“Is It Desirable To Allow Film Shoots In Tiger Reserves?”
Kerala High Court asked the State to clarify if it has any policy on allowing film shoots in national parks and protected forests. This comes after concerns over the 2018 filming of ‘Unda’ in Kasaragod forest.
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KOCHI: The Kerala High Court asked the State government to clarify whether there is any proper policy for giving permission to shoot commercial films in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves, and other protected forest areas.
The case was heard by a Division Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji.
The court was dealing with a writ petition filed by Angels Nair, who raised concerns about damage to the environment during the 2018 filming of the Mammootty movie ‘Unda’, which was shot in a reserve forest in Kasaragod.
Forest Department Shows Old Government Order
In response to the petition, the State Forest Department presented a 2013 Government Order (GO). This GO mentioned the fees and charges required for shooting commercial films, documentaries, or educational films in forest areas.
However, the Court pointed out that the real issue was not just about fees, but about whether such permissions should be allowed at all in sensitive forest areas.
“The question raised in this petition is whether a permission for commercial films would be desirable in the national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves and also whether the State has formulated any policy in this matter apart from fixing the rates, as indicated in the documents,”
-the Court stated in its order dated June 2.
The Court noted that the 2013 Government Order only talked about revising entry fee rates and security deposits for activities in protected areas.
No Clear Policy on Film Shoot Permissions
The High Court said that there seems to be no proper or clear policy regarding how or when the government should allow film shoots in forests. The concern is whether such activities are desirable in areas meant for wildlife protection.
Since the State government needed more time to provide a detailed reply, the Court adjourned the case and set the next hearing for June 23.
Advocate Appointed to Help the Court
Considering the importance of environmental and legal issues in this matter, the Court has also appointed Advocate Manu Vyasan Peter as Amicus Curiae (a legal expert to assist the court in the case).
In the hearing:
- Petitioner Angels Nair appeared in person.
- Special Government Pleader TP Sajan appeared on behalf of the State.
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CASE TITLE:
Angels Nair v The Principal Secretary, Forest and Wildlife Department.
Background of the Unda Shoot in Mulleria Reserve Forest
Location & Setup
Unda crew shot in Karadukka/Mulleria Reserve Forest, Kasaragod. To facilitate the shoot, they built a temporary access road by dumping gravel in the forest, making the ground marshy and altering its natural state.
Environmental Harm
The Court and forest officials identified serious environmental damage:
- Gravel disturbed soil composition and micro‑water flow.
- Marshiness and soil compaction affected the forest floor’s health.
- Affected micro‑flora and fauna that live in soil and leaf litter
Legal Response & Court Findings
- In 2019, the Kerala High Court ordered the Central Government to investigate and take action under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for these non-forest activities
The Court observed with photographic evidence that:
“Serious damages have been caused to the reserve forest consequent to the dumping of gravel … making the road and the area more marshy which has interfered substantially with the natural environment and the bio‑diversity in the area.”
It found that although permission was granted by the Divisional Forest Officer, the execution was misused:
- No proper oversight to prevent environmental impact.
- Forest officials failed to enforce protection measures
Director’s Admission
Director Khalid Rahman publicly acknowledged the ecological harm:
“I admit that we disturbed the ecosystem while shooting and camping there. This was noticed by a few environmental activists and they filed a genuine case against us.”
He explained that 150 crew members camped in the forest for 50 days, which made it challenging to keep everyone environmentally conscious.
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