On 23 Sep 2025, 7 PM onwards @ JN Tata Auditorium, IISc, Bangalore. Open to all.

Come join us for the screening of the film, My Otter Diary, followed by interaction with the filmmakers, and their team including local fisherfolk.

India’s smooth-coated otters are captivating animals with distinct characters and intricate social lives. In this beautiful and heartwarming documentary, wildlife filmmaker Sugandhi Gadadhar explores an otter family's playful and resilient lives in one of India’s most rapidly changing waterways.

With the help of Shivu, a local fisherman, she is following Maya, a female otter, and her family to document their family dynamics, challenges, and achievements. But the otters are wary of her presence. They have learnt that staying elusive means staying alive.

As pollution and destructive dynamite fishing threaten the delicate balance of their habitat, the otters and the fishermen, whose livelihoods also depend on the river, are often in conflict.

Not many people know that otters exist in India. An otter is to a river what a tiger is to a forest. They are the apex predators in the river. Set along the picturesque landscape of the river Cauvery in southern India, this film captures never-before-filmed otter behaviour while subtly articulating the conflict brewing.

The documentary has received two nominations at the Wildscreen Panda Awards 2025 and is a finalist at the Jackson Wild Media Awards 2025.

About the filmmakers:

Sugandhi Gadadhar (Director & cinematographer of My Otter Diary):

Sugandhi Gadadhar is a National Geographic Explorer, a wildlife filmmaker, and a freelance wildlife cinematographer. She is a member of the IUCN Otter Specialist Group. Her short films on wildlife and conservation have won several awards at various film festivals. Sugandhi aims to tell stories about nature and the wild spaces around us that must be protected and preserved.

Raghunath “Rana” Belur (Producer & cinematographer of My Otter Diary):

Rana is a cinematographer, wildlife filmmaker, and tech geek. He is happiest when he needs to observe and film animal behaviour. He is a member of the IUCN Otter Specialist Group. He loves telling stories about the beauty of nature and wildlife to raise awareness of issues related to their conservation.

Shivanna “Shivu” (Fisherman):

Shivu is a traditional fisherman along the river Cauvery and is featured in the documentary My Otter Diary. He grew up along the river and has been fishing along the river for over 16 years.