khan as screenwriters, while "In Transit" has been shortlisted for the GLAAD awards. These awards, scheduled for March, recognize stories centered on LGBTQ+ lives.
"We want to share stories from India that are authentic and deeply rooted—stories that even people in India might not be aware of. This is for the world, but it's also for our country, so people can see how diverse we are and witness the incredible lives being lived around us," Akhtar explained in an interview.
Kagti, who was also part of the video call with Malaney and Akhtar, said that their production banner, Tiger Baby, has always aimed to tell stories that they find engaging.
"We watch both fiction and non-fiction films. There are many documentaries that I and she enjoy. Because I like something, I see potential in it and believe that others will also find it appealing. This stems from a desire for diversification rather than a planned strategy. However, with "Angry Young Men," "In Transit," and this ("Turtle Walker"), we hope to maintain and sustain this diversification," said the director of "Superboys of Malegaon."
Malaney, who spent years developing the documentary, highlighted Bhaskar's singular passion for sea turtles.
"It's inspiring to see how one person can have such a significant impact. We are often overwhelmed by the environmental challenges in India. It feels like a problem that is too big to solve. But when you see someone achieving so much through consistent effort and taking one step at a time, it gives us hope," she said.
The filmmaker first encountered Bhaskar's story eight years ago while working with a marine conservation organization, focusing on introducing children to the ocean.
"India has a vast coastline, but I noticed that our relationship with the ocean is often one of fear rather than comfort. We need to develop a deeper connection. I came across this story, written by a renowned herpetologist, Romulus Whittaker, and it was beautifully written.
"There were many fascinating stories and legends about Satish Bhaskar, the protagonist, who was involved in protecting sea turtles. I was immediately captivated. I knew that this story had the potential to connect youth with the ocean," Malaney added.
The next challenge for the director was to find the main character and, to her surprise, she realized that Bhaskar lived just an hour away from her. He passed away in 2023.
"I started visiting him and spending time with him and his wife, Brenda. We began working on a film. It was initially intended to be a short documentary, but we participated in several pitching forums. The film received awards and support, and everyone encouraged us to make it a feature film. That's how we arrived at this eight years later," Akhtar explained.
Akhtar said that their producer, Angad Dev Singh, introduced them to Malaney and her film when it was still in production.
"We saw a lot of their footage and the story they had pieced together, and we were amazed. We had never heard of Satish Bhaskar, and we were impressed by the film. You could sense the passion and dedication in the film," Akhtar said.
Akhtar was impressed by Malaney's treatment of the story, which aligned with their vision of bringing untold stories to the public.
Malaney explained that the most challenging aspect was finding archival footage of Bhaskar with the sea turtles, as he often traveled alone and did not have a camera with him.
"We needed to find a way to transport people to these places and immerse them in his world. Our executive producer, James Reed, who had previously worked on "My Octopus Teacher" (the Oscar-winning documentary), suggested using cinematic recreations.
"In this film, you have Bhaskar narrating the true, factual events, and then you use this tool to help people expand their imagination and transport them to these places," she explained.
"Turtle Walker" was screened at the International Wildlife Film Festival in April 2025, the Byron Bay International Film Festival in October 2025, and as an opening film at the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) in December last year.
The film was also screened at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai recently.